My top five exercises for increasing fitness...

Do you want to get fit with the least effort possible!? Well I’ll let you into a little secret, you do have to get pretty hot and sweaty if you are serious about getting fit, however there are some exercises that Personal Trainers know get results and these are the ones we pretty much use with every client. They come with variations so they can be harder or easier depending in your fitness level but basically these are the key exercises you should be doing to get fit and stay fit. Today I reveal my top number one exercise, I will be revealing the other four on my list of top five over the coming weeks.

Number One – The Squat

How to do it

Start standing tall with your back straight. Roll your shoulders back and push your chest out.
Your feet should be just wider than hip width apart.
Send your hips backward as the knees begin to bend.
While your bottom starts to stick out, make sure the chest and shoulders stay upright, and the back stays straight.
Keep the head facing forward with eyes straight ahead for a neutral spine.

What muscles does it work?

The squat is a strength building exercise and essentially it targets the biggest muscles in your body. This means its great if you are trying to burn fat or if you want to increase your body’s muscle mass. Squats target the big muscles in your legs by using your quadriceps in your thighs and the hamstrings at the back of your legs, your hips and buttocks are also used, as well as strengthening the bones, ligaments and tendons.

How does it help increase fitness?

As this exercise is building strength in the largest muscles of your body it is great for burning fat and will increase your bodies overall muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate. This means that while you rest your body is still burning fat. It is also essential for toning your legs and bottom. If you are a runner this is a must for increasing strength in your legs to help you run further.

When should I do it?

This is a really important exercise to do regularly and will work quickly if you do it correctly. There are many variations on the basic squat that will make it harder, if you are a beginner start with doing 30 seconds of squats then resting for 30 seconds before repeating twice more. This should be repeated at least three times a week as part of your resistance training programme.

Our aim at Fit In Minutes is to provide you with daily exercise and nutrition solutions, to coach you towards individual success whatever that looks like to you so that you can feel fitter, healthier and know you have a way of fitting exercise into your life.

We look forward to helping you be the healthiest woman you can be, one step at a time.

Kirsty x

Fit in mind

Fit in body

Fit in your life

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