{"id":242200,"date":"2025-07-06T08:11:13","date_gmt":"2025-07-06T08:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/242200\/"},"modified":"2025-07-06T08:11:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-06T08:11:13","slug":"seven-exercises-you-should-do-every-week-at-home-or-in-the-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/242200\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven exercises you should do every week \u2014 at home or in the park"},"content":{"rendered":"

The government recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, at least some of which should be strength-based training. However, you don\u2019t need to master lots of intimidating gym equipment to achieve these goals \u2014 here are seven functional exercises the experts recommend we perform at least once a week that you can do at home or in your local park. <\/p>\n

Just five minutes a day of stretching can make a big difference to our flexibility, says Alison Eitner, the founder of Stretch Therapy UK. Try standing on one foot and rotating the other ankle while you brush your teeth or pulling your shoulders back before you start your day of work. Spine rolls are a good morning stretch. From standing, bend the spine one vertebra at a time, moving from the neck to the base of the spine until you are bent over. Reverse the movement to stand upright again. <\/p>\n

These simple moves \u201ctrain your body to stay mobile and responsive without feeling like a chore\u201d, Eitner says. Start with 1-3 sets of 5-10 reps at a time, then try bumping it up to 15 minutes, 3-4 times a week. \u201cYou\u2019ll start to feel noticeable gains in mobility, nervous system regulation and injury prevention,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n

\"Illustration<\/p>\n

\u2022 The best stretches for flexibility that could help you live longer<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

2. Active walking <\/p>\n

Don\u2019t aim to reach 10,000 steps a day by simply pottering round the house. \u201cStudies have shown walking at a minimum of 100 steps a minute starts to have a physiological benefit for your body,\u201d says Joanna Hall, a sports scientist and the founder of the WalkActive fitness programme. \u201cWhen you reach 120 steps a minute you are getting the same benefits as jogging.\u201d How do you know that you\u2019re keeping pace? \u201cIt should feel a little breathy and you\u2019ll be a bit sweaty.\u201d Try to incorporate walking downhill too. \u201cIt will help to open up your hip flexors and improve your posture, stride and pace.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u2022 Walk, don\u2019t run! How to do 8,000 steps indoors<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

3. Squats<\/p>\n

Squats aren\u2019t just about achieving a Kardashian-esque posterior. \u201cThe ability to stand up from a seated position without using your hands \u2014 what doctors call the \u201csit-to-stand test\u201d \u2014 is one of the strongest predictors of mobility, self-sufficiency and even longevity,\u201d says the calisthenics instructor Lucy Joslin. \u201cIf you want to thrive in later life, start squatting now. It\u2019s not about lifting heavy weights, it\u2019s about being able to get off the lavatory unassisted when you\u2019re 80.\u201d <\/p>\n

Joslin suggests starting with three sets of 10-15 squats, 2-3 times a week. \u201cFocus on control and full range of motion, not speed. You can scale the movement by adding weights, increasing reps and slowing the tempo. Try a three-second descent and three-second rise or a pause at the deepest point to build strength and control.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Illustration4. Fire hydrants<\/p>\n

An exercise playfully named after a dog cocking its leg, the fire hydrant is performed on all fours and involves lifting one leg at a time out to the side while keeping the core and back still. \u201cIt mainly targets the gluteus medius and hip abductors,\u201d says Anya Lahiri, a trainer at Barry\u2019s Bootcamp. \u201cNot only will it give you a toned bottom but it will also stabilise your spine and hips, prevent injuries, knee and back pain and target your core.\u201d <\/p>\n

Aim for three sets of 8-12 reps, 2-3 times a week. \u201cThis move strengthens all the muscle groups needed for running, so it is a brilliant addition if you are pounding the pavements regularly.\u201d <\/p>\n

5. Push-ups <\/p>\n

\u201cPush-ups are the gold standard for upper-body strength, working your chest, shoulders, triceps and core,\u201d says Louisa Drake, founder of the personal training studio the Louisa Drake Method. \u201cThe movement translates directly to everyday activities and is a good measure of strength and muscular endurance.\u201d Focus on keeping a straight line from head to feet. Aim for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps, 2-3 times a week. Beginners can start on their knees. <\/p>\n

\u2022 The four exercises you should do to boost your brain<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

6. Split squats<\/p>\n

This is the move that the personal trainer Luke Worthington incorporates into his training programmes more than any other lower-body exercise. Working one leg at a time, it involves standing in a lunge position and then squatting to lower the trailing knee towards the ground. \u201cSplit squats build leg strength, co-ordination, balance and mobility,\u201d Worthington says. \u201cUse a wall for support if needed and limit the depth at first.\u201d Start with 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps per leg, once or twice a week. <\/p>\n

\"Illustration7. Pilates chest lift with arm reach <\/p>\n

Counteract poor posture by doing a Pilates chest lift with arm reach. \u201cThis will strengthen the upper abdominals, stabilise the shoulder girdle and promote deep core engagement,\u201d says Aimee Victoria Long, a personal trainer. Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms by your side. Tighten your core and gently lift the head, neck and shoulders, raising your arms off the ground. Beginners can support the head with hands to reduce neck tension. Hold for as long as you can, aiming for 30 seconds, then relax back down. Progress by adding light hand weights or holding the lifted position for longer. Aim for three sets of 10-15 reps, 2-3 times a week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The government recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, at least some…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":242201,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4322],"tags":[1630,105,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-242200","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114805282614253906","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242200","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=242200"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242200\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/242201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=242200"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=242200"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=242200"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}