A strong and healthy body is essential for keeping your physical and mental well-being in check. Strengthening exercises should be included in your exercise routine to keep your muscles strong and resilient to injuries.
Together with physical activities (walking, running, swimming, sports, stretching and other activities), strengthening exercises will allow your body to adapt to greater physical demands. You can start a strengthening program anywhere, with or without equipment. You can use your own body weight, resistance bands or other training equipment such as dumbbells and barbells.
Warm up for a few minutes to let your blood flow
Do the exercises on both sides.
Focus on the quality of the movement. Keep a good form throughout the exercise.
Don’t hold your breath. You can count out loud to keep breathing.
It is normal to feel muscle soreness after a day or two.
Feel each movement. Hold for at least 2 seconds during the end of the movement and slowly return back to the starting position.
Rest for 1-2 minutes between each set.
These sample exercises are categorised based on the level of your activity. As you get better and stronger, you can progress to more advanced strengthening exercises.
Lie on your back and bend your knees. Keep your feet flat on the mat and keep your arms on the side with your palms down.
Lift your hips off the floor by pressing your feet against the floor.
Hold this position for 6 seconds and slowly return to the starting position. Control your motion, and do not simply drop your buttocks on the floor.
Repeat for ten reps for three sets
Stand straight. You can hold on to a steady support such as a counter or any furniture for balance.
While maintaining a standing position, lift your leg up and out to the side.
Hold this position for 15 seconds, then lower your leg back to the starting position. Do not lean. You should feel the tension on your hips.
Repeat for ten reps for three sets on each leg.
Sit on a stable chair. Position yourself on the edge so that your feet are planted on the floor.
Bending on your hips and knees, slowly stand up.
While maintaining a good standing balance, you can then slowly return to the starting position. Control your movement, and do not simply drop your buttocks to the chair.
Do this for ten reps for three sets. Focus on the quality of your movement
Tip: Apply this exercise throughout the day when you are sitting or standing.
Stand facing a stable surface for support. Keep both of your feet flat on the floor.
Slowly raise your heel by pushing your toe against the floor. Hold for at least 2 seconds.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Do this for 15 to 20 reps for three sets. You should feel the tension in your calves.
Lie on your back. Keep both of your legs straight.
Draw in your stomach. Pull your navel inward and down by pressing your lower back against the floor.
Hold this position for 15 seconds and slowly return to the starting position.
Do this for 10 to 15 reps.
Progression:
To make this exercise more challenging, draw in your stomach by pressing your lower back against the floor.
Hold this position for 15 seconds as you lift your leg 4 to 5 inches off the floor. Keep your back pressing against the floor.
Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
Stand in front of a wall. Place your hands against the wall shoulder-width apart.
Slowly bend your elbows and move your torso toward the wall. Keep your body straight.
Slowly return to the starting position. You should feel the tension in your chest and arms.
Do this for ten reps for 2-3 sets.
Use an elastic band. Stand straight and allow your elbow to bend 90 degrees with your hands in front, shoulder width apart. Hold the elastic band with your hands.
While keeping the elbow tucked at your side, slowly rotate your arms outside. Keep the tension on the elastic band.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Do this for ten reps for three sets on each arm.
Use a dumbbell for this exercise. Start with a smaller weight of around 1 to 5 pounds. You could also use a water bottle with equivalent weight as an alternative.
Stand straight. Hold the weights in each hand. Keep your arms on the side.
Slowly bend your elbows by curling your arms up to 90 degrees.
Then press the weights above your head and hold for 1 to 2 seconds.
Slowly return to the starting position. Do not simply drop the weight. Control your movements.
Repeat for 5-8 reps for three sets.
Lie on your back. Bend one knee while keeping the other leg straight. Place your palms down on the side.
Lift your buttocks by pressing your foot against the ground with your bent leg. While keeping the other leg straight up.
Hold this position for 6 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position. Do not simply drop your buttocks to the floor. Control your movement.
Do this for 8-10 reps for three sets on each leg.
Lie on your side. Keep your hips and knees bent. You can wrap an elastic band above your knees to add more challenge.
Lift your upper leg upward and outward while keeping your hips perpendicular to the floor.
Slowly return to the starting position. Control your movements.
Do this for ten reps for three sets on each leg.
Sit in a chair. Make sure that your feet are planted on the floor while keeping your knees together.
Loop an elastic band, or bungee cord around your legs so just above your knees and cross it with each other. Hold each end with the opposite hands.
Slowly spread your legs apart while keeping your feet together.
Slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat for 10 to 15 reps for three sets.
Stand in front of a stair step. Use the handrails for balance. Place your lead foot on the first step.
Step up with the other leg so that both of your feet are on the first step.
Slowly step backward with your lead foot followed by the other foot to return to the starting position.
