Most women, in one way or another, are familiar with the most critical parts of their body, with regard to the difficulty in eliminating fat and toning. Women tend to lose fat more easily in the lower body – hips, buttocks and thighs – usually having greater difficulty in losing fat in the abdominal region.
When you want to stay in shape, and your goal is to lose weight and reduce the percentage of body fat, it can be frustrating to realize that as you start to see progress on the scale, you don’t always lose weight in the areas you would like. The pertinent question is: Why do we lose weight in some areas of the body and not in others? And the simplest answer is: each person stores and loses fat differently, based on a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors.
However, there are some common patterns that allow us to minimize this imbalance. In this article we will give you some tips and exercises, which you can do at home, very effective for working on the most critical regions of your body.
The first tip to burn more body fat is to structure training sessions that allow you to keep your heart rate at 70-80% of its maximum, that is, you must train at a moderate intensity, to force the body to use the reserves of fat as an energy source. While one gram of glycogen produces 4 calories of energy, one gram of fat produces 9 calories, which makes glycogen a less dense form of energy storage compared to fat. As such, glycogen is the primary source of energy for the body during exercise, especially at higher intensity. High-intensity workouts require a quick supply of energy, so the body uses the glycogen reserves of skeletal muscle for its production, instead of fat, which is used only when the glycogen runs out.
To be able to optimize your training sessions in an effective, targeted way and without taking up too much time there are some full body exercises that you can combine. Choose 5 of the exercises that follow and do 3 sets of 10 repetitions each, with minimal rest between each set, two to three times a week. The exercises vary from day to day and the way you combine them.
We present 9 exercises that will do wonders for your belly, your legs and your glutes. And of course, without forgetting the shoulders and arms, which are also two areas of difficult toning for women.
Gymnastics at home – 9 exercises
1. Unilateral Deadlift or Weight Dead Unilateral
The Unilateral Deadlift or Unilateral Dead Weight is performed with only one supporting leg, which makes it more challenging than a normal deadlift and requires greater core strength, greater balance and better coordination. It is ideal for developing strength and stabilization, hip mobility, strengthening the back muscles and postural correction.
How to do it :
1. Standing, with your body in full extension, hold an external weight (eg a dumbbell) with your right hand and shift your body weight over the leg on the same side;
2. Keeping the support leg completely extended, or with only the knee slightly flexed, he starts to take the left foot off the floor and directs the leg back; simultaneously, it moves the trunk forward and down, until it is parallel to the ground;
3. Let the dumbbell slide towards the floor and always close to the thigh;
4. Keep your arms extended and perpendicular to the floor throughout the movement;
5. When the dumbbell touches the ground, your body should form a straight line from the head to the base of the left foot.
6. Then, start bringing your left leg forward again and raise your torso, until you recover your starting position, with both feet flat on the floor;
7. When going up, try to use your glutes, instead of just using your leg strength;
8. Always keep the core contracted and the chest high, throughout the movement;
9. Do a series of repetitions and then switch sides.
2. Side Plank or Plank Side
The side plank is a very effective exercise to build strong abs and burn fat. Few exercises are as good for the core as the side board, although it is often devalued in relation to the normal board, performed in the ventral position and with the support of the forearms on the floor. The side plank is also ideal for working a muscle, usually neglected and weak, called the lumbar square, which is part of the posterior abdominal wall and which plays a very important role in preventing back pain.
How to do it :
1. It starts lying on the floor, on the right side of the body, with the feet together and overlapping, the right forearm resting on the floor, immediately under the shoulder, and the palm facing downwards;
2. Make sure you are supporting the side of the foot and not the plant, as it is essential to prolong stability;
3. Contract your abdominal muscles and raise your hips off the floor, so that your body is aligned from head to toe; maintains this position, without letting the hip drop, throughout the execution time;
1. Recruit your abdominal muscles throughout the exercise to keep your body in a straight and stable position;
2. Always keep your head aligned with your back, not letting it fall;
3. Try to hold on as long as you can; any time over 1 minute is very good;
4. In the end, switch sides and repeat.
3. Push Ups or Pushups
Push-ups or push-ups are one of the best exercises ever and a fundamental movement in strength training. However, they are also an exercise that most people do incorrectly.
How to:
1. On the floor, put yourself in a plank position, with your hands supported a little more than shoulder width and in line with your nipples; depending on strength and experience, hands should be positioned in a way that is comfortable for you;
2. For those who have little flexibility in their wrists and to avoid possible discomfort, you can do push-ups on a bar or on specific handles for that purpose, if you have them at your disposal;
3. The feet should be supported on the floor only with the tips and shoulder width, so that the position is stable and comfortable; ensure that your body makes a straight line between your feet and head, contracting your buttocks and abs;
4. The head should be turned slightly forward and not downwards, so that it remains in alignment with the spine;
5. In this initial position, your arms should be fully extended and perfectly locked (elbows pointing backwards) to support your entire body weight;
6. Begin to flex your arms slowly and continuously until your elbows are at an angle of 90 degrees or less; always keep your arms close to your torso and do not lose muscle tension, so that your body always remains in a plank position;
7. Pause briefly in this position and then explode, pushing the floor with your hands, to return to the starting position, with your arms fully extended, and you can start the next repetition.
