15 Faster and More Effective Exercises

Are you looking for some highly effective exercises you can do while on vacation, as part of your morning exercise routine or just because they're frugal? Here are 15 exercises that don't require much equipment, take very little time but are highly effective because they take more energy to do.

Medicine Ball Wood Chop

Instead of doing a warm up that targets only legs, the wood chop targets the upper body and core as well. If you don't have a medicine ball you can use a football, basketball or even a heavy book instead.

Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and hold onto a light-to-medium medicine ball (five to six pounds). Bend knees and hips, dropping into a squat as you bring the ball down to touch your left foot, shin or knee, depending on your level of flexibility. Rise up out of the squat as you simultaneously rotate and raise the ball up and across your right side, as if throwing it over your right shoulder. Do two sets of 10 on alternating sides.

Jump Squats

"Jump Training" activates fast-twitch muscle fibers, which we lose over time. This explosive move is also very cardiovascular and, therefore, burns more calories than normal squats.

Stand with feet hip-width apart; lower your butt towards the ground until your heels start to lift off the floor -- keep your back flat and eyes straight ahead. Pause briefly and then jump up quickly, fully extending your legs. Land softly on your mid-foot and roll back towards your heels. Start with 10 to 15 jumps.

Step-Ups Plus Another Move

Adding an upper body move or a second leg exercise to a step-up increases the challenge. Choose one of these:

Add a shoulder press. Hold onto dumbbells (five to eight pounds) and perform the step-up. At the top of the movement press the dumbbells overhead before stepping back down. Repeat.

Add a glute-toner. Perform the step-up and kick back the second leg before stepping back down. The kick activates the glutes and the core because it requires stability.

Alternating Front and Back Lunges

Using both legs makes the move more functional; it mimics how you move in everyday.

Hold a pair of dumbbells at arm's length next to your sides, palms facing in. Step forward with your right leg and slowly lower your body until your front knee bends to 90 degrees. Pause, rise up and step back to return to starting position. (Note: Keep your back straight and avoid leaning forward with each step.) Repeat with left leg. Alternate legs for 15 reps.

Fitness-Ball Leg Curl

Add a dynamic component to your hamstring workout by swapping the leg curl machine for a fitness ball.

Lie on your back with legs extended, lower leg on an exercise ball. Extend arms out to sides. Raise your hips up off the ground by pressing down on the ball with your lower legs and heels until your body forms a straight line: shoulders, hips and ankles should line up. Roll the ball towards you by bending your knees; pull your heels toward your butt. Allow your feet to roll up on to ball. Slowly lower to original position by straightening knees; repeat 12 to 15 times.

Seated Calf Raises

Standing raises only work the outer calf muscles. The seated version works the flexor muscle group deep in the calf, which stabilizes the ankle (better for walking in high heels!) and helps prevent ankle sprains.

Sit on a chair or bench with toes rested on a step or ledge in front of you -- heels should be on the ground and the step should be high enough for you to feel a stretch in your calf muscle. Place dumbbells or a barbell across your thighs near the knees added resistance. Hold the weights in place with your hands as you raise your heel off the ground, squeezing your calf muscles. Pause and slowly lower heels back down until you feel a stretch. Repeat 12 to 15 times.

Core Pushups

Adding instability activates the core and oblique muscles.

As you do each pushup, bring one knee up to the opposite elbow between each rep. Or, use a fitness ball as another core-activating alternative: Kneel in front of a fitness ball, drape yourself over the ball and walk out on your hands until the ball is under your shins and your body is straight -- do not let your back sag. Lower your upper body towards the floor into a pushup by bending your elbows out towards the sides, then pause and push back up. Repeat 12 to 15 times.

Incline/Decline Bench Presses

The chest muscle has a fan-like appearance so, although you can't completely isolate one area, changing the angle of the weight bench shifts the emphasis on the muscle.

Increase the incline to emphasize the shoulders and upper part of the chest. Perform chest presses on a decline bench (head lower than your feet) to put emphasis on the lower part of the chest. (Note: Decline presses are not recommended for women with high blood pressure, as this increases blood pressure in the brain.)

