Somedays you don't feel like going to the gym. The thought of changing and driving over seems like too much time and effort out of your day stressful and busy day. But at the same time, purchasing your own set of weights to use at home can be costly. So what do you do when you don't have the energy to get to the gym and you can't afford your own weights? Try completing a workout with your own bodyweight. Bodyweight workouts are highly effective in toning your body and at the same time, you can get in your workout for the day. Here are some health benefits to working out with your bodyweight:
Photo courtesy of Christopher Campbell
1. It increases your core strength.
Your core includes more than just your abs, in fact there are 29 core muscles that are essential for helping to maintain your bodies balance and posture. Better posture and balance comes from training the muscles in your hips, lower back, pelvis and abdomen to work together. Finally, your core muscles increase your ability to do everyday things like simply getting dressed in the morning.
2. It increases your balance.
In doing body weight exercises, you can increase your balance through increased control and bodily awareness. Having control of your body is essential to preventing injury and gaining a wider range of movement. Also in learning balance, you can give your body a greater sense of agility to help you move confidently throughout your day.
3. It increases your flexibility.
Bodyweight exercises ensure that your joints are moving freely and do not end up stiff and tight. Inflexible joints can also lead you to injury. Gaining flexibility gives you a wider range of motion, making you less restricted in performing physical tasks.
4. It increases the amount of fat you burn.
By performing bodyweight exercises, you can quickly burn fat and have a large impact on your metabolism. In particular, HIIT exercises are a great way to better your metabolism. In fact a 20-minute routine can increase your metabolism for the next day and a half.
5. There's always time.
Bodyweight workouts mean you can do something short and sweet during your hectic day. The excuse of having “no time” will no longer come into play. If you take 30-minutes out of your day to work out, you will lose an equal amount of weight and body mass as a 60-minute workout.
So, lace up your sneakers, click on over to YouTube and prepare to be drenched in sweat. Fitness Blender offers a wide variety of videos that will leave you aching the next day.
