Small and Effortless Ways to Enhance Your Fitness
- Stephanie Coleman
- Mar 21, 2019
- 4 min read
So many things you read and watch these days with regards to fitness is all about workouts that leave your legs feeling like jello, clothes drenched in sweat, and your lungs burning. That’s all well and good for an occasional workout, but we’re gonna take a look at the opposite end of the spectrum; low level activities you can perform on a daily basis which will still have a big impact on your fitness. No leg crippling sessions needed 🙂
Keep A Grip Trainer In Your Car
Why?
A strong grip has an incredibly high carryover to a ton of lifts and life in general. Deadlifts, rows, chin-ups, and basically any activity that involves you holding something with your hands can be enhanced and improved by improving your grip strength.
How?
Simply keep this bad boy in your car and give it 5-10 squeezes per hand every time you drive somewhere. It’s not a ton of work in the moment, but compounded over several weeks and months and you’ll develop a vice like grip which will have tremendous carryover to everything fitness related.
Brush Your Teeth Standing On One Bare Foot
Why?
If your feet don’t function like they should, everything above them (aka everything) is at risk for also not functioning like it should. Your toes need to be able to grip the floor and move independently while the bones in your foot and ankle need to be able to move as well. If either of these two abilities are compromised, well, that’s not good.
Give this test a try. How do you fare?
A post shared by Chris Sanchez (@cpsanchez89) on Nov 12, 2018 at 5:27pm PST
Going barefoot is a nice way to allow your feet to function in a way that shoes just don’t typically allow. Standing on one foot also requires the musculature at your calf, hip, and core to work harder when compared to standing on two feet. The muscles working overtime are the same ones responsible for hip and knee stability, so making them work at lower intensities on a daily basis is a great and proactive way to ensure the health and integrity of your lower extremity joints.
How?
This one is simple. When you brush your teeth, which we really hope is a daily occurrence, whip those shoes and socks off and do your best Karate Kid impression… well, maybe not quite.
If you get comfortable on one leg, do a few leg swings from side to side and front to back and really challenge your feet and toes to grip that floor. Switch legs half way through your dental hygiene session.
Do Some Miniband Clamshells At Your Desk
Minibands make a fantastic training tool when traveling or when equipment is at an absolute minimum. While they won’t provide the same stimulus a heavy barbell or kettlebell might, they can still do a great job at strengthening the abductors and external rotators of the hip. These muscles are pretty vital when it comes to overall hip and knee health.
Why?
A vast majority of people have jobs that require them to commute for long distances or sit at a desk for hours on end. Minibands can be a nice way to help prevent those glutes and hips from falling victim to the gradual weakening that prolonged sitting can, and probably will, bring about.
Will this be the ultimate solution to all your problems? Probably not. You’ll still need to do some regular strength training in the form of squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc., but clamshells at your desk is still a very solid addition to your daily routine.
How?
While at your desk, slide a miniband around your legs, right above your knee caps. Think good posture, let the band pull your knees together, and then push them back out. Do a few until your butt burns, rest, and then repeat!
Sit On The Floor In Various Positions
Why?
The couch, bed, and chair have ruined modern man’s hips. These objects are built for comfort and convenience as they require very little effort and/or mobility to get in and out of. This has caused our hips to become immobile and weak because when it comes to joint mobility and muscle strength, if you don’t use it, you lose it.
Tons of people unfortunately can’t even sit on the floor for extended periods because their mobility is so limited. But the good news is that simply sitting on the floor more often is a great way to improve mobility and your strength. How do you sit, you ask?
How:
Watching TV? Playing with your kids? Reading a book? Meditating? Get your butt on the floor. A few minutes per day is all it takes.
This position works.
So does this.
This one too.
Yup.
Get sexy with it, go wild.
Honestly, any way you choose is good. Just get on the floor for a little bit!
Take Stairs 2 At A Time
Why?
There’s a solid chance you take stairs at some point in your day. And do you know what exercise taking the stairs mimics pretty well? Step ups! And when you take two steps at a time, suddenly they resemble uphill walking lunges, which are a pretty damn good exercise for your glutes, hamstrings and quads.
How?
Well, uh, instead of taking one step at a time… take two. Not sure how much more we can simplify that one!
And there you have it! A few small but very effective ways to help enhance your fitness on a daily basis!
Now will these tips be the sole reason you reach your weight loss goals, help break strength plateaus, or cause major changes in your physique? Doubt it. Think of these as sprinkles on your fitness sundae. Strength training, diet, sleep, and managing stress will always be the main factors to focus on!
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