There are no excuses. If marathon gym sessions aren't your thing, you can get in shape without leaving home. You only need to choose the most effective exercises. Best time? Early in the morning. So, after a shower, you start the day full of energy.
Your infallible routine to do at home
These 3 exercises, which will not take you more than 15 minutes, combined with daily walks of half an hour will help you lose a couple of kilos in a month and have firmer arms and legs.
- Squats Sitting in a chair with your knees parallel to your heels, get up with your feet firmly supported and glutes contracting. Pretend to sit again until your buttocks rub against the seat and stand up again (4 sets of 15 reps). Intersperse each set with 30-second spot runs, raising your knees.
- The "burpee". Also known as "little soldier". Squatting down and resting on the balls of your feet and with the palms of your hands on the ground, jump and bring your legs back until you reach a plank. Do a push-up, return to your squat, and jump up. Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise (2 sets of 5 reps).
- The "lunges". It is another of the most profitable exercises that exist, because it requires little effort and it is possible to work legs and glutes. It consists of taking a big step back with one leg until it is almost "on its knees", while the one in front is at a right angle (3 sets of 10 repetitions with each leg).
The best tricks from the experts
Personal trainers advise following these simple keys so as not to miss the goal of getting fit:
- Start small . If the first day you give yourself to the maximum and suffer, you will not want to repeat. It is more important to train a few minutes every day than to train intensely once a week.
- Be constant. Did you know that if you manage to maintain a routine for three weeks in a row, you end up incorporating it into your life at no cost? Think about why you want to exercise and focus only on that reason. You will see how the rule of "the more sport, the less laziness" works.
- The changes, one at a time . Change the habit of exercise first and, once installed, go for the one of eating. Don't change both at the same time.
- Habits that add up. Stop using the elevator, jump rope at home for 5 minutes or run, even if it's only 10 minutes. Stair climbing is proven to burn a lot more than sit-ups.
- Courage … for more. When you start to see the results of this routine, it is time to go for more. Pilates, kick boxing, zumba … Experiment and stick with what makes you happy as you move. If what you do excites you, it will work.
Music powers you up
It is one of the most motivating elements to get in shape. According to a study by the Department of Musicology at the University of Ghent, Belgium, the type of music heard during training influences the rhythm of movements and alters energy levels.
The best thing is to opt for pop, rock or techno, because they accelerate the movements. In addition, it is proven that listening to our favorite songs when we exercise predisposes us to reduce the effort we must make.
The mobile, another good ally
There are applications, such as Endomondo or Fitstar Personal Trainer, that record the duration, distance, speed and calorie consumption of your bike rides or walks; o Nike + Training Club, a mobile personal trainer that allows you to add other runners or athletes to meet them and make exercising more enjoyable.
