Dubai-based fitness guru, model and TV presenter Rania Gamal debunks the usual excuse of people that they have no time to exercise. She has prepared four simple and basic strength workout training that can help you achieve a fit and healthy body in just 4 minutes.
“I have always been an advocate of fitness and wellness and my greatest happiness is to inspire and help others reach their dreams of having a fit body that will give them more confidence and will promote a better, healthy lifestyle,” says Rania Gamal. These four easy exercises that anyone can do at home or in the gym for just 4 minutes each with the effects that it can give to you, plus tips that will help you achieve your dream summer body.
1. Warm Up is Really Cool
Description: Warming up can involve static and dynamic stretching, whether which one of the two will suit you better, this is an imperative activity to prepare your body for hard work. Warm up literally means warming up your body as cold muscles are more prone to injury. It also prepares your nervous system and your muscles, it increases the delivery of blood and oxygen, and it will help you focus your mind on your performance.
How to do it: You can start with some neck rotations, side arm raises, hip rotation, arm rotation, single hip rotations and you can also run on the treadmill if you are in the gym while stretching your arms on the side and then on top of your head while you are running, just be a little bit extra careful not to fall.
Tip: You can also try to do some light kicks and punches and if you prefer to do simple stretching, you can opt to hold a lightweight dumbbell.
Repeat: You can keep it in minimum of 4 minutes and longer if you have more time.
2. Side Plank Will Make You The Centre of Attention
Description: Planking is one of the best exercises for abs, it will help you build deep inner core muscles that will set down the spadework for achieving that six-pack dream. You have to remember that as your abdominal muscles become stronger your mid-section will tighten.
How to do it: Lie on left side with left hand on the floor beneath left shoulder, right fingers should be behind your head, let inside of your right foot rest on floor in front of left foot. Tighten abs, push it into left hand to lift your body so it forms a diagonal line from head to heels, for extra challenge, use a little weight.
Tip: The side plank is good for the abs but it will not give you abs and let us make this as clear and simple as possible, we all have abs, it is all there inside of us but it is covered with fats. For women, to achieve the 6-pack abs - your body should just be composed of 9% fat, for men, it has to be 6% fat. A good diet and nutrition should always be a partner of these exercises.
Repeat: 12-15
3. Arm Kick Back Exercise Will Make You Look Forward
Description: Who doesn’t want to wear sleeveless during summer or in the beach but sometimes you are shy to show that huge arms and you’re not even a boxer. You can tone it down by regularly doing the Arm Kick Back, be patient and you’ll surely see the results in no time. This will tone your arms and make it slim.
How to do it: While standing, hold a weight in one hand and bend the opposite knee, leaning forward at a 45 degree angle. Keep your elbow close to your body and fully contract your tricep. The only movement should occur between your elbow and your fingertip.
Tip: This is only 4 minutes but again if you have more time than that, you can pair it up and add it up with other exercise such as ‘quadruped kickback’ by doing a dog style position with your hands on top of the dumbbells, bend right elbow by side and lift left knee a few inches off the floor then do a triceps kickback with right arm by extending elbow as left leg extends just right behind your hips.
Repeat: 12-20
4. Balancing Deadlift Will Make You Alive
Description: This will strengthen your gluteus, will support and strengthen the core muscles of your body, and will provide movement and support to your core area and abdominal muscles too.
How to do it: Stand with your two feet, keep them together first and then slightly bend your knee while holding dumbbells, balance your right leg and hang on from your hips as you need to keep your spine naturally straight and extend a leg up behind hip. Row dumbbells up by sides, bending elbows behind your body. Try to gently lower dumbbells back down and recur to the beginning. Repeat on the other leg.
Tip: Try to hold and brace the abs in tight to help with the right balancing. The best way to do it is to start with a lower kilo of dumbbells and gradually increase weight.
Repeat: 15-20