MOVE YOUR BODY

I come to you with another dose of inspiration about personal development. As I mentioned in the first post, the material is quite extensive, so the best solution is to divide it into several parts. We have a section on courses and training behind us. I hope the information in that post was helpful and made it possible to find something interesting. In this post, I would like to introduce you to all sorts of websites and applications that help you take care of your body.

As you know, everything starts with the head and this is where the first stage should take place. First of all, remember that what you are doing you are doing for yourself. Do not be influenced by what the society says, your development is FOR YOU.

Many people are afraid to go to the gym for the first time. Honestly, it does not surprise me at all, I was exactly the same person, always refusing to go there. The reason for this was the fear of judging. Now, in retrospect, I can confidently say that the way I thought was completely flawed and immature. The gym is a place where you overcome your fears, break down barriers and discover your possibilities. This is where you can let out all your negative emotions.

Thanks to exercise, we increase the level of dopamine in the body, and also our feeling of pleasure during the day increases. And although the exercises are associated with something difficult and painful, it is only a deplorable impression. Everyone is able to find something for themselves, start with something simple and fun.

Not everyone can be ready to begin their adventure with the gym at the moment, so I will present you here options for exercises both at home (with and without additional equipment) and at the gym.

Remember one thing, everything you do is for you and for your better well-being.

Now let’s move on to the exercises.

1. Workouts at home

You can do them with the help of numerous applications and training programs available for free on the Internet. Below you will find a list and direct links

YOUTUBE CHANNELS:

She has easy-to-follow exercises and short videos. You don’t even need equipment for most of her workouts, yet they target so many core parts of the body. She’s best known for her free workout programmes and challenges that have transformed bodies across the world. It’s hard not to have come across any of Ting’s workout content when you’re looking for an online plan. Her plans are specific, meaning if you’re looking to train your abs, legs, bum, or shoulders, Chloe has a video or two for you. If you accompany her workouts with good nutrition, you’ll see results in no time.

Yoga with Adriene – calming energy and conversational attitude create the ideal atmosphere for yoga – so much so that you feel like you’re in a real-life class. What’s more, her programmes and challenges are perfect for yoga practitioners of all ability levels and encompass a range of emotions. Whether you practise yoga for upper body strength, flexibility, or to relieve anxiety and stress, Mishler has something for everyone.

Her videos are great if you’re a beginner who’s unsure of posture or simple movements to target muscles. Her fat-burn, booty and HIIT workouts are guaranteed to make you sweat like never before if you’re a more advanced fitness enthusiast. You can see for yourself why she’s so revered if you follow her on Instagram – she shares her workouts to her story every day.

If you’re looking to squeeze in a workout at lunchtime while working from home, Heather Robertson’s videos are perfect. Her short, sharp workouts will push you to your limits, and there’s something for everyone on her channel, with a few glimpses of her cat thrown in for good measure.Last year, Heather produced a free 12-week programme advertised to use minimal equipment, minimal time (meaning short 20 to 30-minute videos), and minimal space – all of which is perfect for indoor training.

She is a qualified physical therapist and creates the kind of content you rarely find videos on YouTube. She discusses how to recover from specific injuries, stay on track with your recovery, and take care of your body before and after exercise. To indicate the type of videos you can find, one of her most-watched videos is ‘how to recover from a hysterectomy.’ If you’re ready to work your core, Valant’s channel provides excellent Pilates workouts to strengthen muscles you never knew you had. One thing’s for sure – whenever you perform the exercises on one of Valant’s videos, your strength and endurance will be tested to their limits – even the short 10-minute videos will have your muscles tingling. On this channel, you’ll come across a wide range of videos to suit different ability levels, from beginner to intermediate. Usually, the level is indicated in the title.

APPS:

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Nike Training Club

Price : Free

In March 2020, Nike made its Nike Training Club app content completely free for 90 days, to help people keep fit while they stayed at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the app has been completely free for users, and unlike others on this list, there’s no paid version anymore. 