Do this as many times as you can and switch your lead foot.
Lie on your back. Keep your hips and knees bent while your feet are flat on the floor. Place your hands on top of each thigh.
Keep your chin tucked to your chest as you engage your core and sit up so that your hands slide on top of your knees.
Hold this position for 6 to 10 seconds.
Slowly return to the starting position. You should feel the contraction in your abdominal muscles and not in your spine.
Do this for ten reps for three sets.
Use a stable surface such as a counter as support.
Keep your body straight and gently lower your body toward the counter by bending your elbows.
Press up by allowing your elbow straight so you can return to the starting position. You should feel the tension in your chest and arms.
Do this for 8-10 reps for three sets.
Open a stable door. Wrap the elastic band around the inside door handle and close the door. While facing a closed door, place your arms out in front of you while holding each end of the band with each hand.
Stand straight and keep your shoulders down and in. Pull back your arms as you squeeze your shoulder blades until your elbow reaches your sides.
Slowly return to the starting position. Control your movements.
Do this for ten reps for three sets.
Use a dumbbell for this exercise. Start with a smaller weight of around 5 to 8 pounds. You could also use a water bottle with equivalent weight as an alternative.
Stand straight. Hold the weights in each hand. Keep your arms on the side.
Slowly bend your elbows by curling your arms up to 90 degrees.
Then press the weights above your head and hold for 1 to 2 seconds.
Slowly return to the starting position. Do not simply drop the weight. Control your movements.
Repeat for 5-8 reps for three sets.
Stand straight near a wall for balance.
Lean forward from your waist, keeping your back straight. Allow one leg to extend straight behind you, and your arms hang in front of you. Keep your trunk and back leg in line parallel to the ground.
Hold this position for 6 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position.
Do this for ten reps for three sets on each leg.
Lie on your side. Keep the bottom hip and knees bent.
Gently lift the upper leg toward the ceiling.
Slowly return to the starting position. Do not simply drop your leg. Control your movements.
Do this for ten reps for three sets on each leg.
Stand on one leg (left leg) on the upper step and the other leg (right leg) hovering on the lower step. Use the handrails for support.
Allow slight bending of the knee on your left leg so that your right foot touches the ground. Keep the toes of the right foot up so that only the heel touches the ground.
Slowly return to the starting position by straightening your left knee.
Do this for ten reps for three sets.
Stand on a stair step with just the left leg and the left heel hanging by the edge. Your right leg simply hangs on the back, not supporting you. Use the handrails for balance.
Slowly lower your left heel below the step level. You can feel a stretch on your left calf as you lower your heel.
Raise your left heel up as high as possible.
Slowly return to the starting position. You should feel the tension in your left calf as you perform this exercise.
Do this for 15 to 20 reps for three sets on each leg.
Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees. Draw your stomach in and pull your navel toward your spine by pressing your lower back against the floor.
Slowly extend your legs out, so your core contracts to control your lower body.
Hold this position for 15 seconds.
Slowly bring your knees towards your chest and lower your feet.
Do this for ten reps for three sets.
Lie on your stomach. Place your elbows 90 degrees to your side with your hands in line with your head.
Engage your core and back as you lift your torso off the floor. Only your elbow, forearm and toes support you.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Do this for three sets.
Lie on your stomach. Place your palms on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
Push up with your hands while keeping your knees on the floor.
Gently return to the starting position by allowing your elbows to bend. Control your movements.
Do this for ten reps for three sets.
Lie on your stomach. Place your palms on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
Push up with your hands with only your hands and toes supporting you.
Gently return to the starting position by allowing your elbows to bend. Control your movements.
Do this for ten reps for three sets.
Use a large exercise ball and light hand weights for this exercise.
Kneel on the floor and place your torso against an exercise ball.
Lift your arms straight out in front of you while holding light weights with your hands in neutral. (This resembles a letter “I”) Slowly return to the starting position.
Lift your arms out and above your head while holding light weights with your palms down. (This resembles the letter “T”) Slowly return to the starting position.
Lift your arms out and above your head while holding light weights with your hands in neutral. (This resembles the letter “Y”) Slowly return to the starting position.
Lift your arms out and above your head while holding light weights with your palms down. (This resembles a letter “W”) Slowly return to the starting position.
Do each movement slowly and controlled.
Do this for ten reps for each letter.
Use a dumbbell for this exercise. Start with a smaller weight of around 10 to 15 pounds. You could also use a water bottle with equivalent weight as an alternative.
Stand straight. Hold the weights in each hand. Keep your arms on the side.
Slowly bend your elbows by curling your arms up to 90 degrees.
Then press the weights above your head and hold for 1 to 2 seconds.
Slowly return to the starting position. Do not simply drop the weight. Control your movements.
Repeat for 5-8 reps for three sets.
