Fitness Archives

September 23, 2019 By Parwage Alam 11 Comments

How to Turn Household Chores Into a Workout

Taking care of the house is a never-ending job! I still remember my mother being so caught up with household chores that she never got the time to workout. One day when I got home after working out, I saw my mother doing the regular housework and an idea struck me! What if we can turn daily household chores into a workout routine?

Benefits of Turning Household Chores Into a Workout

Most people struggle with the fact that due to the lack of time, they skip working out. If you turn household chores into a workout routine, you’re killing two birds with one stone. You find your chores as well as get a good, light workout.

Like any other physical activity, housework can tone muscles if done correctly and in the right posture. It’s already proved that short bouts of relatively mild exercise can help improve your fitness levels, especially for those who do little or no physical activity or are just getting started. To top it off, this can help you break the monotony of routine and add a little bit of fun to completing chores.

Here’s How You Get Started

Lunges (Vacuum Cleaning): While using the vacuum cleaner, you can walk in a lunges posture. Remember to keep your knees directly above your ankles, your back straight and your abs engaged. You will know this is working by feeling the pressure in your thighs and glutes. Lunges are a good exercise for strengthening, sculpting and building several muscles/muscle groups, including the quadriceps (or thighs), the gluteus maximus (or buttocks) and the hamstrings as well.
Squats: Pick up items on the floor or tables by squatting. Keep your back straight, squat deeply by bending your knees. Hold for 15 seconds before rising up again. A Squat is an exercise that primarily trains the muscles of the thighs, hips and buttocks. It also works the quadriceps (vastus lateral, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius and rectus femoris), hamstrings, and strengthens the bones, ligaments as well as the insertion of the tendons throughout the lower body
Make Sweeping Movements: Instead of cleaning haphazardly when scrubbing glass doors or cleaning windows, make long, sweeping movements. For instance, when you are cleaning the doors or windows, take long swipes from top to bottom, squatting (not bending) to reach the lower spots. This will give you a fantastic shoulder workout and engage your entire lower body. If you want you can also hold a small bucket of water in your other hand to increase the strength of your arms.
Sweeping: While sweeping, tuck your stomach and oblique muscles in, keep your back straight and bring the bristles of the broom as far as possible and pull in.
Dance on the Beat: Turn on the music system while doing household chores and dance to the music the way you want. Try to use some fast music so you’ll be encouraged to pick up your speed and break a sweat. If you’re wondering how dancing helps your health, click here.
Step it up: Use a stepladder, stairs or step stool when you need to reach high areas. Try to repeat the same steps 8-10 times. Trust me, this is a really great exercise for your hamstrings, provided you keep your back straight. You can simulate your own step aerobics session this way!
Loading the Washing machine: When you are loading or unloading your washing machine, just twist and move more. This movement will help to strengthen your core.
Sculpt and Fold: Lifting laundry can be the toughest part of your routine. Tone your arms by holding them raised at 90° angle as you carry the laundry basket. Use the squats and lunges posture with your legs as your fold.
Take a Swing. Instead of cleaning your rugs, carpets, sheet using a vacuum cleaner, take them outside, hang them up, pick up your broom and show your muscular talent! Swing away to beat out the dust and dirt. Performing this activity will help you involve more muscles than vacuuming alone and help you get some fresh air as well.
Always Prefer Stairs: Instead of making one trip up and down, try to convert it into multiple trips with the clean or dirty clothes. Remember, we have a target to do more work as a workout, not less work with the help of machines!

What are you waiting for! Make your household chores something to look forward to by turning them into a workout. Try this for a week and let us know if you see any changes. Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

August 29, 2019 By Mitali Ambekar 7 Comments

6 Health Benefits of Playing Sports

Do you remember the days when you were active and indulged in sports. Be it a game of football or cricket in your alley or shooting 3 pointers at your college’s basketball court, running all over the place with your friends created cherished memories. If this was an integral part of your childhood, you are familiar with the health benefits of playing sports!

Sports ensures that you are active both mentally and physically. As you grow older, sometimes due to responsibilities, work, family or other reasons, we tend to give up on our favorite hobby. We have seen so many cases where a person who used to play a sport, gave up and gained weight.

In most cases, once they began playing their favorite sport once again, their body accelerated much faster than the others and they lost all the stubborn fat they couldn’t get rid of otherwise. This happens primarily because your cells have the memory of being active. Remember that it is never too late to start again!

Sports as an extracurricular activity in school and college not only gave you a break from your studies but also helped you get healthier. How you ask? Let’s find out!

