Want to level-up your health? Then it’s a great idea to learn the essential functional movements! In this article, Beast Gear is going to take a look at basic exercises that are focused on core human movement patterns, such as walking and squatting. Such an approach to fitness is particularly great for beginners, and it makes it easy for you to put together a solid program from which you can monitor you progress - or your regress. The best news is that you can do these exercises anywhere and at anytime! Ready? Let’s make a start. Walking Anyone can walk - but do you walk enough? Walking is a basic ability that many of us perform every single day. When it comes to your training program, it should become a priority from now on. In other words, your training program should focus on walking that boosts your gait and overall fitness. Walk more often. Instead of taking the car two blocks down the road, go for a walk. Consider hiking, too. Rotating Standing resistance band rotation is essential if you want to develop your balance and your rotational strength. Both these abilities will benefit you when you start boxing. Image: Eris Fit If you want, you can perform a ‘standing’ resistance band rotation from a seated position, too (just like the resistance band push and pull). Pull The standing resistance band pull is the yin to the resistance band push’s yang. Just like the push variety - and the rotation variety above - you can perform it from a seated position if you so wish. Push The push-up is one of the most basic upper body push movement exercises you can do. It’s especially great for those struggling with reduced mobility. A pro tip is to use a standing resistance band press, as this will improve your balance. If you find it difficult to stand, you can do the push-up seated. Hinge Hinge is a deadlift functional movement that will strengthen your posterior. It’s also an essential functional movement that many of us perform as part of our daily lives. When you pick up a (fairly) heavy object from the floor, you’re essentially performing this deadlift movement. This goes for suitcases, shopping bags and so on. Image: ExperienceLifeMag Want to have more beastin’ health? Go shopping more often, dude. And don’t just shop for tidbits - shop in bulk so that those bags are big and mean. Lunges Lunges are one of the basic essential exercises anyone should be doing regularly. As long as you stay consistent with them, you will see their effects almost immediately. Lunges shape your backside and legs and they really challenge your muscles. Lunges also have good transfer into picking things up (that shopping again), climbing the stairs and walking. Squats Lastly, the classic squat is an essential functional movement that - like all the others in this article - should be performed on the regular. It’s basically sitting down and standing up again, and you can do it anywhere you want. Squats boost your leg muscles - predominantly your calves, hamstrings and quadriceps. Conclusion These are the essential functional movements for beastin’ health. Not only will these basic exercises make you fitter and stronger, but they’ll also help your body ward off diseases such as osteoporosis, ensuring you stay in great shape. And because they can be performed anywhere at anytime, there’s no excuse for not making a start.
