Why the Right Exercises Matter Every Week
No matter whether you are an athlete, an office worker, a stay-at-home parent, or somewhere in between, exercise is important for everyone.
The challenge is figuring out which movements are best for your individual needs. That question is not always easy to answer without a full evaluation and a conversation about your goals. Even so, there are a few basic exercises that belong in almost every weekly routine.
The Common Problem: Many People Miss Key Movements
A lot of exercise plans leave out simple, effective movements that help build overall fitness. When your routine is missing essential upper-body and lower-body exercises, it can be harder to improve strength, endurance, mobility, and day-to-day function.
The Cause: Not Training the Body in a Balanced Way
One reason this happens is that people often focus on only one type of movement. For example, they may work pushing muscles but forget pulling muscles, or train both legs together without noticing side-to-side differences.
A well-rounded routine should include movements that help with pushing, pulling, sitting, standing, and single-leg control. Bodyweight exercises are especially useful because they can support fitness for people of any age or occupation.
The Solution: 5 Exercises to Do Every Week
1. Press Ups
Press ups, also called pushups, are a classic exercise. They are important for strengthening the upper-body pushing muscles, including the chest and triceps.
How to Perform
- Place your hands on the floor directly below your shoulders.
- Put your toes on the ground about hip-width apart.
- Lower yourself slowly by bending your elbows and moving your shoulders back while keeping your back straight.
- When you reach the bottom of your range, press back up to the starting position.
2. Squats
Every time you sit down in a chair or stand up, you are doing a squat. Because of that, the squat is often seen as one of the most functional exercises you can do.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Lower your hips toward the ground by bending your knees and keeping your back straight.
- Once you reach the bottom of your range, stand back up to finish the rep.
3. Pull Ups
While pushups train the upper-body pushing muscles, pull-ups target the pulling muscles, such as the biceps and lats. This movement can also support fitness and mobility at any age.
How to Perform
- Grab the bar with both hands using the grip you prefer.
- Pull yourself upward until your upper chest lightly touches the bar.
- Lower yourself slowly back to the starting position.
4. Lunges
Lunges are basically a single-leg squat. That makes them a great way to notice asymmetries or issues that may be present on one side of the body more than the other.
How to Perform
- Begin with your right leg forward and your left leg behind you.
- Bend your right knee as you lower your left knee toward the ground.
- After reaching the bottom of your range, slowly return to standing.
5. Triceps Dips
Although pushups do work the triceps, triceps dips place even more emphasis on them. This exercise is also helpful for building strength in the shoulders and chest.
How to Perform
- Hold one parallel bar in each hand.
- Lower yourself slowly by bending your elbows and moving your shoulders back.
- At the bottom of your range, press yourself back up to the starting position.
Build a Simple Weekly Routine
Bodyweight exercises like these can help improve strength, endurance, and mobility for people in all kinds of lifestyles and age groups.
A simple place to start is:
- Perform 3 sets of 10 reps for each exercise.
- Repeat the routine 3 times per week.
- Build up from there as you improve.
Following a plan like this can help you develop functional strength and a great physique quickly.
Consult a healthcare professional before making changes.