6 Health Benefits of Playing Sports

It teaches you to be patient, have a fighting spirit, and never settle for less in life.
Studies show that, children who have been into sports or are blessed with super active genes are quick learners, very social, perform better at any given task, are more attentive in class and their grasping powers are much better than the others.
Sports at an early age helps in life-long fitness habits.
Earlier it was believed that any type of physical exertion can make a person feel more tired and less attentive. This belief was nothing more than a myth. Active people are more intellectual and perform better as compared to sedentary people.
Looking at the growing occurrence of Teenage Obesity, sports can be a great and fun way to help them get back into shape.
Any sport or activity will give you a dash of endorphins, reducing any kind of stress and keeping you happy!

So don’t sit back and think you’re too old for this or too old to get back to the sport you love! Wake up your inner child, grab your equipment, play a sport and encourage those around you to as well!

Happy National Sports Day!

#BeTheForce

August 5, 2019 By Deepanshu Sharma Leave a Comment

Quick Indoor Workout For A Rainy Day

During the monsoons, bad weather, flooding, traffic and visibility are common reasons to not exercise or hit the gym. While most of us don’t have a mini gym set up at home or sometimes find ourselves hard-pressed for time, what do we do?

We’ve got the perfect solution to help you raise your heartbeat, aid fat loss and keep you active! You don’t need any equipment and we’re sure this quick indoor workout will help you sweat and get the burn that you need!

You already know what HIIT is and the benefits it provides. Now is the time to try it out! We have shared 3 levels below, namely Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Choose the quick indoor workout that best suits you!

1. Beginner

20 sec Jumping Jacks
20 sec Marching
20 sec Spot Jogging
20 sec Wide Squat
20 sec Jumping Jacks

This is one set. Do 3-4 sets and rest up to 1 minute after each set.

2. Intermediate

20 sec Jumping Jacks
20 sec Plank
20 sec Jumping Jacks
20 sec Plank
20 sec High knees (spot running with knees at waist height)
20 sec Plank
20 sec Climbers
20 sec Plank
20 sec Climbers

This is one set. Do 2-3 sets and rest up to 2 minutes after each set

3. Advanced

20 sec Jump Squats
20 sec Punching
20 sec Jump Squats
20 sec Burpees
20 sec Plank crunches
20 sec Burpees
20 sec High knees (spot running with knees at waist height)
20 sec Punches
20 sec High knees

This is one set. Do 2-3 sets and rest up to 2 minutes after each set.

Here you go! Choose your desired quick indoor workout, take 15 minutes and exercise to make this monsoon healthier and more active.

Always begin a workout routine after consulting your physician or under the supervision of your fitness expert to avoid injuries.

Was this article helpful? How do you keep fit during monsoons? Do let us know in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

July 29, 2019 By Madhu Soni Leave a Comment

Here Is Why Group Workouts Are The Best For You!

Whether you’re a newbie or a veteran to the fitness world, working out with a lively group of like-minded people with similar goals can turn any heart-pounding, sweat dripping and running out of breath experience into an enjoyable activity!

It is no surprise that group workouts can turn even an hour-long session into a fun one. Let’s see how it can prove advantageous for you!

1. Motivation

Perhaps the most difficult task is getting off the couch or bed. But, when you have a group of enthusiastic individuals backing you, no task is impossible! One is likely to workout harder as a part of a group rather than by themselves. A shout out of motivation from a friend is sufficient to keep anyone going!

2. Well-Planned Workout

As group workouts are planned from variations to the body parts that will be covered, it is easier to follow suit with other individuals than when one is alone. Group workouts generally have a fitness instructor who guides participants with proper form, benefits and helps the team avoid injuries.

When working out alone, one tends to neglect certain exercises and be choosy. Thus, group workouts help in removing many mental blocks and helps you follow through with routine.

3. Accountability

To be effective, any exercise needs to be performed using the correct form and posture, regularly. When in a group, skipping a class might make you feel guilty as you need to provide a reason to your buddies the next day. Being in a group automatically makes you more accountable.

4. Camaraderie

Since the whole group is sailing in the same boat, you tend to discuss problems and solutions related to workouts with your teammates. Meeting your fellow class members daily builds up good camaraderie and soon you have your own tribe!

5. Economical

Though everything comes with a price tag, group workouts are quite economical. The professional fees are shared among the group as a result of which it doesn’t disturb your budget.

6. Sustainable

Besides all the above-mentioned advantages, of the most crucial one is sustainability. Group workouts are constantly refreshing, challenging oneself improves the endurance level and helps to break the plateau. Thus making it an inseparable part of your lifestyle!

To put it in a nutshell, group workouts are beneficial as it not only keeps you physically fit but mentally happy too!

If you’re looking for group workouts in your city, join our GOQii Active Sunday Sessions and meet like-minded individuals for a good, early morning workout! Register here: https://goo.gl/KN82CU (Please note that the registration link activates and refreshes every Friday).

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