Simple exercises that help build body endurance
There are several scientific 👩🔬 studies out there that have proven that one of the best ways to prevent injuries is to exercise. But you don’t have to hit the gym hard 🏋️♂️ every day to avoid injury. There are plenty of simple, low-impact exercises you can do to strengthen various parts of your body to avoid becoming injured.
While strength training and other strenuous exercises can cause serious harm to your body if not done correctly, there are many other movements and activities in our daily lives that can cause injuries. 😢 These include technology-related overuse injuries, carrying a heavy bag, and even wearing the wrong shoes (or even a new pair of shoes!). These can all be prevented with simple exercises! 🙌
Whether you’re a dedicated runner 🏃♂️ or spending endless hours working in a sedentary position, these simple exercises can help your body stay in shape and prevent injury.
The bridges – For back, buttocks, and tummy.
Lying flat on your back, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor as close to your bottom as possible. Then, lift your hips until your thighs form a straight line with your upper body. Carefully, lower back down to the floor. Move back down to the floor slowly and gradually for the most benefit.
The side-leg raise – For thighs and lower back.
Lie on your side with both your legs straight. Lift your top leg as high as you can and take note of what this position is. Lower it to the starting position. Then, raise your leg to halfway between being flat and being at the highest it can go. Bring your leg down again. This is one repetition. After completing a set of 10 on one side of your body, switch sides and repeat. If you really want to go all out 🕺 on this one, start in a side plank position.
The lying march – For tummies
Lie flat on your back with your hands on your hips. Then, bend both knees at a 45-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor. Pull your belly button in and up as much as you can and ensure that your spine stays flat on the floor. Lift one leg until your calf is parallel to the floor and then return to the starting position. Repeat this 15 times with each leg.
The single-leg bodyweight deadlift – For experienced exercisers
While standing on one of your legs, tip your body forward and raise the opposite leg behind you. Your back, arms, and legs should be straight – kind of life a tabletop position. Do a couple of repetitions and then repeat on the other leg. To make it a little hard 💪 and work on your stabilising muscles, don’t touch your leg down between repetitions. This exercise is a good all-around for the body.
Always warm-up
No matter what type of physical activity you’re into, whether you’re gymming 🏋️♀️, running 🏃♀️, or attending Pilates 🧘♀️ classes, the best way to prevent injury is to warm up properly. Spend ten to 15 minutes doing gentle stretches of the muscle groups you are planning to exercise, and you’ll be protecting yourself from injury in the best possible way.
As with all exercises, please speak to one of our team to check these are the right exercises for you, and if you experience any pain or discomfort, stop, and seek our advice.
For more information about simple exercises, you can do to prevent injury, as well as exercises you can do if you are injured, contact us.
