Five exercises you shouldn’t live without

Are you too busy to work out for an hour? Are you confused about what to do when you work out?

Although working out can be tedious, it can be simple and take about 30 minutes if you’re focused and know what to do.  People often ask me to recommend a few full body exercises they can do in the comfort of their own home or outside of a gym.

I have five that are my favorite (and by favorite I mean the best exercises for a total body workout, not because they are fun).

Standard push-ups mixed/modified push-ups: I recommend both because standard work the chest muscles, core and biceps.  Modified are wonderful for triceps.
Squats: For the quadriceps (front thigh), legs, back, glutes (butt)
Lunges: Thighs and glutes galore
Mountain climbers: Core, cardio, legs, arms and shoulders
Deadlifts: Lower back, quadriceps, hamstrings (the back of your thigh, between the butt and the knee)

The combination of exercises provides a full body workout. If you need more cardio, add some sprinting, steps or activity of your choice that raises your heart rate.

There are no excuses with these exercises because they take minimal space and can be performed inside or outside. For kettlebell enthusiasts, use your bell in place of traditional weights. I recommend five rounds consisting of 20 reps of each exercise.  You can adjust reps or rounds based on your fitness level. 

Finally, working out regardless of the exercises, is best done with a buddy.  A workout partner helps provide accountability; support and the extra push that is often needed to accomplish your goals.