Easy exercises

Exercise Diffilculty Level
Warm -Up (Cardiovascular)
Spend at least 10 minutes at the beginning of your exercise program to one of the below activities to warm up your core temperature and get your muscles ready to exercise. It is crucial to do a warm up so the muscles don’t get sore and so you don’t injure yourself.
Kilojoules Burned per 30 minutes
Skipping Hard 1600kj
Jogging Intermediate 1200kj
Swimming Easy/Intermediate 1000kj
Stair Climbing Easy 850kj
Cycling Easy 800kj
Dancing Easy 750kj
Walking Easy 500kj

Specific body part exercises to build lean muscle

 

Legs (thighs, calves)

Exercise Benefit of Exercise Exercise Description Number
Squats Tone Upper Legs Position your feet shoulder width apart and slowly bend your knees as you lower yourself to a seated position around 90 degrees from the ground. As you reach a point close to 90 degrees slowly extend you knees back to the starting position and repeat. 8-15
Forward Lunges Tone Upper Legs From a standing position take a large step forward so that one leg is in front of the other. From this position bend the knee of your leading leg to a 90 degree angle which slowly lowers you towards the ground. As you reach your lowest comfortable position extend your knee back to its original position and bring both feet back to the starting position and repeat on the alternate leg. 10-15
each leg
Calve Raises Tone and Define Calves Position your feet half way up off of the edge of a standard step and slowly raise to up on to your toes and then slowly raise back down again and repeat. 10-15
each leg

Bum (Glutes & Hips)

Exercise Benefit of Exercise Exercise Description Number
Horizontal Leg Raises Strengthen and Tone Hips Position yourself laying on one side with one hand resting under head and the other on your hip. Slowly raise your leg to a 45 degree angle and lower back to the starting position before repeating. Minimum 30 each leg
Hip Extensions Tones Glutes Position yourself on your hands and knees and slowly extend your leg backwards. At full leg extension hold the position for 2-3 seconds and slowly return your leg to the start position before repeating. Minimum 10 each leg
Step -ups Lower Body Toning Find a safe and secure step about 20cm high and use it to step up and down repeatedly to create a great method of toning your whole lower body. Minimum of 30 seconds

Stomach

Exercise Benefit of Exercise Exercise Description Number
Ab Crunches Strengthen and Tone Abdominals Laying on a towel or mat raise your knees to create an arch between your feet and bum. Now place your hands on your thighs and slowly contract your stomach muscles so that your hands are able to travel up your thighs towards your knees. Reach as far as you can with your hands and then return back to the starting position to complete 1 crunch then repeat. Minimum 15
Plank Strengthen Core Muscles This is an isolated exercise and requires you to remain as still as possible for as long as you can. Position yourself on your elbows ( with forearms on the floor) and raise your legs up so that they are supported by your toes. The only body parts in contact with the floor are your elbows, forearms and toes. Now contract your stomach muscles and remain in this position for as long as you can as you can to develop core strength. As long as possible
Seated Leg Raises Strengthen and Tone Abdominals You will need a stable table dining room chair to do this exercise to do this exercise. This exercise is very simple but very effective. Simply sit on the chair, place your hands on the side of the chair to keep you stable and slowly lift both of your feet off the ground – hold for 2-3 seconds and lower back down before repeating. Minimum 10

Back (Lower & Upper)

Exercise Benefit of Exercise Exercise Description Number
Chest Raises Strengthen Back Muscles Lying on your front place your arms out to your sides and slowly lift your chest and arms off the floor by contracting your back muscles. Raise your chest as high off the ground as possible and hold for 2 seconds before slowly lowering back down to the ground and repeat. 10-15

Arms (Biceps, Tri-ceps)

Exercise Benefit of Exercise Exercise Description Number
Triceps Dips Toning and Strengthening For this exercise you can use the edge of your bed or a stable chair. Start by sitting on the edge of either the bed or chair and place your hands gripping the edge. With your arms supporting you, slowly walk your feet away from you so that your body is supported by your
arms. Slowly lower yourself down by bending at your elbows to 45 degrees. Once you reach 45 degrees start to straighten your elbows to raise yourself back up and then repeat.
As many as possible
Push-ups Toning and Strengthening When starting push ups it’s best to start on hands and knees and not the full length version as it takes time for your muscles to grow and strengthen and to be able to perform the more advanced version. Once you are positioned on hands and knees slowly lower your chest towards the floor by bending at the elbows. Once you reach 45 degrees to straighten your elbows to raise yourself back up and then repeat. Start with 10 then increase as you get stronger

Shoulders

Exercise Benefit of the Exercise Exercise Description Number
Lateral Raises Toning and Strengthening If you have a pair of light 2kg handweights (dumbbells) they would be ideal for this exercise, but a can of beans would work just as well. Start in a standing position with your hands by your side (holding your weights) and slowly raise your arms sideways and upwards until your reach shoulder level. Slowly lower your arms back down to your sides and repeat. 10 – 15