Physical activity is essential for good health. The NHS says: “Regular exercise will make your heart and blood circulatory system more efficient, lower your cholesterol level, and also keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.”
Not only that, but staying active can also decrease your risk of heart attack, type 2 diabetes and cancer. While there are numerous exercises you can try, it’s essential to include a variety of strength and flexibility exercises in your weekly routine, reports the Mirror.
Alongside the broader benefits of physical activity, strength and flexibility exercises help enhance muscle strength. According to the NHS, they can also assist in “maintaining bone density, improving balance and reducing joint pain.”
Luckily, there are plenty of exercises you can do at home that strengthen your entire body and don’t require any equipment. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy has compiled a guide to nine effective exercises, complete with video instructions.
The moves include:
- floor press-ups
- knee press-ups
- incline press-ups
- adapted half-burpees
- half burpees
- sit to stand using arms
- reverse lunge with overhead press
- reverse lung with weighted overhead press
- deadlift to row
As demonstrated in the videos on the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s website, household items can be used to enhance your workouts. For example, a sturdy chair or bench can be used to perform adapted half-burpees, which involve leaning on the chair and then taking a large step back with each foot before walking your feet back towards the chair.
(Image: Getty)
You could also use an umbrella to add weight when doing exercises like the reverse lunge with a weighted overhead press. The NHS suggests that you’ll know if an exercise is muscle strengthening if your muscles need a short rest before you can continue with the next exercise.
Doing two or more muscle-strengthening exercises a week is recommended, but you don’t necessarily have to lift weights or use resistance bands. Cycling, hill walking, dancing, and heavy gardening could all count as muscle-strengthening exercises.
The NHS says: “For general health, try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week, as well as muscle-strengthening activities on 2 days a week.”
Is exercise good for cholesterol and blood pressure?
Regular physical activity can help lower cholesterol. Exercise moves ‘bad’ cholesterol (non-HDL cholesterol) to the liver, where it can be removed from the body.
It increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, also known as “good” cholesterol. As more cholesterol changes to HDL, your risk of heart disease also decreases. Exercise can also help maintain a healthy weight, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, and improve mood, energy, and sleep.
Some of the best ways to stay healthy are:
- Get 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night
- Too much stress can contribute to serious health issues, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes
- Aim to drink eight glasses of water a day, along with warming drinks
- Eat a healthy diet and keep red meat and processed meat to a minimum
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Limit alcohol
- Quit smoking
- Get regular health checkups: Get regular health checkups