Squat Exercises Benefits

 

Squat exercises are great for a total lower body workout. They effectively work most of the major muscle groups of the butt, hips and thighs. Squats are also a versatile exercise. They can be done in almost any location, with or without the use of weights or equipment.

Tones the Legs

Squat exercises thoroughly engage the quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles, which helps to tone and strengthen the legs. Slowing the motion down makes the workout that much more intense.

Lifts the Butt

Doing squats gives the glutes a powerful workout, helping to tighten and lift the butt. To increase this effect, give your glutes an extra squeeze when returning to a standing position.

Strengthens the Core

  Squats engage the core muscles of the body. Abdominal and back muscles are needed to keep balance during the movement. The result is a tighter, flatter abdomen and a stronger lower back.  Make a conscious effort to hold in your abdominal muscles while squatting down to increase this effect.

 

Increases Flexibility

  Doing squats increases joint flexibility. The ankles, knees, hips and lower back are all utilized in the squatting motion. Be sure to maintain proper form to avoid injury. If you feel any pain in these areas, stop doing the exercises until the pain is gone.

 

Upper Body Workout

Adding weights to your squat routine engages the muscles of the upper body, essentially giving you a full body workout in one exercise. You can accomplish this with the use of a barbell, dumbbells or a weighted vest. When adding weights to your routine, start with lighter ones and build as your strength increases.

How to Do a Common Squat Exercise

 

1. Stand with your feet hip width apart.
2. Tighten and pull in your abdominal muscles.
3. Lower your body as if you were going to sit in a chair. Keep the motion slow.
4. Stop when your legs are parallel to the floor.
5. Stay in this position for a few seconds.
6. Now press down onto your heels and slowly rise back up to a standing position.
7. Repeat the exercise for a total of 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
8. Be sure to rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

Once you're comfortable with doing squats, you can increase the difficulty by adding weights. Try holding dumbbells at shoulder level or use a barbell across your shoulders. You can also use one dumbbell; hold it in front of you with both hands while squatting. It's especially important to maintain proper form when using weights. Keep your knees aligned with your feet and don't squat beyond the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Squat exercises are a motion that your body uses often in real life.  Whenever you bend down to pick something up, you'll be thankful that, because of your squat exercise routine, you'll have the strength and flexibility to get the job done.

12 reasons you MUST include jump rope into your workout

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1. The effort it takes to jump rope for 10 minutes is the equivalent of running a mile in eight minutes.


2. One hour of rope skipping will burn 1,300 calories.


3. According to the British Rope Skipping Association, 10 minutes of skipping can have the same health benefits as a 45-minute run.
4. Skipping is a full body workout which uses your abdominals to stabilise the body, legs for jumping, shoulders and arms for turning the rope.


5. Skipping is less jolting on your joints than running.


6. Once you've bought your rope, skipping is a zero-cost workout.


7. Skipping helps to improve heart rate and blood pressure.


8. It's a good workout for all fitness levels as you  can do it at a pace that suits you.


9. Skipping regularly improves flexibility.


10. It also aids your coordination and balance.


11. A regular skipping session improves muscle tone in both the lower and upper body.


12. Skipping is a weightbearing exercise so can help in improving bone density, thus helping stave off osteoporosis.

Benefits of Doing Chin-Ups

Chin-ups can be done anywhere there is a sturdy overhead bar such as a door molding, patio beams, tree branches and even a clothesline bar. They build upper body strength and help improve performance in sports that use the upper body such as tennis, mountain climbing, gymnastics and boxing. Chin-ups use gravity and body weight to improve endurance and strength and are a powerhouse exercise that uses simple training methods.

There are some great benefits to doing chin-ups. If you haven’t tried to do them, I suggest you try them and incorporate them into your routine.

Some of the benefits of chin-ups and pull ups are:

Balancing effect

Chin-ups will strengthen the back. Strengthening the muscles in your back will also have the effect of pulling your shoulders back and greatly improving your posture. Commonly the posture of people is compromised because of sitting too much, carrying extra weight in the chest area, carrying children or general imbalance from doing too much in the frontal plane. This slouchy posture not only looks bad but also causes shoulder problems like frozen shoulder. Increasing your strength in “pulling” movements will correct this imbalance and give you a great looking back!

Quiktrain core exercise

Since chin-ups involve so much effort doing few sets of chin-ups a week is enough to maintain a great deal of strength and tone of the upper body without a lot of time invested. It also keeps you in check about your body fat as carrying extra body fat will make it very difficult to complete this exercise. Once you get to this goal, you save a bunch of time on your workout by making it a staple and I promise, you will get better at it but it will never become easy. That is a Quiktrain exercise.

Multi-joint Movement

Chin-ups are a multi-joint movement that works more than one major muscle group. They challenge all the upper body muscles along with working the core muscles. Chin-ups use the latissimus dorsi, also called the lats, biceps, trapezius, deltoid, rhomboids and the core muscles. Working multiple muscle groups in one exercise is more efficient and reduces workout time. This is especially useful if you are limited on time or want to get a quick workout during the day.

Build Upper Body Strength

Chin-ups build upper body and core strength by pitting your body against gravity. The primary muscles worked are the back and biceps. The supporting muscles support and help aid the other muscles in the movement. Chin-ups use a pulling motion, which builds back and arm strength. The core muscles used are the rectus abdominus, these are the muscles that give you six-pack abs, the obliques and the transverse abdominus. Strong abdominals also strengthen and support the back muscles. Chin-ups are one of the base exercises used in off-season conditioning to build strength by the Georgia Bulldogs, according to Kyle Woody in an article published in the November 2008 issue of "Stack."

Simple Training & Versatility

Chin-ups are done using a simple pull-up motion. This movement is an extremely efficient upper body workout. A variety of chin-up variations can challenge your muscles in different ways. Using the one hand static hang will build stamina and strength. The chin-up bar side crunch targets the core muscles and uses static strength. One-arm chin-ups are done by holding the wrist of the hand gripping the bar. This variation uses more resistance, which is good for strength building.

Warm-up Exercise

Chin-ups are a good warm-up exercise before isolation movements. Chin-ups are a compound movement that engages all the muscles of the upper body. Performing one set of chin-ups before starting any isolation routine that involves muscles of the upper body will prepare the major muscles and the supporting muscles, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity

 

From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life.

Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than exercise. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. And the benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing to exercise? Check out these seven ways exercise can improve your life.

No. 1: Exercise controls weight

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. You don't need to set aside large chunks of time for exercise to reap weight-loss benefits. If you can't do an actual workout, get more active throughout the day in simple ways — by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or revving up your household chores.

No. 2: Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls.

No. 3: Exercise improves mood

Need an emotional lift? Or need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

No. 4: Exercise boosts energy

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily chores.

No. 5: Exercise promotes better sleep

Struggling to fall asleep? Or to stay asleep? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to fall asleep.

No. 6: Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise.

No. 7: Exercise can be fun

Exercise and physical activity can be a fun way to spend some time. It gives you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting. So, take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. If you get bored, try something new.

The bottom line on exercise

Exercise and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns.