For some, working out from home is the only available option to stay healthy. You can find free resources such as this one all over the internet to assist you with your at-home journey. Today, we have broken down five easy exercises that are proven to increase your overall health and fitness, all while being in the comfort of your own home

Integrating physical exercise in your life is a great way to keep your body happy and healthy.

Did you know there are two types of exercise? There are aerobic exercises and anaerobic exercises. 

Aerobic exercises are long in duration and involved sustained movements. Aerobic means “with oxygen,” which means that throughout the duration of your workout, you are using a continuous amount of oxygen to maintain your energy levels.

Anaerobic exercises are intense and short-lasting, in which each exercise in a complete workout can last two seconds to two minutes. Anaerobic means “without oxygen” this is the type of exercise you do that gets you winded. Unlike aerobic, anaerobic exercises use up more of your oxygen supply, which means during your workout, your body depends on the energy that is stored in your muscles to maintain energy levels to complete your workout.

Let’s focus on anaerobic exercises and learn about their benefits.

Benefits of Anaerobic Exercises

Anaerobic exercises help improve your physical and mental health. Below are a few things anaerobic exercises tackles when performing your workouts:

• Improves physical performance: Regular exercise increases muscle strength, speed, and power, as well as the ability to withstand fatigue and improve faster recovery time.
• Reduces the risk of Chronic Disease: Living a healthy lifestyle and including regular exercise leads to a healthier body weight, which prevents the risk of chronicle diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
• Supports weight loss: Anaerobic exercise helps build muscles, which in turn burns body fat and continues to burn calories at rest.
• Fights depression: Partaking in physical activity improves mood, and a 2018 study showed that resistance training acts as a form of therapy for depressive symptoms.
• Promotes healthy aging: Research shows that participating in anaerobic workouts supports healthy aging by protecting the cells from dying.

There are more benefits to anaerobic exercises to maintain overall excellent health throughout our lifespan, and it is essential as our bodies age. Something important to keep in mind is to a partner your regular exercise with healthy eating to achieve optimal health.

Here are five great and easy exercises to start-up or add to your regular workout routine.

1. Jumping Jacks

An amazing way to warm up and get the heart pumping.

Stand up straight with your feet together and arms along your sides. Jump out with your feet to the sides and arms above your head simultaneously. Jump back to normal position. That’s one. Do 3 sets of 30 repetitions with 1-2 minute rest.

2. Squat to shoulder press

Stand up straight, feet spread a little past shoulder-width apart, arms bent at elbows fists to shoulders. Squat down, bottom towards the ground, make sure knees stay point outwards, and do not bend over toes. Rise back up to standing position while pressing your fists up towards the ceiling. For some intensity, you can use dumbbells for added weight. Do 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions with 30-60-second rest.

3. Plank with Shoulder Taps

Start in a plank position, hands/arms shoulder-width apart, feet straight out separate a bit passed shoulder-width apart. Tap your left shoulder with your right hand and then tap your right shoulder with your left hand. If this move is too difficult, try modifying it by putting your knees on the group from the push-up position. Make sure to engage your core and keep your spine in a straight line. Do 3 sets, 30 seconds each with a 30-60-second rest.

4. Sit-ups

Start by lying down on your back, bend your legs, and stabilize your lower body. Cross your hands over your chest to opposite shoulders or place them behind your ears without pulling your neck. Lift your head and shoulders from the ground, exhale as you rise. Lower to starting position, inhale as you lower. Do 3 sets of 20-30 repetitions with 1-2 minutes rest in between.

5. Lunges

Starting up straight, step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle, not pushed out over your toes, and make sure your other knee doesn’t touch the floor. Keep the weight in your heels as you push back up to start position. Always be sure to engage your core. Add some dumbbells for added intensity and weight. Do 3 sets of 12-16 repetitions with a 1-2 minute rest in between.

It’s great to challenge your body, but make sure to always listen to what it is telling you. If something feels too challenging, there are ways to modify every exercise. The important thing is to stay safe when exercising, to prevent injury.

Staying physically healthy is crucial when maintaining overall health. Ensuring that your health is covered in case of an emergency is also very important. To learn more about how First Family Insurance can assist you in finding a health plan that fits your need, click the button below to learn more.