Many people will disagree, but we still think that equipment free exercise is the best when it comes to just toning up your body and gaining inner strength. Sure, weights and other equipment are great for building up scary looking muscles, but if that’s not your target, free hand exercises are the healthiest for your body.
Still, they can be hazardous to do without an instructor present. So, go to the gym and reserve an area on the gym mats and start doing these exercises. They are great for boosting your immune system, keeping your body trim and neat without excessive muscles that plainly shout your vanity, and are easy to handle!
Yoga
Thousands of years old, yoga has been the traditional wellness exercise both mind and body in the east, then spread over the whole world. This ancient practice comes in many variations — and we recommend you get as much of the original version as you can because they have been practiced for literally thousands of years.
As we said, yoga has many variations and subsections. You can do the Surya Pranaam (Sun Salute) section in the break of dawn for a true spiritual boost, or you can do the Ashtanga poses to invigorate your inner self. Kripalu is more relaxing and you should use it to release stress.
Pilates
One of the most popular types of physical exercise you can do on gym mats, pilates uses your own body weight to make you sweat. It can also be done with a stability ball. Pilates brings together strength, flexibility, and cardio exercises together. The result is incredible — very soon you will feel stronger, faster, more balanced, more graceful, and generally happier.
Push Ups
There is nothing better to get your bodybuilding buzz on than doing the old familiar push ups. They are great at maintaining your upper body, they make a great sweat, and they help you bear your own weight, thus making you more comfortable with your own body. So, book a portion of the gym mats now and start pumping!
Mountain Climbers
Begin with a raised push up position, and then bring one leg forward toward your chest. As soon as it had gone as far up as possible, throw it back and pull up the other leg. Do this fast, like you are running up steep stairs. Around 40-50 cycles on the mat every day should tone out your lower body pretty nicely.
Bodyweight Squats
Stand on the mat, and spread out your feet slightly — just as far as your shoulders. Hold out your hands straight out in front of you. Gently lower yourself in this position to squat, and then go back up. Make sure you keep your back as straight as you can. YOu can also do it with your hands clasped at the back. About 15-20 reps are good for beginners.
Single-Leg Glute Bridge
Make sure the gym mats are clean for this. Lay flat on your back to begin with, and raise one leg straight up in the air. Make sure your back and the other foot is flat on the mat. The next part can be tough. In this position, raise your lower back and hips off the floor using the force on your foot and upper back. Change legs and repeat.
Planks
Ah, the good old gut-wrenching planks! This is one of the best exercises if you are seeing belly fat accumulating. If you can do one minute in a plank, you are good. To do this, lay flat on your front on the mat and raise up your center mass, using only the support of your forearms and toes. As soon as it starts burning in your abs, you will know it’s working!
Opposite Arm and Leg Lift
Work your core hard and the rest of your body will obey. It is better to learn some balancing exercises from yoga before you attempt this. Begin on all fours, imagine that your knees and fists are making the four points of a rectangle. Then, pick one leg and stretch it horizontally, straight out. Then pick up the hand on the opposite corner of this rectangle and stretch it horizontally. It will require balance. Return to all fours and do it with the other hand-leg pair.
