Exercise

5 Incredible Simple Exercises to help you Stay Fit

Want to stay fit during this lockdown period? Gyms, yoga and Pilates studios are all probably closed, so what do you do? Not to worry. It really doesn’t take much effort or equipment to conduct an effective workout at home to help you keep fit. Don’t take our word for it, fitness experts think so too.

We scoured the Internet and hundreds of home workout routines to find the 5 simplest exercises you can try out. Most of them don't require additional equipment and are suitable for any level of fitness. In fact this is absolutely the best workout for beginners, so no excuses! Read on to get started!

Special Note: Always remember to do a simple warmup before exercising and remember to cooldown after.

Rotating Arm Circles: Starting off with one of the simplest exercises, we have the rotating arm circles. Remember your warmups in health classes when you were in school? Stay feet apart, with both arms stretched out to the left and right. Start rotating them in large clockwise circles for 30 seconds. Reverse the movement and go counterclockwise. Repeat this for 3 sets.

Imaginary Chair: Slowly progressing to another level where you might feel a little more strain, we have the imaginary chair. Hey, you can't stay fit if you don't push your muscles a little. Find any clean wall in your house, and lean on it, sliding down until you are in a sitting position (except there is no chair). Are your thighs parallel to the floor and back straight up against the wall? Good. Now hold for 1 minute. Repeat for 5 sets.

Plank: This is the one simple exercise, that when done properly, can have immense benefits in helping you stay fit. Beyond just strengthening your core, the plank also helps to strengthen the muscles in your shoulders, legs and lower back too. Sounds good? Let's get started. Start in the full push up position. Move your arms such that your forearms are touching the ground/mat and is supporting your body weight. Legs should be extended and toes supporting. Keep the back straight and hold this position for a minimum of 1 minute (longer if you can). Do this once a day. Start the popular 30 day plank challenge if you're up to it!

Alternating Superman: Now we'll start including a little more action in the exercises. The alternation Superman helps to increase ab strength and is usually part of a regular core strengthening exercise routine. Lie face down with arms extended forward and legs extended back - as though you're Superman flying in the sky. See how it got the name? Keeping your torso as still as possible, raise your left arm and right leg a few inches off the ground. Hold it there for 3 seconds and alternate to raise your right arm and left leg. Repeat for 20 times per set. Repeat for 3 sets.

Skipping: A great alternative to traditional cardio, skipping is a full body workout that can help you stay fit. Want to improve your coordination and stamina? Skipping is the best way to go about doing so. Bonus: It has much lesser impact on your knees than running. Grab a skipping rope and start skipping away. Keep at it for 1 minute each set. Repeat for 5 sets.