However, with the update, Nike removed some of their training programs, which used to be a popular feature of the app. Instead, you now have the option to filter workouts by muscle group — abs and core, arms and shoulders, or glutes and legs, workout focus — endurance, mobility, strength, and yoga, and by equipment. There is also the option to filter by duration, level, and intensity. 

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Peloton

Best workout app for exercise bike and treadmill users

Price: $13 per month

If you can’t afford a Peloton exercise bike or Tread to stay in shape, the Peloton workout app is the next best thing. There are thousands of interactive classes to take that’ll help you strengthen, sculpt, and get that post-Peloton buzz. The instructors stand out from the crowd in terms of their enthusiasm, and there’s also the option to join live classes, and compete with friends. 

From strength to yoga, to HIIT cardio, it difficult to get bored. The option to stack classes is great, and lets you add multiple classes together so you can seamlessly add a cool-down or stretch to your workout. The classes are easy to follow on a phone or tablet, but to get a real Peloton experience, i’d recommend streaming the workouts on the TV. 

The Peloton programs give you a longer schedule of classes to help you reach your goal, whether that be to get stronger, or to “crush your core” in four weeks. There are also different collections of workouts, which make it easier to find a range of workouts by type, for example, strength for runners, resistance band training, or Pilates classes. 

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Sweat

Best workout app for women

Price: $19.99 monthly/ $119.94 yearly

The brainchild of Australian personal trainer Kayla Itsines, Sweat started as a series of downloadable “Bikini Body Guides” in 2015 and has now grown into an extensive training app with a number of different programs and recipes to help you reach your goals. There’s a structured program for every woman — from the new mom taking her first steps into post-baby fitness, to the girl looking to gain more confidence in the weights room at the gym. 

Trainers include Kayla herself, as well as the likes of Kelsey Wells, Chontel Duncan, Britany Williams, and Stephanie Sanzo. You can switch your program easily and take on-demand classes if you feel like adding the odd barre session to your planner. The workouts are also compatible with Apple Watch. There’s no free version of the app, although newbies can sign up for a 7-day free trial. 

I really loved the range of workouts but found it a little irritating having to bend down and manually skip between exercises, although it wasn’t enough to put us off using the app regularly. I’d also say this app is definitely aimed at women, but there’s no reason why guys couldn’t follow the training plans. 

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Strava

Best workout app for runners

Price : Free/ $5 per month or $59.99 per year

Strava is one of the best running apps on the market, with a free and a paid subscription to allow runners, cyclists, and walkers to keep track of their progress. That said, despite its reputation as an app for runners and cyclists, you can track a total of 31 different sports. The list includes hiking, canoeing, an E-Bike ride, rowing, alpine skiing, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, and yoga.

Of course, it’s important to point out that there are no actual workouts on Strava, so unlike other apps on this list, don’t log on and expect to follow a strength training session — this is an app for tracking your progress. 

While the free version of the app is brilliant, the paid version gives users the option to use the Routes tool on Strava, which gives you suggestions based on where other runners in your area have clocked their miles, as well as segments, advanced performance metrics, and training plans. 

Strava supports a variety of running trackers. There are also handy features like Strava Beacon, which are designed to keep you safe, by allowing your friends or family members to track your live location on a run. 

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2. Gym exercises – in the first place, if you are a person who has no experience with this place, it is good to use the online training programs offered by numerous personal trainers or contact the gym trainer directly. Performing exercises, especially with loads, should be controlled by a person who deals with it professionally. Remember your health is the most important thing.

If you plan to take the challenge yourself, below I present you a page where you will find numerous sets of exercises, depending on what you are currently interested in.

If you decide to introduce exercises into your life, it does not mean that you have to start ultramarathons or weightlifting at an extremely expensive gym right away. It is much easier if you start with something simple. You can even stay home to start your exercise adventure. Turn on your favorite music, relax, start dancing.

One exercise will not change anything, but a little but regular physical activity is the catalyst for making significant changes in your life.

The exercises are designed to make you feel better. They are supposed to have a positive effect on your mind. But remember, don’t get crazy, find a way to be more active in a joyful way so as not to lose your motivation.