Men should engage in regular fitness exercises to relieve stress, strengthen their bodies, prevent muscle loss, slow down the aging process, and avoid the accumulation of belly fat. For busy men, which exercises should they start with? Here are the 6 best exercises for men:
Exercise 1: Glute Bridge
This exercise primarily targets the gluteal muscles, enhancing the strength of the gluteus maximus and sculpting a firm and perky buttock contour.
Standard form: Lie flat on a yoga mat with knees bent and feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Then, tighten the gluteal muscles and lift the hips up until the body forms a straight line from the shoulders to the knees. Avoid excessively arching the lower back and rely on the strength of the glutes to lift the body. Keep the shoulders firmly on the ground without lifting them.
Exercise 2: Hyperextension
This exercise trains the lower back muscles, helping to improve waist stability and flexibility, reducing the risk of lower back pain.
Standard form: Lie face down on the equipment with legs secured and the upper body hanging naturally. Then, tighten the waist and back muscles and slowly lift the upper body upward until it is almost parallel to the ground. Keep the head in a natural position without excessively looking up or down. Be mindful not to overextend the movement to avoid injuring the waist.
Exercise 3: Lunges
Lunges are highly effective for leg muscle training, enhancing leg strength and improving body balance and coordination.
Standard form: Stand with your weight evenly distributed between both legs. Then, step forward with one leg, keeping the front foot pointing forward and the back foot slightly turned out. Bend the knee of the front leg without it extending over the toes, and the back knee should approach the ground without touching it.
During the squat, feel the stretch and contraction of the front thigh muscles, both front and back. When rising, rely on the strength of the front leg to push the body back to the starting position.
Exercise 4: Push-ups
Push-ups are a classic upper body exercise that targets the pectoral muscles, triceps, and shoulder muscles, enhancing the strength and endurance of the upper limbs.
Standard form: Place your hands on the ground, shoulder-width apart or slightly wider, with fingers pointing forward. Keep your legs together, supporting the ground with your toes. Maintain a straight body line, tighten the abdominal muscles, and avoid sagging or sticking out the lower back.
Slowly bend your arms from a straight position, allowing your body to descend slowly, with your chest approaching but not touching the ground. When extending your arms, use the strength of your arms to push your body back to the starting position.
Exercise 5: Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are a full-body aerobic exercise that quickly increases heart rate, burns fat, improves metabolic levels, and strengthens cardiovascular function.
Standard form: Stand with your feet together and your hands at your sides. When jumping, spread your feet outward while raising your hands straight above your head to clap. When landing, bring your feet together and your hands back to your sides. Throughout the movement, be light and rhythmic.
Exercise 6: Parallel Bar Dips
Parallel bar dips work the triceps and the lower part of the pectoral muscles, helping to build strong upper body muscles.
Standard form: Firmly grip the parallel bars with your body straight, avoiding bending or swaying. When descending, open your elbows to the sides and lower your body slowly until your upper arms are parallel to the ground. When ascending, use the strength of your arms to lift your body, being careful not to rely on momentum.
