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Dr. Gloria Mendizabal-Piedra MD

(305) 823-2433

3986 W. 16 Avenue | Hialeah, FL 33012

Top 5 Feel-Good Exercises for Your Body and Soul

Top 5 Feel-Good Exercises for Your Body and Soul

People are now more aware of their health than ever. It’s great to know that people care about their bodies, and constantly seek to enhance their appearance. Follow the top five workouts below to help you enhance your body, feel better, and make sure you’re maintaining healthy habits!

Planks

Whether you’re more into side planks, or standard planks, these are great to help work your entire upper body. It’s not as easy as it looks! Holding your body up and relying on your arm muscles to keep this position will help develop stronger and greater muscle mass.

For the standard plank, place your hands firmly under the shoulders, as if you were about to do a push-up. Plant your toes on the floor and squeeze your glutes to create stability. Your head should be in line with your back, and make sure to keep your neck and back in a neutral position. Hold this position for about 20 seconds. Once you keep practicing this move, you will be able to hold it for longer. The objective is to hold this position as long as possible.

For the side plank, you may lie on one side, with your legs straight, one on top of the other. Then, move your body up, so that one arm is holding the body up, and the other is being raised up towards the ceiling. Hold the position for as long as you can. The side plank will work out your obliques, or the side muscles of your stomach.

Squats

These have become very popular, and for a good reason. Squats are known to work your upper thighs and buttocks. They have been proven to be very effective, and have now been added to the majority of trainer workouts. Squats will harden your core, and build strong quads and hamstrings.

In order to make sure you are squatting correctly, spread your legs, so that they are in line with your shoulders. Your arms should be stretched forward. Start slowly putting yourself in a squat position. Make sure you are looking forward, and that your back is straight. Try to get as low as you can. Your thighs should be parallel to the ground. If you go too low, you could hurt your knees. Keep moving up and down, from a standing position, back to a squat position. Based on your schedule, you should keep increasing the number of squats every time you repeat this workout.

Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are now showing up in many personal trainer-led workouts. This is because they’re not easy to endure. Although known for burning a lot of calories, jumping jacks are also famous for strengthening the body and relieving stress. It is important to make jumping jacks part of your daily or weekly routine, so that you can get both a cardio and strengthening workout. It’s two for the price of one!

So, how do we properly do jumping jacks? Easy. Stand straight with your legs together, and your arms by your sides. Once jumping up, spread your legs apart, and bring both hands together above your head. Jump again, and return to the original position. Repeat this for as long as you can, starting from at least 25 jumping jacks.

The Bird-Dog

This one may be a little difficult for beginners, but you will be able to see results very quickly. The bird-dog is known to strengthen your abs, upper body, and lower body. You’ll be able to work out all the important areas all at once. If you don’t have time to do any other exercises, doing at least the bird-dog will ensure that you worked out all the areas in the short amount of time that you have.

To properly do this exercise, get into a plank position, and support your body on your hands and one knee (right or left, not both). Stretch one leg and one arm from the opposite side. For example, if you are using your left knee to support your body, then your right leg should be stretched, and your left arm should be stretched forward. Your body should be balanced, and completely straight. Hold this position for a few seconds, and switch the arm or leg to the other side.

Back Extensions

This exercise is becoming increasingly popular. Most women look for workouts to tone their back and strengthen the line that highlights the spine. This line has known to be an attractive feature, and now many women want to achieve this look. Doing three sets of just 60 seconds can really make a difference.

How do you do it? Lie down on your stomach, and stretch your arms behind your back, with both hands on the back of your neck. Next, pull your face and upper body upwards so that your face is off of the ground, and hold this position for a full minute. If you are new to this, you may want to hold the position for less time, and build stamina.

You are now ready for a new you. Follow the simple workouts, and make sure that you are careful with what you eat. This way you will look better, feel better, and be your best. If you need help with your weight loss or feeling better, GMP Medical can help. Schedule a consultation now.

December 17, 2017 2:19 pm
Categories: Family Health