Best Overall Exercises

Exercise trends are called trends for a reason. They last about as long as a head of lettuce and offer about as much benefits as well. But there are some ex­ercises that have been around since the birth of weight lifting and that's because they work.

 

But which are the best of the best?

 

Push-ups

 

What's great about pushups is that you can do them even though you may be weaker than a pick up line. You can start with a few, and over time increase repetitions at a good, even pace that builds muscle in the places that count (chest, shoulders, and triceps). Different variations of the exercise can work the abdominals as well.

 

 

The pushup that impresses; the one that only the strongest and bravest should attempt. That’s right a one-arm pushup, and yes I’m talking about you,

 

To do a one-arm pushup with your right arm, widen your feet and place your right hand on the floor beneath the middle of your chest. Tuck your left arm behind your back. As you lower yourself, you'll realize that this isn't a straight-up-and-down movement like a regular pushup. You’ll twist on the ball of your left foot and untwist as you push yourself back up (if you can). You'll feel muscles working all up and down the right side of your body.

 

Do an equal number with each arm, and don't even try one-arm pushups unless you can bench-press your own body weight eight to 10 times.

 

The Clean and Jerk

 

The clean and jerk used to be a staple move in hard-core gyms where guys would throw around weights the size of small cars.

 

But it's making a big comeback in colle­giate training rooms. It requires a combination of speed, strength, skill, and balance that few exercises can match

 

Go ahead and jerk. Use dumbbells instead of a barbell.

 

Start with light weights, and focus on building speed more than building strength. Add weight only when your form is fluid and the move feels natural.

 

The Arm-Blaster Curl

 

The arm blaster; is a thin strip of metal that hangs from your shoulders and prevents your elbows from moving forward and back during a curl. This forces your biceps to work much harder than they would if allowed to swing a little. Consequently, this curl is the best single exercise for working all parts of the biceps with maximum intensity.

 

 

The Squat

 

If you aren't doing squats in your workout, then you don't have a workout. Squats shape the body and develop performance power.

 

It's the easiest power move to learn, and you'll see the fastest results in both strength and muscle size.

 

 

To get more out of the squat: Focus on squatting deeper, rather than heav­ier. The key is to descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor, while still keeping your heels on the floor and maintaining the natural arch in your lower back. (Use a light weight until you develop the correct form.) This deeper squat builds muscle faster and is safer for your knees than a squat in which you stop before your thighs are parallel to the floor. When you cut a squat short like that, you turn your knees into brakes. And you know what happens to brakes. They wear out.

Comments

[David hogard]

The first and greatest thing about walking as an exercise is that it is something that we already know how to do, and do every day. So there is no learning curve, no expensive equipment to buy, and no drive to the gym every day to get our work out in. If you have access to a long, flat road with beautiful scenery that's ideal. But for the rest of us, walking laps around your house or your local school should work just fine. Be sure to use a pedometer or a stopwatch to track your progress.

http://healthfreak2.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/walking-%e2%80%93-the-easiest-and-best-exercise/