Seated Rows

Seated rows - on a machine or with tubing anchored into a door hinge - works the entire back and is better for shoulder and spine function.

Sit with your back straight and knees slightly bent and extend your arms in front of you, gripping the handle of the device or tubing, which should be parallel to the floor. Pull the handle towards you by driving elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together (avoid shrugging) until the handles touch your abdomen. Pause and repeat 12 to 15 times.

Hammer Curls

Neutral wrists in the hammer curl places more emphasis on that nice muscle that runs along the outside of the upper arms - giving shape to your arms.

Do them like regular bicep curls but don't rotate your wrists. Start with arms down to your sides, palms facing in towards your body. Keeping hands in this position, bend your elbows as you bring your hands up towards your shoulders, keep thumbs facing up; repeat 12 to 15 times.

Overhead Tricep Extensions

Mechanically, kickbacks are not a very effective exercise, as it does not hit all parts of the triceps. A better, more effective way to work the triceps, involves an overhead extension.

Sit or stand holding a dumbbell behind your head. Both hands should be wrapped around one end of the dumbbell - Make a triangle with your thumbs and forefingers and wrap them around the end. With your upper arms on either side of your ears, elbows up towards the ceiling, slowly lower the dumbbell down towards the center of your back. Pause and slowly extend arms to the ceiling. Return to starting position; repeat 12 to 15 times.

Upright Rows

Lateral raises work the middle deltoid muscle of the shoulder. The upright row also works the important stabilizing muscles in back of the shoulder and upper back, which improves shoulder posture and function.

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and grab a barbell in each hand, keeping them shoulder width apart. Slowly pull the weights up towards your chin. Elbows should flare out during the movement. Pause and slowly return barbell to starting position; repeat 12 to 15 times.

The One-Legged Plank

This advanced version of the traditional plank uses both abs and back muscles.

Position yourself on your hands and knees, shoulders directly over the wrists, extending your legs behind you so your body is parallel to the floor. Engage your core by drawing your stomach back and up towards your spine and hold. Without rotating your torso, lift your right leg an inch or two off the ground and hold for 10 or more seconds; slowly lower it to the starting position and switch feet. Alternate legs and repeat on each side. Do not allow your back to sag and do as many as you can with good form.

The Dead Bug

This exercise goes beyond just strengthening the lower portion of the rectus abdominis muscle (the "six-pack" muscle in front of the abdominal area) as in the reverse crunch. The dead bug strengthens the transverse abdominis, the main core muscle, as well as the obliques.

Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Focus on drawing your belly button in towards your spine to stabilize your back. Bring both arms and legs off the floor; knees should be directly over hips and elbows bent, directly over shoulders. Slowly extend right leg and lower your right heel and back of the left hand towards the floor; tap floor lightly and alternate sides - it’s kind of like a backstroke. Do 12 to 15 on each side.

The Jackknife

The jackknife challenges not only the core and abdominal muscles, but the shoulders and chest as well.

 Kneel in front of a fitness ball and roll out over top of it, walking on your hands until you're in a pushup position with the ball under the shins/ankles (easier) or tops of the feet (harder). Keep your body straight, back flat and abs engaged. Roll the ball in, bending the knees towards the chest as you squeeze your abs. Keep all the movement in the knees; avoid pushing back with your arms; keep your back stable. Return to starting position and repeat 10 to 15 reps.

Aerobic Exercises the Better Bet

While it is important to do weightlifting if you want to maintain muscle tone, if your goal is to lose fat then cardio exercises is far better than resistance training, researchers say. And gets far better results.

The study in question was conducted by North Carolina researchers and is the largest randomized trial ever done to directly compare changes in body composition induced by comparable amounts of time spent doing aerobic and resistant training, or both in combination, among previously inactive overweight or obese non-diabetic adults.

So how did they do it?

