Wondering how to get the most out of your workout? Some moves are definitely more effective than others, but figuring out which routine out of the thousands of options there are can be tough. It will vary depending on your capabilities, your goals, and how much time you have, but these moves can definitely make any workout more effective–and they’re suitable for just about everyone.
#1 Walking
It’s something you probably already do every single day. This exercise is considered one of the most effective of all because it’s simple, straightforward, and requires no equipment (other than a good pair of walking shoes). It gets your major muscle groups working, and when you pay attention to things like your posture, you’ll even be strengthening your core muscles. This means your workout could literally be a walk in the park, and it will still make a difference to your overall health.
When using walking as a work out, try to take a brisk walk. This will have a better impact on your endurance and heart rate, which will lead to more calorie burn. As you progress, add more time to your walk to make it more difficult, but experts caution not to extend your walk by more than 5-10 minutes at a time. Get used to the extended length and then add some more. You can also use incline to add to the difficulty, but start small.
#2 Interval Training
Looking to burn even more calories? An interval training workout can help you extend your endurance and increase your heart rate to burn extra fat and even build muscle. Interval workouts range in style depending on the moves you incorporate.
A HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout, for example, might consist of 45 seconds of a cardio move followed by a 15 second rest. This is usually repeated many times to make up a 5, 10, 15 or even 30 minute HIIT workout. A LIIT (low intensity interval training) workout can follow a similar format, usually with the length of a move extended to upwards of 2 minutes as the moves are all low intensity.
While a HIIT workout might involve high knees or jumping jacks, a low intensity workout might involve squats or side steps.
#3 Bodyweight Moves
A bodyweight move is one that does not use equipment. Instead, it utilizes gravity and the weight of your own ligaments to get your muscles burning. A squat, a lunge, or a plank are all good examples of bodyweight moves, and they are all extremely effective at challenging you to get stronger.
Plus, you can do them anywhere with no excuses!