Exercise the smart way!

Many of us know the medical benefits that come with exercising; improved blood circulation; a more alert mind; a healthier set of lungs. The obvious is also true; for guys, having a tapered hunky body greatly aids you in your quest to hook up gorgeous girls. Nobody wants to see a guy with his shirt off and his gut is screaming to get out. A nice flat stomach allows any lady to slip into a dress without having to worry about paunch-spilling.

Exercising boosts your self esteem and confidence level, because when you look good, you naturally feel good about yourself. You reap innumerable benefits when you get your heart pumping and sweat your derriere off. However, as we all know it, motivation is a bitch. It comes and goes and it is easy to fall off the wagon. All it takes is one off day and we fall prey to laziness. “It’s okay! I will work out again … on Thursday” Before we know it, it’s Sunday a.k.a. Barbeque and Beer Day.

Most exercises are nothing more than repetitions and so they become mundane chores to us. An arduous hour-long run in the trail of the park? Who wants to see trees and run round in circles? As if life doesn’t already move in circles. You want me to do crunches? I don’t want to get a migraine while working out. We don’t really see how signing a gym membership is going to help when we are going to rest on the bench and feast our eyes on the eye candies dripping with sweat.

Indeed, in order to sustain your interest in exercising, you need to jazz up your workouts. Men and women of swagger work smart and enjoy what they are doing. The same goes to your exercise regimen; spice up your routine, spend half the time less and get results twice as better! Swagger Essentials tells you how.

1) High Intensity Interval Training - Running

HIIT has become a hit with fitness instructors; it’s all they adulate. And it is rightfully so. Expunge what you remember about running 10 laps round a stadium for 40minutes. HIIT will halve your training time and have you yelping for mercy – that is if you can even catch your breath – in that short period. The reason why HIIT works so well is because when you alternate between sprinting and jogging, you target all of your muscle groups, whereas with the usual running-relentlessly routine, you are only working one core muscle.

Did we mention the routine comprises of slowing your pace to walking and taking a breather? Don’t tell others, but that’s the part we love most.

How: Warm up/run at a comfortable pace for 5 minutes.

Sprint 60 seconds

Recovery 2 minutes

Repeat 6 sets.

2) Jump

Not a fan of running? Do you feel inhibited when you arrive at the track where dozens of shirtless 6abs hunks and midriff-baring babes await you? Now you can enjoy a workout in the privacy of your own home. Jumping, or skipping if you will, is an intense exercise that will jolt your muscles BIG TIME in your first tryout.

Another fact that will be pleasing to your ears: Skipping yields results that are thrice as effective as jogging; 10 minutes of skipping equate to 30minutes of a regular run! So it is time to start jumping away! Blast your favorite music on your stereo speakers and start your workout! Imagine you are partying away in a club and be your own DJ! You can even play concert DVDs and watch the enthralling performances of your idols!

The reason why we use “jumping” is because we prefer to keep our hands free. A skipping/jumping rope will only hinder our movement and when our feet get entangled with the rope, we lose our momentum. We don’t want to risk breaking any precious memorabilia. Also, we do not have an S&M fetish, so we do not enjoy having the rope painfully slap our limbs.

3) Exercise ball

This inexpensive equipment is a gem if you hate weights, machines and the smell of sweat soaked in leather. It is easily accessible; you can perform your gravity-defying stunts in the comfort of your own house or if you are unabashed about it, you can even bring to your office and replace it as your desk chair! Just pumping the exercise ball to its full size is enough working out. Trust us. But if you’re exhilarated about your newest acquisition and disciplined by nature, you can proceed. What’s so fascinating about the exercise ball is that there is almost no limit as to what you can do with it. You can vary your workouts to target a different muscle group with each set; your glutei - for the uninitiated, it’s that perky ass you have always wanted -, biceps, abs, chest, anything!

Working out on an exercise ball also helps increase stability and balance and improves your overall coordination; we are sure you already know this, because many fear to get on the ball lest they roll and fall on their ass. If you are a naturally clumsy person, perhaps it is time to invest in an exercise ball.

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4) Sports

Put the fun in your exercises! It is of paramount importance that you relish in your exercises and what better way than a great game of sports? When you indulge in your favorite sport, your mind escapes and you don’t feel like you’re exercising. Sports usually require both body and mental concentration, and you are exercising your mind at the same time, killing two birds with one stone. Couple that with laughter and bonding time with your kakis, friends and colleague, you will find yourself leading an active and healthy lifestyle in all aspects!