Bodyweight exercises are a fantastic way for everyone to build a strength fitness program around. With just a little training anyone can become their own fitness trainer, and coupled with a little discipline will be able to do workouts in their home at no cost at all.
There adaptability and flexibility makes them something that everyone should look into, even those with serious health conditions.
One study found that it has great benefits for stroke patients who had difficulty walking. Obviously there is something here for everyone.
And what are those some of those benefits that everyone that does them correctly will see?
1. Balance. As we age our balance begins to lessen, which can be a cause of serious injury by just doing normal tasks. There are bodyweight exercises devised specifically to help balance.
2. Core strength. Developing core muscles is important not only for sports such as golf, but in our ability to move around effectively.
3. Flexibility. Being able to stretch and bend again is important in sports, but also in our ability to walk and sit comfortably.
Bodyweight exercise routines can be set up to provide both cardiovascular and resistance training. The four-step squat thrusts can give you a nice workout that nearly anyone can build up to, and when combined with some pushups, for example, we can build strength and keep our pulse rate up.
But doing these exercises by yourself or with a training partner may allow you to develop some bad habits. Not doing these exercises properly can result in injured joints and muscles, some that are serious enough to keep you on the shelf for some time. Here are some of the more common faults in bodyweight exercising:
1. Squats. This exercise is great for balance and mobility, and because it builds so much heavy muscle it will cause you to burn more fat.
But they have been known to do a number on your knees if done wrong. This is because normally people put too much of their weight forward.
Compensate for this by putting your hands behind your head, elbows out and shoulders back, and keep your back muscles contracted during the entire squat. As you progress, slow up the squat to super-slow motion for a high-intensity workout.
2. Pushups. These are great exercises, and all you have to do is drop down and start doing them. But doing them wrong can give you rotator cuff strains.
Don't allow your elbows to flair out, but keep them about 45 degrees to your body in the down position. Also, modify them on a regular basis or they lose their effectiveness over time.
3. Box jumps. These are gaining in popular among athletes, but are causing injuries to Achilles tendons when jumping off backwards.
This happens when during the jump to provide for better balance they tend to thrust their weight forward. Simply step down from the box which will make the exercise more controlled and safe.
These are just three bodyweight exercises that will add to your strength and fitness program, but only if done in a safe manner.
Resistance training and other yoga routines are excellent for exercising the core muscles. Diet plays a part, and on our website healtheybalanceddiet we talk about foods that are not only delicious to eat but provide healthy nourishment for the body.
Rich Carroll is a writer and avid health advocate now living in Chicago.
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