Essential Exercises for Women

By MATCHUP (Star Patcher)

By Matchup | Health and Wellness Blog

When you have a busy schedule incorporating exercise into your everyday routine can seem difficult. It takes dedication and motivation to wake up early every morning or stay up later to fit in a workout. Fitting in that 30 minutes five days a week or a combined total of 150 minutes of exercise is essential for your health.

Exercising can help to increase your energy, improve your sleep, manage your weight, gain muscle, improve your mood, and work against health conditions. There are so many workouts to choose from but if you’re unsure of where to begin, let’s go back to the basics. These are essential exercises women should know how to perform and incorporate into their workout routine.

The Squat

This exercise is a workout for the entire body; you’ll be working your abs, glutes, quads and hamstrings. Squatting is a great way to strengthen and tone your muscles. They help to burn fat and help you to lose weight.

How to Properly Squat:

• Keep your back straight and core engaged
• Keep your feet planted firmly on the ground
• Knees follow toes and lower your legs down to a 90º angle
• Hold for slotted amount of time

The Plank

For a stronger core the exercise you want to incorporate into your routine is a plank. This exercise also works your glutes and hamstrings. If done correctly it will improve your posture, balance and flexibility.

How to Properly Perform a Plank:

• Lay your forearms on the ground
• Plant your toes into the ground
• Engage your abs and lift your core up off of the ground
• Keep your back flat (make sure there is no curvature)
• Hold for as long as you can

The Push-up

This is a great exercise to help strengthen your arm muscles without the purchase of equipment. With the engagement of the entire body it also helps to tone muscles and increase endurance. Proper form is key in this exercise otherwise your workout won’t be as beneficial.

How to Properly Do Push-ups:

• Place both hands on the ground a little farther width than your shoulders
• Plant your toes into the ground
• Engage your core and lift your body up
• Make sure that your body is parallel to the ground (and that your bottom is tucked under and not sticking up the in the air)
• Lift up and then lower back down until your arms are at a 45º angle
• You can modify this exercise by planting your knees into the ground and doing the push up like normal.