A total of 234 previously sedentary overweight or obese males and females, ages 18 to 70 years of age, were enrolled in one of three eight-month supervised protocols: aerobic training (AT), resistance training (RT), or a combination (AT/RT). Of the total 234 overweight / obese people, 119 participants completed the trials and had complete data for the variables of interest for the study. The remaining 115 people gave up part way through.

The people assigned to aerobic exercises did so vigorously, at about 70-85 percent of their maximum heart rate. They exercised approx. 45 minutes three days per week throughout the study period.

The people assigned to weight lifting also exercised three days a week for a period of approx. 45 minutes, completing three sets of 8-12 reps on eight different resistance machines that targeted all major muscle groups. The amount of resistance was increased throughout the study to maintain a steady level of challenge as the participants gained strength.

The people who were assigned to AT/RT performed all the exercises assigned to both AT and RT groups, for a total of approx. 90 minutes.

At the end of the study each person was assessed for weight, body composition, waist circumference, cardiopulmonary fitness and strength compared to their baseline.

The researchers found that the groups assigned to aerobic exercises and aerobic plus resistance training lost significantly more weight than those that did resistance training only. In fact, some of those who did resistance training only actually gained weight due to an increase in lean body mass and didn't lose any fat weight.

Fat mass and waist circumference significantly decreased in the AT and AT/RT groups, but were not altered in RT. However, measures of lean body mass significantly increased in RT and AT/RT, but not in AT. The findings show that aerobic exercise is more effective in reducing fat.

Lean muscle mass increased with both RT and AT/RT, but not AT. Having the benefit to of both modes of exercise allowed AT/RT to decrease body fat percent significantly more than either AT or RT due to decreased fat mass combined with increased lean body mass.

Given the results it is clear that weight training isn't very effective at reducing fat. Cardio exercises is the clear winner when it comes to fat reduction, although a mixture of both is certainly advised if people want to both cut fat and gain muscle.

"If increasing muscle mass and strength is a goal, then resistance training is required. However, the majority of Americans could experience health benefits due to weight and fat loss. The best option in that case, given limited time for exercise, is to focus on aerobic training. When you lose fat, it is likely you are losing visceral fat, which is known to be associated with cardiovascular and other health benefits," says the lead author of the study, Leslie H. Willis, an exercise physiologist at Duke University Medical Center.

As a personal trainer in Toronto I must admit that there are some people in this industry who are pushing the idea that you can achieve all the results cardio can using weight lifting... but they don't have the science to support their claims, and it is, frankly, putting all of your eggs in one basket.

The clear solution is a mixture of both cardio and weight lifting, modified to a person's goals and needs. Because if you're only lifting weights and wondering why you aren't losing any fat, the answer becomes pretty obvious - Its time to do more cardio.

Three Exercise and Dietary Myths

Time to do some Myth Busting!

There are quite a few common misconceptions in the health and fitness industry. Here are three common fitness / diet myths that need to be debunked.

1. Eat a lot of protein to gain muscle = Myth

Protein is the muscle's building block, but its not the only thing muscles need. Protein helps to repair torn muscle tissue. You also need vitamins and nutrients from eating a balanced diet. Too much protein in a diet can cause dehydration, overwhelm the kidneys and stress the heart. Plus a high meat diet will make you feel plain crappy due to all the bacteria in meat, and won't give you the energy required for intense lifting sessions. Instead, aim for a balance of all healthy food groups.

2. Sweating means you are working out harder = Myth

Not true. Sweat is a mechanism used to cool the body, it doesn't burn much calories. The amount of work you can do DECREASES when your body is using some of your energy to produce sweat. Furthermore, energy is lost by sweating because it causes the blood supply to rush toward the skin and away from the muscles - resulting in more muscle fatigue. The heart responds by pumping harder, to replace the blood from the muscles. Too much sweating can also cause dehydration, heat stroke or collapse. Don't induce sweat. It really makes no contribution to fitness.

