The Best Anywhere, Anytime Exercises

20th OF July 2012

Incidental exercise (the type you can just incorporate into your everyday life) is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy weight. The best type of incidental exercise takes up hardly any time, because we can do it at the same time as other important daily tasks.

By Sally Symonds

Now, In theory, we’d all love to park that little bit further away when we go shopping or get off one stop early and walk the rest of the way when we catch the bus, but we’re usually too busy to take that extra time. The good news is, studies show that people who are fit and healthy are 30% more productive than their unfit, unhealthy counterparts—so a fitter and healthier you can mean an extra 50+ hours in your week. But you have to get there first. Remember, small changes + time = big results that are likely to be sustainable, forever. So here are some great anywhere, anytime exercises that are designed to fit even the busiest of schedules!

DuraDisc Sit

Where: In your home office or at work

Works: Core strength, posture

Steps: Place a duraDisc on the seat of your chair and sit directly on top of it, making sure you keep your stomach drawn in the entire time you’re sitting down. Make sure you maintain good posture.

Note: Ease into it or you’ll be sore! Aim for 30 minutes on day one and gradually increase the time frame as days go by.

Laundry Wrist Weights

Where: In the laundry and when you hang out washing

Works: Shoulder muscles, core strength, arms

Steps: Wrap wrist weights around your wrists while you sort your laundry, load and unload your washing machine and hang things on the line.

One-legged Crane Pick-up

Where: Cleaning the house

Works: Core, hamstrings, glutes

Steps: Stand on one leg, and while keeping your posture, tilt at the hips and bring your chest towards the ground. As you go down, swing your other leg out behind you. Reverse the movement to return to the start position.

Note: Start doing this every time you need to pick something up off the ground and it soon becomes a great healthy habit that’s just effortlessly aids in your weight loss and general fitness.

Couch Push ups

Where: Anywhere there’s a surface that’s between hip and chest height

Works: Core strength, chest, arms, shoulders

Steps: Start standing with your hands and feet shoulder width apart. Your body should be in perfect alignment throughout. Stand several steps away from the couch / kitchen bench / back of car etc. Lower yourself by bending your elbows out to the side until your arms reach 90 degrees. At the end of the movement your nipples should be almost touching the surface. Squeeze your pecs (chest muscles) as you push up and straighten your arms out.

Note: Make this a ritual every time you pop the kettle on to boil and you’ll soon see a lot more perk in more ways than one!