Free Hand Exercises: Meaning, Types, Benefits & Best Practices

This is some text inside of a div block.

June 17, 2022

min read

This is some text inside of a div block.

views

Home

/

Are you spending long hours in the gym using complex workout machines to become healthier and fitter? If yes, then there is no need for you to struggle like this. Many simple routines can be done without the need for a gym and still get a chiseled body. A free hand exercise routine is one such regimen where you get all the benefits without getting injured or feeling burnout.

So what is a free hand exercise? It is an exercise that uses the individual’s muscular effort without using any external force, assistance, or resistance. Most people think that free weight exercises are similar to freehand exercise. But they are not the same; in a free weight exercise, a barbell, a dumbbell, or any other weight of that sort is used to perform exercises. However, in a freehand exercise, the bodyweight is used. Therefore, it utilizes as many muscle groups as possible while increasing the heart rate simultaneously.

What are the types of free hand exercises?

People tend to do only one type of activity or exercise to produce the desired results. However, as per health experts, there are broadly four types of exercise, with each having different activities and with other benefits. Irrespective of the age, needs, and fitness levels, one can choose activities from these categories and work on them. ‍

Here are the four types of free hand exercises:

1. Aerobic exercises

These are called Endurance —these aid in increasing the heart rate and breathing. Doing endurance exercises helps in improving the heart and circulatory system health. Brisk walking, biking, swimming, climbing stairs are some of the common ways to improve endurance. Push-ups, planks, and squats are some free hand exercises for endurance.

2. Strength exercises

It helps make everyday activities like climbing stairs, carrying groceries, etc., easy. It also helps to prevent injuries and improve coordination by making the muscles strong. Give equal importance to all the major muscle groups by working them out at least twice a week. Push-ups and planks are some of the common free hand exercises for strengthening muscles.

3. Balance exercises

These work on the legs, back, and core muscles. These exercises are quite challenging, but with a little effort, it becomes easy. It helps to improve balance and coordination. Heal-to-toe walking, toe taps, single-leg cross-body punches are some free-hand exercises.

4. Flexibility exercises

These help improve flexibility and help you move freely and easily, whether to bend and tie your shoes or look over the shoulder to back out the car. Some of the common free hand exercises are backstretch, inner thigh stretch, ankle stretch, etc.

What are the benefits of free hand exercises?

There are many benefits of the best free hand workout. Some of them are shared below.

There is a low risk of injury when you are doing free hand exercise as you are not using weights which are the major cause of injury during workouts.
It helps in gaining shape and muscle strength naturally, since no weights are used and you are only using the bodyweight to train.
It helps to develop muscle mass when done with proper form and technique.
A freehand workout helps boost immunity as it builds muscles and improves strength and boosts the immune system.
It tones not just the muscles but also the internal organs of the body.
Enhances blood circulation by supplying more oxygen and enriching with fresh oxygen.
Free hand exercise to lose weight burns more calories and reduces obesity.
Boosts heart health.

What are the top free-hand exercises?

1. Running

It is a type of exercise that burns calories, tones muscles, and also strengthens the heart and lungs. Add hills or wind sprints to get better results and alternate with high and low-intensity workouts. When making wind sprints, do it as fast as you can before starting the next sprint.

2. Push-ups

This is an essential freehand exercise that works on the shoulders, biceps, triceps, and pecs. They also act as a great warm-up; exercise for hand fat and for moving on to other difficult routines. There are many variations of this and the most basic one is to remain parallel to the ground in an elevated position with the palms and chest in line. From this position, go down until the chin touches the floor and slowly push yourself back up to the start.

3. Squats

These are strengthening exercises for the butt, hips, and thighs. They are great at improving the flexibility of the lower body. To do this free hand exercise at home, stand tall, hinge your hips backward, bend your knees and lower the body as if you are sitting on an invisible low chair. Do it as slowly as possible for the best results.

4. Skipping

It is a great free hand exercise to lose weight and quickly brings the heart rate up. It can be done with a jump rope or by swinging the arms in a rotary motion while jumping up and down. It is also a good arms workout for those who want to reduce flabby arms.

5. Crunches

Ab crunches help to burn fat in the lower body and also build the abs muscle. To do this exercise, lay on the floor on your back in a sleeping position.Crunches help to lower down the fat percentage of your body. It is also beneficial for making your abs muscle. Bend your legs at the knees, place your hands at the back of your head and lift yourself up. The back and the legs should be fixed while you pull your head and reach the abs.

Best practices for free hand exercises

When people start something new, they tend to push themselves too far and risk injury. So to safely navigate through the free hand workouts, here are some best practices.
Get the body ready by warming up properly before exercise. By doing that, your body temperature rises, making the body ready to handle the stress of exercise.
Do not exercise when you are ill or feeling tired. Working out during illness can make you sicker and also increase the risk of injury.
Stay hydrated by drinking enough water. This prevents dehydration and also heat exhaustion. Drink water 15 minutes before exercise, during and after exercise too.
While exercising, ensure that you use your lungs and breathe. Do not hold your breath as it can build up pressure in the thoracic region and inhibit the blood flow to the heart.
Schedule rest days in between exercises, whether you workout at home or at the gym, as that can help reduce the soreness in the muscles. Also, take a rest during the exercise when you feel tired, in pain, or exhausted.

There are many benefits of the best free hand exercise, but it is not popular as people are not aware of its advantages. It is a fuss-free way to tone your body and build muscles. This article has hopefully convinced you to adopt it as it can produce great results. Free hand exercises at home are also ideal for people who don’t have the time to go to a gym or do not like to use weights or machines.

Top Search Terms For Yoga