3. Eating food at night is more fattening = Myth

Your body doesn't tell the time. It doesn't care if you eat after 9 PM. This common myth comes from the idea that you won't have time to burn off food before bed. However, recent studies show that it's not the time you eat but how much is consumed in a 24 hour period. If you're eating within your caloric range, typically 1,800 to 2,000, then you are fine! Skipping meals and binging before you sleep leads to weight gain but if you can't eat a good meal until after work, it won't make you store any more fat than the people who eat their biggest meal for lunch. Besides, we burn fat all of the time, even when we sleep.

Sleeping burns 69 calories per hour. It is not a lot, but its handy to know.

Sitting and doing a minor task is approx 60 calories per hour.

Walking at 2 mph is 175 calories per hour.

Sleeping for 8 hours = 552 calories burned.
Sitting for 12 hours = 720 calories burned.
Walking for 4 hours = 700 calories burned.

Total 1,972

Note: All calorie estimates based on someone who weighs 155 lbs.

Thus it is possible that if you eat healthy and just walk 4 hours every day as part of your routine that you can maintain your weight. However many people don't actually walk for 4 hours per day unless its part of their job. Many people in North America walk less than 2 hours per day and spend most of their time sitting behind a desk, in front of a TV or computer, or behind the wheel of a car.

And if they're binging on food then their waistline will be ever expanding.

Just a single hour of intense exercising, only 4% of your day, however can make a huge difference. An hour long swim for example will burn approx. 450 calories alone.

Feeling Anxious? Rethink Your Diet

Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress but too much anxiety can become a debilitating condition and paralyze your ability to make rational decisions. As such certain food factors can exacerbate anxiety levels and have a negative impact on day to day living. Aside from yoga, meditation and exercise, there are several key dietary factors that could be helping or hindering symptoms of anxiety.

Dietary Changes for Anxiety

1. Switch to Decaf

Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, and too much of it can be overwhelming to your brain. It can cause nervousness and panic attacks. Caffeine is in coffee, tea, pop, and even chocolate. Reducing the amount of caffeine you are eating will show almost instant improvements for anxiety related restlessness and irritability.

In some cases some people may also have a caffeine addiction, which is itself the cause of the feelings of anxiety.

2. Cut Back on Alcohol

When people feel stressed they sometimes reach for a drink to "Calm their nerves." Unfortunately booze causes dehydration, insomnia and too much will just give you a hangover. Alcohol sometimes acts as a depressant that will bring out negative emotions in some people. The source of their anxiety could end up feeling even more exaggerated and ultimately, they wind up feeling even more upset both mentally and physically.

3. Eat Complex Carbs

When we're upset or anxious turning to comfort food is fairly common. Ice cream is a popular one if the comic strip Cathy is to be believed. Other xamples include chocolate, candy, potato chips, cookies, etc. The problem with simple sugars, aside from being having no nutritional value, is that they don't keep you full for very long, and cause a constant craving for more sugar. Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, beans and legumes take longer to digest.So i nstead of picking up chips when you're feeling anxious prepare some veggies and hummus or even air popped popcorn instead.

I personally like carrot sticks and Jell-O in such situations.

Eating healthy and avoiding anxiety inducing things like caffeine and alcohol is the first steps toward minimizing anxiety. Or if you do consume those things also drink a lot of water to help minimize fatigue, headaches and stress, all caused by dehydration.

Exercise Motivational Quotes

"Spero Meliora is the family motto of the Moffat family. In Latin it means to reach higher, to strive for greater things. Such things are worth doing."
- Charles Moffat

"A healthy outside starts from the inside."
- Robert Urich

"I believe that how you feel is very important to how you look - that healthy equals beautiful."
- Victoria Principal

"I really believe the only way to stay healthy is to eat properly, get your rest and exercise. If you don't exercise and do the other two, I still don't think it's going to help you that much."
- Mike Ditka

"The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30 to 50 years."
- Deepak Chopra

"It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it."
-Epictetus

"The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want."

"You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough."

"Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed."

"Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you."

"Never have regrets because at one point everything you did in life was exactly what you wanted."