The Best At-Home Workouts For Beginners

If getting to the gym on a regular basis is something that’s difficult to accomplish given your current lifestyle, squeezing in a few exercises in your own home is something that should be highly considered. For those that do not have a lot of experience with working out in the first place, the following exercises are just for you. No matter your level of training, these can be done by just about anyone.

Pushups

One of the most basic workouts known by everyone in the fitness world. Pushups require very little space in your home, and can be done just about anywhere. This workout utilizes multiple muscle groups throughout your body, as well as strengthening your shoulder joints. With this added strength, you’ll better prepare yourself for more advanced workouts once you have time to hit the gym.

Squats

Yet another exercise you can perform right in front of your television. For the best results, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and while maintaining a straight back and your head up, sit back into this position. Be sure to focus on your knees bending over your toes with your chest out, and do not bend your back. Squats are great for improving overall strength, but your thighs and glutes are the primary beneficiaries.

Calf Raises

For the other portion of your legs that squats don’t focus on, these are great for strengthening both your calves and shins. A proper form involves standing straight and bringing your heels up slowly off the floor, holding your position at its peak. Then, slowly return to the starting position. Beginners in exercising tend to skip this workout, as they feel their calves are the least important muscles. However, strong calves improve your balance, prevent your feet from rolling, and calm the effects of shin splints.

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5 Ways to Stay Healthy in the Locker Room

Schools, gyms, and sports venues can all house breeding grounds for bacteria, viruses, and fungus in their locker rooms. With groups of people all using a single area to change or bathe, it’s no wonder why this can be a fairly unhygienic environment. Below are just a few guidelines to follow that could aid in staying healthy, and avoiding potential illness within all forms of locker rooms.

1. Wash clothes at least twice a week

Even if you feel as though you barely broke a sweat, letting post-workout clothes sit without washing them invites bacteria from odors to fester within the fabric. Be sure to take these clothes home and wash them at least two times per week to avoid repercussions like skin rashes, fungal infections, or dermatitis.

2. Refrain from sharing products

If your routine following exercise consists of more than simply changing clothes, like showering or shaving, avoid sharing the products you use for these activities. Towels have a nasty tendency to harbor staphylococcus aureus, commonly known as staph; a bacteria that mostly causes skin infections. Symptoms can range from rashes, pimples, or boils, all the way to MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus) in extreme cases, though it is rare.

Sharing razors can be particularly hazardous, as this runs the risk of transmitting bloodborne illnesses like HIV and hepatitis. Because they can also preserve bacteria from the skin, razors should be cleaned daily as well. This coincides with the practice of not sharing soap or deodorant, as germs and bacteria can also call these products home.

3. Always shower following physical activity

After strenuous exercise, it is important to shower, not just for the sake of no longer reeking of body odor, but to also avoid developing rashes caused by perspiration left on the skin, which produces bacteria and fungus. If any injuries were suffered during your workout or sporting event like cuts or scrapes, bacteria can easily enter the bloodstream through these wounds, also leading to possible infection. Showering is vital in order to prevent these post-workout germs from becoming anything more than just that.

4. Cover your feet

It should go without saying that locker room floors are very dirty. They are notorious for housing bacteria that can cause fungal infections like athlete’s foot, or warts caused by the HPV virus. Protecting your feet in these environments is extremely important, especially in shower stalls. Investing in a pair of shower shoes would be wise, as germs around drains and floor tiles tend to linger.

5. Wash your hands

This is a no-brainer. Public locker rooms, as stated before, are breeding grounds for germs and bacteria, and the use of your hands is unavoidable. After all is said and done, make sure you wash your hands before exiting even if you’ve already showered, as these microscopic monstrosities can be airborne.

Whether you’re a professional athlete or a member of a local gym, the level of hygiene that you practice within a locker room should not differ. For your own sake, and for the sake of those around you, be cautious in this open environment, and follow the guidelines listed above in order to maintain your physical health.