If the idea of muscle strengthening dredges up memories of countless pieces of fitness equipment you’ve already invested in and a dust covered gym membership card, you’re not the only one. But with doctors now writing prescriptions for exercise, employers offering generous health spending accounts, and the debate around a Canadian adult fitness tax credit, health and wellness is becoming a very trendy topic. The message is clear: people need to get up and get moving. And while opting for the stairs at work, taking a brisk walk after dinner, and following a healthy diet may seem adequate for maintaining health, people often forget that muscle strengthening is an important component as well.
According to the American Heart Association, adults should engage in moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity at least two days per week in addition to exercising at least 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week to achieve overall cardiovascular health.
Along with a lack of time, people commonly claim intimidation, frustration, and a lack of knowledge as reasons to stay away from weight training. These concerns are fair: getting into shape is a lengthy process and with the amount of fitness programs and quick-fix strategies created every month, , muscle-strengthening might seem overwhelming for the average person looking to trim his or her waistline or manage an illness like diabetes.
But don’t dismiss muscle conditioning yet! The benefits are numerous: weight training strengthens muscles that surround and protect your organs, boosts metabolism, improves posture, and prevents future injuries from everyday activities like lifting, pushing, and bending over.
Spending 30-40 minutes every day doing bodyweight exercises can easily, and cheaply, add to your fitness plan. Bodyweight exercises are strength training exercises that use the individual’s own weight to provide resistance – they do not require free weights or any additional equipment you do not already have. Some common bodyweight exercises include squats, lunges, push-ups, calf raises, planks, and sit-ups. But, thanks to the internet, you can find hundreds of easy-to-learn bodyweight exercises to target every muscle group with modifications suit your fitness level by limiting your range of motion and number of repetitions.
Still unconvinced by how bodyweight exercise stack up to dumbbells and weight machines at the gym? Check out these additional benefits:
- Efficiency: as no equipment is involved, the amount of time to transition between different bodyweight exercises is generally faster than using weights or moving between machines. This keeps your heart rate up and increases fitness gains in a shorter amount of time.
- Payoff: most bodyweight exercises involve flexibility, stability, and core engagement. This might seem overwhelming but really, it’s extremely beneficial to engage so many muscle groups at once. Imagine yourself doing a proper push up. You might only feel your pectorals and deltoids working but in reality, a push up also engages your abdominals, triceps, and your serratus anterior.
- Convenience: Squeeze in your workout while watching your favourite TV show. Steal a half hour for fitness before your shower. Work through repetitions while supper is in the oven. Bodyweight exercises require little space and preparation, and compared to the gym, you’ll save plenty of travel time.
- It’s free! (Need we say more?)
