We all know that having a healthy body is a dream of every human being. A good body means it is free of disease, strong and has the right weight. It also has the right posture and balance.
So how can you have that kind of body? The answer is simple: through exercise. Exercise can make your body healthy, bring out its full potential and change your mood.
However, doing exercise is not easy, sometimes it is boring and takes time. But as they say, no pain no gain. If you want to be healthy, you need to sacrifice some time to do exercise regularly every day or every week. And besides the benefits are worth it.
But what are the best exercises for your body? Well, there are many types of exercise that you can do, depending on what your goal is. It can be to lose weight, build muscle or strengthen a certain muscle group. It also depends on the amount of time you have available. Here are some options that will surely transform your body just about 4 weeks:
1. Push-ups
Push-ups are tough. If you’re like most people, you probably hate doing them. But there’s nothing more effective for building upper-body strength than the push-up.
The push-up is the ultimate barometer of fitness. It is a recommended exercise for everyone, athletes to preschoolers. It’s simple, and can be done anywhere at any time and doesn’t require any equipment. And best of all, it’s effective as it targets your chest, shoulders, triceps, abs and even your lower back.
Push-ups are fantastic for your arms, back and shoulders. They also strengthen the lower part of your chest and oblique muscles. But they aren’t just a great upper body exercise; push-ups also work out your core, improve your posture and make you more flexible.
Unlike some exercises, push-ups use your own body weight as resistance rather than external weights (like dumbbells). That means you can do them anywhere without having to worry about carrying around heavy weights or going to a gym.
To do a proper pushup, follow these steps:
Lie on the floor face down with your hands just slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Your legs should be extended with your toes digging into the floor to support the rest of your body.
Keep your back straight so that it’s in line with the rest of your body. This is the starting position for the pushup.
While keeping your back straight, lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Always keep your elbows tucked close to your body and pointing behind you as you do this.
Push yourself back up to the starting position by pushing down into the floor with your hands. That’s one repetition (rep).
Do as many reps as you can until failure. When you get tired don’t let yourself drop down on the floor but rather keep constant tension on your muscles by doing negative repetitions, also known as eccentric contractions. To do this, lower yourself as slowly as possible over a count of five seconds and then have a spotter help lift you back up to the starting position.
2. T Push-ups
The T Push-up is a more advanced version of the classic Push-up. The “T” refers to the way you place your hands, which creates the letter “T” on the ground when viewed from above.
In a standard pushup, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. But this exercise will challenge your arms and abs in a new way.
Start in a pushup position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core—imagine someone is about to punch you in the stomach—and squeeze your glutes. Bend one elbow and lower yourself until your chest nearly touches the floor, keeping your body straight. Pause at the bottom of the movement, then return to the starting position by pressing back up through the floor. As you push up, rotate your torso so that you end in a side plank position with your hips lifted and weight on the outside of one foot and hand (left). Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep; do 8 to 10 per side.
I know what you’re thinking – this sounds way too hard for me. Don’t worry. That is what most beginners often feel. If a full T Push-up is too difficult, try it from your knees instead of from your toes.
3. Squats
Squats are probably the most functional exercise. Practically every sport involves some degree of squatting, and a strong squat is essential for running, jumping, climbing, throwing, and lifting. Squatting builds strength in your legs and back as well as your glutes, hamstrings, and calves. It will also increase bone density in your hips and spine.
When you squat, you can hold any position from a standing to a resting position, where your butt hovers just above the ground. The more below parallel (meaning hips lower than knees) that you can go without rounding your lower back or losing balance, the better. Make sure you’re keeping your weight on your heels and chest up throughout the movement.
Squats are best done with some sort of weight added to them, such as a barbell, dumbbells or even just a backpack. This is especially important for women since it will help counteract osteoporosis – another great reason to put down the pink dumbbells).
Start with bodyweight squats until you master form; then add weights slowly as you build strength.
4. Planks
You will be happy to know that the most effective exercise of all is also one of the easiest. It is called a plank, and it involves holding yourself in the pushup position for as long as you can.
Plank for thirty seconds and you are doing well. Plank for two minutes and you are doing great. The plank can be done anywhere, at any time, by anyone.
To perform this exercise, Lie on the ground and prop yourself up on your forearms and toes so that only your forearms and toes touch the floor and the rest of your body is off the ground (as shown). Keep your body straight at all times by tightening your abs and holding this position for 60 seconds. Rest for 30 seconds then repeat 2 more times for a total of 3 sets (1 set = 60 seconds).
5. The Deadlift
The deadlift is the most beautiful exercise in existence, and it’s probably the best. The deadlift is a classic show of strength, but that doesn’t mean it’s only for people who want to be strong. Because the deadlift works so many muscles, it’s one of the most effective exercises for building your body. And because the deadlift is so straightforward and natural an exercise, it’s one of the safest.
At its simplest, all you need to do a deadlift is something heavy that isn’t nailed down. But most people who are new to lifting do them with a barbell, on a smooth floor with rubber mats, and we’ll assume you’re doing that too.
You can also deadlift off blocks or with chains, or use a different kind of bar (like a trap bar). These are all good things to experiment with later. For now, just master the basic style of deadlifting we describe here (sometimes called “conventional” style).
Conclusion
For me, listed above are the 5 best exercises that you can do if you want to increase your strength and size. They will transform your body in one month and build a solid foundation of strength to take your training to the next level.
