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Toning Exercises on the Go

When you think of toning exercises you think of having to go to the gym or pop in your favorite DVD at home. But you can tone muscles anywhere with these exercises.

Exercise is an important part of our lives. When you workout regularly, you are increasing your life expectancy by minimizing risks of many medical issues.

Strengthening and toning muscles helps increase muscle mass and bone density as well as building strength, increasing range of motion and of course just feeling better about yourself.

The main problem with exercise for many is scheduling the time and finding the right place. We all know exercise is good for us and most know how to exercise. So it’s not that we are not well informed, we just don’t seem to have the time or the place. With a busy lifestyle, making time for your toning workouts is a challenge.

man and women flexing toned muscles

Strength training and toning workouts are not just for bodybuilders. In fact, this type of workout has become more and more popular with many people and especially seniors. Once you hit the big 40 (me included) we begin to lose muscle mass, bone density and stamina. For women especially, bone loss becomes a problem.

When your body needs calcium, it steals it away from the bones when necessary. By performing toning exercises, you help increase your bone density and increase your muscle mass.

Check out these five easy toning exercises that you can do just about anywhere and at anytime. Try these out at home, in the office (provided your co-workers don’t give you a hard time), the gym, while on vacation or across the street at your neighbors house. These are easy yet extremely effective exercises.

Toning Exercise #1 - Bridge Butt Lift

Who wouldn’t want a butt lift (at least for those of us where gravity has become our enemy). Although this sounds like some fancy plastic surgery that only celebs can afford, it is a simple toning exercise. Follow these instructions for this strength training exercise and lift your butt up off the you know what.

Lay down on your back with feet flat on the floor.
Place your legs shoulder width apart and knees bent.
Place your hands, palm side down, on either side of your body. Pushing with your feet, squeeze your glutes (your butt muscle) and lift off the floor.
Hold the position for a count of five to ten seconds and release bringing your rear end back down to the floor.
Repeat this 3 to 5 times to really tone your backend. I call this one of my butt blaster toning exercises.

You can really feel this one in your backside so you know it's working. For added resistance, you can place a resistance band across your waist holding it in each hand for resistance.

Try holding your knees together while you do this and you will also be toning your thighs.

Toning Exercise #2 - Squats

Squats are an awesome exercise and can be done with just using your body weight. If you have the equipment available, you can also do this with a resistance band or dumbbell weight. Squats work the glutes, the hamstring muscles and the quadriceps. So you get more bang for your buck with this strength training exercise. This toning exercise can hurt your lower back if done incorrectly. So grab a chair as this will help ensure you do this correctly.

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and feet flat on the floor.
Sit back (as if you are sitting down in your chair), pushing your butt towards the chair.
Keeping your upper body straight and your weight on your heels, sit back until your buttocks touch the edge of the chair. Be sure you don’t actually sit down though.
Be sure to keep your abs tucked in to work the core muscles as well.
Once your backend has touched the chair, hold this for 2 to 5 seconds.
Return to starting position.
Repeat several times.

Try doing this toning exercise with a resistance band. This helps to keep you balanced and adds an extra challenge to really tone those muscles.

Toning Exercise #3 - Reverse Lunges

Lunges are another great toning exercise that can be done just about anywhere. You can use your own body weight or add resistance with resistance bands or dumbbell weight. Lunges work the quadriceps muscles and the glutes (another butt blaster). A reverse lunge is a bit easier on the knees than a regular lunge, so this is a great way to tone for those with knee injuries or soreness. Just be sure you don’t overextend and cause additional injury. Just take the lunge to the point where you feel toning without stressing the joints. A reverse lunge still tones the right muscle groups but with less pressure on the knee.

Stand with feet together and arms at your sides.
Lift your right leg and move it backwards until you are in a lunge position bending your front leg at a 90 degrees angle putting your weight on the ball of your foot.
While in this position, lower your body down until the back knee almost touches the floor. If you have knee issues, take this down as far as you can without paint.
Hold this position for a count of 2 to 4 seconds and then return to starting position.
Repeat this for several reps alternating legs each time.

For a regular lunge, instead of stepping backwards with your leg you would step forward into your lunge.

Toning Exercise #4 - Pushups

Pushups are one of the most common body weight exercises. This is a great way to tone and strengthen the chest and arm muscles. This one can be done while on your toes, or if you can’t do this, place your knees on the ground.

Place your hands on the floor with arms close to your body.
Place your toes (or your knees) on the floor.
Slowly lower your body to the floor (without actually laying down on the floor).
Lift your body back to starting position.
Repeat this for several repetitions.

Keep your back straight (don’t let it arch) in order to minimize lower back pain. Keep your abs contracted and tucked in to work the core muscles as well.

Toning Exercise #5 - Crunches

Crunches are one of the most common and widely done ab exercises. This can easily be done from a hotel room, at the office or even at home. This toning exercise works the rectus abdomimis muscle and will tone your six pack.

Lie on the floor with your back flat to the floor (don’t let it arch).
Place your hands loosely behind your head.
While contracting your abdominal muscles, lift your body bringing your elbows up towards the ceiling. Let your ab muscles do the work and not your arms. You only need to come up until you feel your ab muscles engaged.
Hold this position for a count of 2 to 5 seconds.
Return to starting position and repeat for several repetitions.

These five toning exercises can be done whenever you have time at home, in the office or on the go. The best thing about exercise is that its effects are cumulative. Even five or ten minutes at a time will work to your advantage. For even more toning exercises, be sure to see all the free fitness videos on this site.

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