So, your health and fitness instructor, lifestyle blog or YouTube video may have told you to do a number of exercises to tighten muscles and lose weight. But what parts of the body do they affect exactly? Sure, you know that squats have something to do with the bum, while weight-lifting leaves you sore in the arms. But here, we go skin-deep (literally) to show you exactly which muscles and parts of the body are positively stretched and strengthened with every push, pull and stretch.
Squats
This exercise is probably a woman’s favorite. There are numerous videos and blogs dedicated to getting a rounder behind, and the number one piece of advice is “do squats”! This miracle workout can be done anywhere – at home, in the gym, while brushing your teeth or even watching tv. The trick to get it right is to make sure that your knees never extend beyond your toes when you take a dip. Also, you need to move as if you are trying to sit in a chair. Once you perfect this, you are on your way to firmer thighs and well, a firmer bum.
Planks
Every Victoria’s Secret Angel does this exercise as part of their daily routine. You can do it, too. It is so easy to do, and when you get the hang of it, you will find yourself extending the pose for longer durations of time. In fact, instead of watching TV like a couch potato, you will be motivated to stretch yourself to a firmer body. The best part about this is that with a little bit of effort, your entire body will reap the benefits.
Lunges
There are many variations to this form of exercise. It looks like a hardcore curtsy and if you add pulses to it, it works wonders for your the lower half of your body. Lunges can be practiced along with a whole set of various exercise and are usually done during a warm-up to an all-out weight-lifting session. It works for both, men and women, and the benefits of doing these are highly rewarding.
Burpees
The fitness version of a get-rich-quick scheme, the burpee is the Superman version of a workout. It needs to be done with intense speed for a short burst of time, but the results of it are almost immediate. This intense exercise does more than just burn calories and strengthen muscles – it also helps with improving metabolism and increasing heart rate that results in more oxygen being pumped throughout your body.
Crunches
No exercise routine is technically complete without some good old crunches. In recent years there have been debates as to whether crunches are as effective as say, planks or other cardio exercises. However, no matter what the verdict, old school workout freaks will always turn to this workout, whether for a warm up or mainstream fitness route. If you want to do crunches, remember that they need to be partnered with other exercises for overall body tightness.
However, if you really want a knock-out workout, go for something that is ancient and has stood the test of time, proven by yogis and modern health and fitness freaks – yoga. Without breaking a sweat, you can stretch and contort yourself to a leaner, more fit you. The answer to your weight loss prayers is an exercise called the Surya Namaskar, or the sun salutation, that helps stretch ALL parts of the body. Do it anytime of the day or night, but mostly in the morning, and reap the benefits with fast precision.
