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Hello all of you beautiful people! As March has come upon us, I have been noticing many fans yelling and stomping with team spirit. As a huge fan of fitness, I was inspired and HAD to drop in and share about what is near and dear to my heart. There are many exercises that are easy to like. However, there are others that are beloved by many because of their countless benefits. If you are able-bodied and/or doctor-cleared, then making five specific exercises to be staples in your fitness routine can be a huge win. In the spirit of March Madness, here are the five exercises that I fan girl over!
1. Squat
The squat is one of the greatest exercises of all time. Why? It recruits so many muscles at once. This increases caloric burn and adding increments of weight makes strengthening or growing more muscles at one time a sure shot! Muscles used in the squat are also utilized during everyday tasks. This makes everyday living and other factors such as flexibility, mobility, balance and stability more efficient. Additionally, squats increase explosiveness and power which are needed to create forward momentum. Forward momentum is used for activities like running or even simply walking. Whether you’re an athlete or not, the cardiovascular improvement, injury prevention and muscle or bone maintenance benefits are reason enough to incorporate squats into your fitness regime!
2. Deadlift
The deadlift is a king exercise amongst the many. We use our back and core in almost everything we do. Due to the deadlift being a full-body movement, it is a key way to strengthen those areas as well as all others. This exercise is even said to reduce lower back pain. Not only will you build necessary muscle, but you can even FEEL as strong as a superhero while doing this simple movement pattern. Just the benefits of better grip strength as you age, anabolic hormone release and posture improvement alone make this exercise completely worthwhile!
3. Bench Press
The bench press utilizes pectoral chest muscles as well as the shoulders and triceps. It is a favorite of many. Like the deadlift, it is easy to feel strong when executing this movement properly. This exercise is one of the many that are known to increase muscular strength and build muscle mass. However, it has also been shown to correct muscular imbalances. Muscles can become short and overactive or lengthened and underactive. These imbalances cause other muscles to overcompensate in order to make up for the under or overactive muscles. Lack of mobility or injury can occur when this takes place. The bench press requires muscle stabilization and increased core strength. For this reason, it can correct muscle imbalances over time as muscle strengthening and increased mobility are consistently developed. The increase in bone density is especially important as we age. Opening doors and pushing a stroller or shopping basket is something we will all do for years and years to come!
4. Row
The row is an exercise with many different variations. Not only are there many ways to get creative with this exercise, but it is a staple for working your mid and upper back muscles. The rotator cuff and shoulder stabilizers are also developed which makes for a great way to prevent shoulder injury and increase shoulder strength. This movement also helps to improve efficiency in the squat, deadlift and bench press!
5. Plank
If you want to improve posture, work your full body and enhance muscle definition, then the plank will be one of your best friends. Your core will hate and thank you all at the same time! It is wonderful for injury prevention, as well as improving strength, balance, flexibility and stability. The best part about this exercise is that it requires no equipment and can be done anywhere! Not only will your physical endurance be tested, but it will also challenge your mental endurance and toughness. Mood enhancement and stress relief has been shown to occur after a good, old-fashioned plank session! You can even switch things up and add side planks along with your front plank. Time how long you can hold it and increase that time consistently. Just wait and you’ll soon experience how great your future self will feel!
There is no magic or one size fits all to exercise selection. Numerous exercises that work wonders for the body were not included on this limited list. However, these are my top go to’s that I’ve seen reap crazy benefits for many others, including myself! Consistently execute these with proper form while going at your own pace and fitness level. I can only imagine how beautiful the results of these exercises will be for you. Happy March and much love to you all!
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