Thursday, October 17, 2013

The top 5 exercises

If you could only pick five exercises, these are the best ever.

The top 5 exercises
 
Suppose I sent you to a deserted island and said you could only take five exercises with you, which five would you take? Not all exercises are equal. And some are so good you simply shouldn't live without them. Here are the five best exercises on the planet.

1. Push-ups with rows

Why? Adding a back move to the push-up makes this the greatest upper-body exercise around.

How? Assume a push-up position, either on your knees or toes, holding dumbbells that are resting on the ground. Lower your chin, chest and pelvis to the ground and press back up. Then pull one dumbbell off the ground and draw it up to the side of your chest. Lower it slowly back to the ground and repeat with your other arm. Try not to twist too much through your torso as you row. Once you've rowed on both sides, go straight into your next push-up.

Sets and reps: 3-5 sets of 6-15.
1. Push-ups with rows

2. Dead lifts

Why? These work the hamstrings, glutes, back and core.

How? Hold a weight in both hands and stand, feet hip-width apart. Brace your abs and bend forward at the hips. Lower the weight down your thighs to just off the ground. Keep a neutral spine by looking forward, sticking your butt out and opening your chest. Pause at the bottom, then rise back to the top. Push your hips forward and contract your glutes. Stop if you feel any sharp lower-back pain.

Sets and reps: 3-5 sets of 10-20.
2. Dead lifts

3. Feet-up twists

Why? This targets all the important parts of your abs. The twist works your obliques and having the legs raised and torso leaning back works the core.

How? Sit on the ground, holding a medicine ball. Brace your core and lean back about 20 degrees. Lift your feet a few centimetres off the ground, knees bent. Twist your chest to one side, engaging your obliques, and touch the ball lightly to the ground. Twist back to the start and, without stopping, twist to the other side and touch the ball lightly to the ground.

Sets and reps: 3-5 sets of 20-40.
3. Feet-up twists

4. Squats

Why? If you choose just one exercise, this targets the large muscles and burns fat.

How? Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. With a straight back, bend at the knees and squat as though you are about to sit on a chair. Keep a steady rhythm with no pause on the up or down phases. Focus your weight through your heels and keep your gaze fixed on a point directly ahead of you. Make sure your knees are stable. Any sideways movements of your knees, especially at the bottom of the movement, can cause problems. The lower you go the better. A perfect body-weight squat has your butt lowering below your knees.

Sets and reps: 3-5 sets of 10-20.
4. Squats

5. Sprints

Why? Intensity is the key to your results and sprinting is definitely intense.

How?
These can be done on sand, grass or pavement. Each surface offers different challenges. Warm up thoroughly to reduce your risk of injury. Go for a 5-minute run and perform some drills such as high-knee running, running buttock kicks, sideways running and walking lunges to get you ready. Then do a few 50m faster runs. Choose a sprint distance for the day (generally 30m to 100m) and sprint as fast as you can. Rest for 30 seconds, then go again. Effort and intensity are crucial here.

Sets and reps: 2-3 sets of 10.
5. Sprints

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