Jumping is a basic exercise that is easy to perform anytime, anywhere without any equipment required. Jumping can be incorporated as a part of your warm-up exercise or can be beneficial to lose weight. Jumping involves exerting maximum force on muscles in a short time duration to increase strength and power. If you want to do jumping exercises, you can go for skipping, jumping jacks, box jumping or squat jumps. These moves can help shed extra kilos, decrease belly fat, burn calories, and also improve muscle strength. But jumping is not the only way to lose weight! There are many effective weight loss exercises without jumping.
Weight loss exercises without jumping
Try these weight loss exercises that involve no jumping and qualify as low-intensity exercises:
1. Push-ups
Push-ups are mostly considered an exercise to build strength, but it helps in burning calories too.
- Place hands in front of the chest, keep the spine straight at an inclined level.
- Bend your elbows and push your shoulders forward as you lower yourself to the floor until your chest is just an inch off the ground.
- Pause, and push your body back to the first step.
2. Squats
Squats strengthen tendons, bones, and ligaments of the legs along with toning thighs and burning calories. They also help improve balance and posture, says fitness expert Aman Puri. During a 2013 study published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, people who participated in an eight-week squat exercise training saw a decrease in body fat.
- For performing squats, keep your head up at a neutral position with the back straight.
- Keep your feet aligned with shoulder width, weight on heels, and knee bent like a chair pose and parallel to the ground.
3. Lunges
Lunges are a resistant exercise that strengthen the back, hips and legs. Lunges work on the lower body and can initiate weight loss by building lean muscle.
- Bend your knees while keeping your back straight and lower yourself until your back knee is a few inches from the ground.
- Push back up to the first step while keeping your weight on the heel of your front foot.
4. Crunches
This exercise helps strengthen the core muscles and tones the abdominal muscles.
- Lie flat on the back with feet flat on the ground, knees bent at 90 degrees and hand below the head.
- Squeeze the abdominal muscles and lean towards the knees.
5. Swimming
It is a water-based activity, with water providing great resistance, says the expert. During swimming, the body starts acting against the resistant water, increasing effort while swimming, which helps burn calories. A 2010 study, published in the Metabolism – Clinical and Experimental journal, showed that people who took up a swimming programme for a year lost more weight than those who were on the walking programme.
- Float on your stomach with your arms stretched out in front. Your legs should be extended back and head up.
- Bring your head down and only come up to take a breath.
- Kick your legs at the hips while alternating, but keep your toes pointed, and knees bent slightly.
- Take one arm forward, with your palm facing down.
- Breathe out as you pull down your arm through the water.
- Repeat the steps with your other arm.
6. Cycling
It’s an enjoyable physical activity for attaining weight loss.
- Keep your foot at the bottom of the pedal with your knees slightly bent.
- Keep your elbows bent at about 15 degrees while holding the handles and the back straight, as you start paddling.
Beginners can start cycling on flat surfaces and later, you can choose uphill routes to intensify it.
7. Stair climbing
Climbing stairs for weight loss is an easy and safe exercise. During a 2016 study published in The Korean Journal of Sports Medicine, people participated in a three-week exercise of climbing stairs. They did it more than 5 minutes two times a day. The participants’ body weight was reduced by 3.35 kg on average.
While climbing stairs, the body loses water through sweat. For energy, the body starts utilising deposited stores, which leads to weight loss, says Puri. It benefits the skeletal muscles and increases body strength
Keep your body upright while climbing stairs. Try not to lean forward, and place your entire foot on the next step.
8. Planks
Activities like planks help burn fat briskly, as they involve multiple muscles at one time. It enhances core strength, reducing belly fat, says the expert.
- Keep your face down, forearms and toes on the ground. Your elbows should be directly under your shoulders.
- Lift your body from ground while keeping your torso straight and shoulders down.
- Hold this position for a few seconds then relax.
Exercise should be a part of your daily routine for maintaining good health and well-being. Incorporating these exercises for 15 to 20 minutes in your daily routine may help you stay away from obesity, says Puri. You can gradually decrease the intensity of exercises once you achieve your weight loss goal.
Who should avoid the no-jumping weight loss exercises?
These weight loss exercises can work wonders, but some people should avoid them:
- Pregnant women should be careful about performing these exercises.
- Physically challenged individuals or elderly who have a lower bone density should think twice before choosing weight loss exercises.
- People with certain diseases like heart diseases, kidney diseases and cancer patients who have different metabolic requirements should consult a doctor before starting their workout regimen.
