Organizing a light daily workout is a rather effective method to keep all parts of the body in training, so that the whole body is always ready to support any more intense exercises or, more simply, to maintain a balanced and harmonious shape.
In the following pages we will see, in particular, how to carry out a session of daily exercises to be completed in 20 minutes, comfortably at home. These are exercises that are performed worldwide during aerobics classes, and are useful for improving muscle performance, reducing abdominal fat, toning the entire body and increasing cardiovascular health.
Three minutes of running on site
Before starting, it is necessary to take into account the level of training from which one starts, thus avoiding an excessive fatigue. At the same time, we will have to try to perform each exercise in the most intense way we can sustain, taking 30-second pauses before starting the next one.
Breathing must be kept deep and natural throughout the duration of the workout. The first phase involves 3 minutes of running on the spot and should not be intense, being aimed only at gently warming up the muscles. It will not be necessary to raise your knees too much or jump.
50 Jumping
The second step consists of 50 repetitions of Jumping Jack, also known as the ” star jump “. We will then have to join our feet and make a small jump upwards, during which we will bring our feet to the sides, to an opening slightly wider than the width of our shoulders. At the same time, we will have to raise the arms, starting from a position lying along the sides until they are straight over the head. During the landing phase of each jump, we will have to slightly bend the knees in order to cushion the impact with the ground and not strain the joints.
15 repeats of Crunch
Once the previous phase is over, we will have to lie down on the back, keeping the knees bent, bringing the hands to the sides of the head so that the fingers touch the temples, and the elbows point outwards. At this point, we will move the shoulders towards the belly, keeping the abdomen always in tension during movement, without relaxing it during the return to the initial position.
The neck should be kept as close as possible to the spine, and it may help to fix a point above the ceiling. Afterwards, we will flex our lives in order to lift the upper part of the trunk, thus performing the so-called abdominal crunches. The contraction for each movement should last about a second. Finally, we will lower ourselves to touch the ground with the back of the shoulders, always without relaxing the muscles, and we will repeat the movement 15 times.
10 repetitions of the Bridge
Lying on your back with your arms outstretched to our sides and the palms of your hands resting on the floor, with the heels of your feet resting well on the ground, we will raise the hips forming a straight line that goes from the shoulders to the knees. The part of the legs that goes from the feet to the knees must be in an almost vertical position. This position must be maintained for 10 seconds, and repeated 10 times.
1 minute of Step Up
To perform this exercise it is necessary to have a step but, in the absence of it, it is possible to use the step of a ladder or a sturdy low stool. We will then position ourselves in front of the step and alternating the leg that rises from time to time, we will begin to rise and fall from it. This simple exercise only involves going up and down the step for one minute at a sustained speed, but it is important to remember to always alternate the rising and falling legs.
15 repetitions of reverse Crunch
Lay down your back with your arms outstretched at your sides and your knees bent, bring your knees to your head so your hips rise slightly above the ground. We will maintain this position for a second, before slowly lowering the knees, keeping the muscles of the abdomen contracted. We will repeat the movement 15 times.
1 minute of Mountain Climber
The practice of the Mountain Climber is to place the hands and knees on the ground, then lift the knees, resting on the hands and the tips of the feet, alternating one leg at a time. The position we are going to assume is similar to that of the starting position of runners in speed races. We will then return to the initial position by making a small jump, bringing the knee to the chest and alternating immediately with the opposite leg. These movements must be repeated for 1 minute.
15 repetitions of Push-up
The Push-up consists of the typical bends on the arms, performed from a position facing the ground keeping the palms of the hands well supported a little further forward of the shoulders, at a distance more or less equal to the width of the shoulders themselves. We will have to repeat 15 push-ups, keeping the rest of the body very straight and aligned.
1 minute of Burpees
From a squatting position like the Squat one, we’ll kick backwards and take a Push-up pose, making a slight bend with the arms. At the completion of the bending itself, then when we have reached the top, we will bring the knees to the chest returning to the starting position, making a good jump up and clapping. These movements must be performed without pauses at a sustained pace, lasting one minute.
1 repetition of the entire session
To complete this series of exercises, it takes 10 minutes for a person trained and accustomed to physical activity. The goal of this training would be to do two sessions a day, thus arriving at 20 minutes of daily exercises. During the early stages, it is advisable to allow yourself a more generous rest between one step and the next, gradually increasing our degree of resistance. In addition to maintaining a good physical shape, this series of exercises is also ideal for preparing for more demanding athletic activities.