4. Plié Squat or Squat In Plié
The Plié Squat is an exercise originating from the Ballet position with the same name (from the French: “doubled”), used to absorb the impact of jumps and turns and to develop elasticity and balance.
In this exercise, the back is kept straight, while the knees are bent, with the legs wider than the width of the shoulders and the toes turned outward. This movement is ideal for strengthening the legs (toning the inner thighs), hamstrings, glutes and calves and for increasing the amplitude of the hip joint.
How to do it:
1. Stand with your feet slightly apart than your shoulders and your toes facing outward at a 45-degree angle;
2. Bend your knees, pointing them outwards, and let your hips and torso descend towards the floor, keeping your back straight and your abs contracted;
3. Support your hands on your waist;
4. Contract your glutes and hold this position as long as you can.
5. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
High intensity interval training or HIIT is a very diversified modality, with regard to the type of stimulus, but the goal of the practitioner continues to have a component in everything identical to that of the other modalities – a defined body with little fat percentage.
The big difference, compared to other physical activities, is due to the versatility of the effort and the training organization itself. The secret lies in high intensity work and short breaks. This type of training must be short, intense and infrequent …, your practice should not be daily. Recovery days are crucial to avoid injury and to ensure that you are really working hard enough.
How to do it:
Choose a good exercise to stimulate your cardiovascular system (elliptical, exercise bike, treadmill, outdoor running, etc.). Works for 40 seconds and rests 20, for at least 10min. With this type of interval cardiovascular work you can burn calories, not only during training, but also for a few hours after finishing.
6. Step Up
Step-ups are a very simple exercise, but one of the best to increase leg strength. You just need to find a stable surface with some height (step, box, chair, bench, etc.).
How to:
1. Stand with your hands at your sides and your feet pointed forward, shoulder width apart;
2. Start by climbing to the platform with your right foot and, once it is fully supported, pull yourself up, squeezing your buttocks and abdominal muscles, until you take the rest of your body to the platform; maintain a straight posture and do not let the knee of the bent leg go beyond the ankle line; ends the elevation by placing the left foot beside the right foot;
3. Start by descending with your right foot and then with your left, until you recover your starting position with your feet parallel to the ground;
4. Start the next repetition, but now with your left leg; always alternating until you complete all the repetitions prescribed in the training.
7. Glute Bridge
The glutes, which include the maximum, medium and minimum glutes, are responsible for the flexibility and movement of the hip and everyone wants theirs to be aesthetically pleasing. For those who spend a lot of time sitting, in often incorrect positions, weakening of the glutes, inevitably creating tension in the thigh flexors, deactivation of the glutes (gluteal amnesia) and problems in the lower back.
The exercise of glute bridge is essential and very effective to strengthen the glutes and re-educate the body to use them, to perform explosive movements involving the hip.
How to:
1. Lie on your back on the floor, with your knees bent, your feet completely flat on the floor and your arms at your sides, with your palms down;
2. Begin to lift your hips off the floor, using the contraction of your buttocks, until they reach the level of your knees and, together with your torso, form a straight line up to your shoulders;
3. Maintain this bridge position for a few seconds, always without losing the contraction, and then return to the starting position so that you can start a new repetition.
8. Unilateral Plank
The plank or static plank exercise is one that almost everyone hates, but one that recruits several important muscle groups. It is one of the best exercises to maintain a flat and toned belly, working muscles such as the rectus abdominis (the so-called six-pack), the transverse abdominal, the internal and external obliques, in addition to working the quadriceps and the lumbar muscles and dorsal. Try one of its variations, using only one hand as support, to increase the level of difficulty.
How to do it :
1. Lie on the floor on your stomach, resting only on your right arm, directly under your shoulder, and on your toes;
2. Put your left hand behind your back;
3. It supports the palm of the hand well on the floor and tightens the glutes to stabilize the body; keep your legs perfectly straight and tighten your core to ensure your body forms a straight line from your head to your feet;
4. Keeps the neck neutral and aligned with the spine, looking slightly forward; breathe continuously and controlled and try not to compromise your posture;
5. Hold for 20 seconds and then repeat with the support of your left arm.
9. Reverse Plank or Reverse Plank
The reverse plank or inverted plank exercise is often neglected but great for the core. Like all board variations, the inverted board, when done correctly, recruits the abductor and adductor muscles of the hip, the thigh flexors, the lower back muscles, the glutes and the hamstrings, being a great addition to any exercise routine. basic.
How to do it:
1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front;
2. Rest your palms on the floor, with your fingers well apart and pointing forward, slightly behind and beside your hip;
3. Press your palms against the floor, stretch your arms and lift your pelvis and torso, moving them away from the floor until your body forms a straight line between your head and feet;
4. Look at the ceiling and always keep your arms and legs straight;
5. It contracts the core and tries to pull the navel towards the back, holding this position for 30 seconds;
6. Try to run three sets of 30 seconds.