Men: 8 exercises to do every day staying fit for life

Like most men, you want to get in shape without it taking forever. But where do you start? What moves can you do targeting specific areas to tone and tighten but that also boost heart health too?

To get out of a dull, run-of-the-mill exercise regimen, here are eight exercises men should add to their daily routine:

1.     Squats – Versatile and requiring no equipment, squats can be performed anywhere whether at home or on vacation. Proper form when performing a squat is crucial. Stand tall with your feet at hip-width distance apart, shoulders relaxed. Look ahead to keep your neck aligned with your spine, and hold your arms straight in front of you or on your hips. Slowly squat as if you're about to take a seat in the coveted office chair behind you, keeping your heels planted on the ground and torso upright. Aim for eight to 12 reps.

2.     Lunges – Perfect for toning your core and legs, lunges are a great go-to for strengthening your hips, glutes, and thighs. Make sure your upper body is straight, shoulders are back and relaxed and your chin is up. Step forward with one leg, and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. The front knee should be directly above the ankle; your other knee shouldn’t touch the floor. Maintain weight on your heels when you push back up to your standing position. To make lunges more challenging, add a bicep curl with dumbbells or walk forward to keep thing interesting. Eight to 12 reps will do the trick. 

3.     Aerobic  exercise – Breaking a sweat while walking on a treadmill is better than not, but if that’s the only cardio you do, it’s time to mix it up. To shake and wake up your metabolism – the rate at which your body burns calories – add in some sprints or jumping jacks. Sprint by running as fast as you can up to a minute then slow the pace down with a fast paced walk or slow jog for 2-3 minutes then switch again, at least 5-10 times. Or do 3 sets of performing jumping jacks 25 times.  Both sprinting and jumping jacks help ramp up the intensity level providing a nice boost to your metabolism.

4.     Yoga – Yes, more and more men are digging yoga. And part of the reason why is how good it makes you feel. Stretching and getting into positions you never thought you were capable of, improves flexibility and posture immensely and the stress relief is a nice bonus too. Men often slack on making flexibility a priority but it’s important to do as inflexible muscles can lead to lower back problems, tightness, and muscles tears. In other words, the more stretched and flexible your muscles are the less chance of injury.

5.     Planks – Love them or hate them, planks are a no-brainer for tightening and strengthening your core. Great for spinal stability and back pain, planks should be done daily to reap the many benefits they provide. With your forearms on the floor and your legs and feet out behind you, keep your body in a straight line from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. Start off holding this position as long as you can, then try to improve that time each day. 

6.     Resistance exercise – No exercise routine would be complete without some strength training. Lifting weights not only builds and maintains muscle mass, but also strength, endurance, bone mass, and heart health. To increase muscle strength, perform a low number of repetitions using heavy weights.  To increase muscle endurance, perform a high number of repetitions using lighter resistance. Strive to do resistance exercise at least 2-3 times every week.

7.     Walkout pushups – This move targets multiple muscle groups while accelerating heart rate. Start by standing with feet hip-width apart. Slowly fold forward at the hips, reaching hands to the floor. Once hands hit the floor, walk them forward until you’re in a push-up starting position. Perform a full push-up and then walk hands back towards your feet, slowing rolling your spine up one vertebrae at a time until you’re at a standing position.  Repeat 10 times or more.

8.     Jumping Jacks – This is one of the most beneficial exercises for functional fitness. When performed with control, this childhood favorite works all major muscle groups and revs up heart rate. Perform as many as you feel comfortable doing.

David B. Samadi, MD, Urologic Oncology Expert and Robotic Surgeon located at 485 Madison Avenue on the 21st floor, New York, NY – 212-365-5000.  Follow Dr. Samadi at www.samadimd.com,  www.prostatecancer911.com, and www.roboticoncology.com.