Stepping It Up with Easy Exercise Ideas
I hate to exercise. I don’t join gyms because I will never go. I only exercise because I’ve prepaid, meeting a friend, or my dog is whining. But I do feel better when I exercise. I sleep better too. And while I am exercising a lot these days, I like exercise that is non-exercise. Here’s my first non-exercise exercise tip:
Stair Climbing 2 at a Time
- When you go UP the stairs, take the stairs two at a time.
- Alternate legs as you go up the stairs.
- Go DOWN the stairs one stair at a time. You don’t want to fall!
- Take your time going up the stairs. Speed doesn’t not matter!
That’s it.
I have 2 sets of stairs in my house, not counting the stairs that lead to my front door. I noticed that even though I exercise regularly: Vinyasa yoga, kickboxing/boxing, hiking with dog, and Zumba, my posterior needed more work.
I had taken a step sculpting class. You use plastic steps, small hand weights and stretch bands like these, and I was so sore for days after it, but only in my butt and thighs. I realized that kickboxing despite the kicking does not work the inner and outer thighs nor the butt enough. And strangely, though we did a lot of bicep and tricep work, my upper body was not sore AT ALL!
I collected butt workout exercises on Pinterest and they all seemed to include lunges. I hate lunges. It feels tough on my knees. I’m never going to do lunges on my own. Taking two steps at a time is basically a lunge. An easy lunge. A lunge you don’t have to think about. You have to go up the stairs anyway. You may have even opted for stairs instead of the elevator. Take it up a notch and take the steps two at time! Easy as pie, right?!
The hardest thing for me is to remember to take the stairs two at a time but eventually it will become automatic. Do you take the stairs? Would you try taking them two a time? If you do, did you get sore the first few times? I did! It really works!
The plus side:
- Efficient since you are taking the stairs anyway.
- No special equipment necessary.
- Not sweaty!
- Actually works.
- Does not require any time commitment at all!
Standing Not Sitting
My second non-exercise exercise tip comes from my mom friend Nathalie who has opted for a standing desk at work. She works standing up. She takes meetings standing up. Phone calls to. She says standing burns about 50 calories an hour and it’s great for her back. Sitting is the new cigarette smoking apparently!
My mom friend Amy who works at New Balance says that they also do walking meetings. Instead of sitting, they meet while talking a lovely stroll outside with it’s nice or inside around their indoor track when the weather is foul. She says exercise ball “chairs” are also popular.
How about you? What is your favorite form of exercise? Do you like to exercise? If not, what is your favorite non-exercise exercise that you do? Thanks for sharing!
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Artchoo
Definitely the standing tip. I try to stay on my feet all day during the week. (I’m typing this comment from my bed after a lovely nap. SHHHH)
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Hi Artchoo,
I work from my bed as par for the course as well. I tried the standing but it’s hard on my back. I am doing the double step climbing though and I feel it in my legs and butt. Easiest workout you don’t have to pay for or schedule. Like doing lunges all day long but not as painful.
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My brother has a cycling desk – a stationary bike with a desk built in. That’s what I want! And maybe a standing desk 🙂
We don’t have stairs in our house, but I did love using them for exercise in my house as a teenager. And I use an exercise ball as my desk chair.
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Hi MaryAnne,
The cycling desk sounds great! Is it hard to work on? I want to try the exercise ball chair. That looks like an easy way to sneak in some core work.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Reacting to Sandy Hook Tragedy
A walking meeting – such a great idea – as long as there are no cars around to make noise you could voice record it for notes. No stairs here either. I like to walk and watch TV while jogging in place. My goal is to alternate those but these days I have too many excuses!
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Hi Ann,
What a great idea to combine TV with exercise! I think I am too lazy for that but I should get my kids to do that. They watch way more TV than I do.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Reacting to Sandy Hook Tragedy
Great ideas…I love the way your blog looks!
Patty Magyar recently posted…They Get To Stay For A While!
Thanks so much Patty!
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…Reacting to Sandy Hook Tragedy
Hey!
Pretty helpfull ideas.
I really love the way your blog looks!!
I think I will start those exercices as soon as I get home! (3 floors to go up and down every day^^) because my butt needs some real intensive work ^^
I will come back on your blog frequently to read more from you 🙂
Keep up the good work and tips!! 🙂
Mélanie F.
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Hi Melanie,
Let me know if you feel it after doing a few sets of stairs. I know that I do!
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Asianmommy
We live in a ranch house, so we had no stairs to use until just recently when we finished the basement. I’ve been eyeing those steps thinking it would be great exercise!
Asianmommy recently posted…Having a Chinese New Year Party
Hi Asianmommy,
One set of stairs is enough. I bet you up and down the basement stairs more than you realize too! I know I do. My laundry room is down there which is not a great place for laundry.
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I’m terrible at getting enough exercise. And by “enough” I mean “any.” The one thing I do at work is look for opportunities to walk a little more – take a patron to the shelves for a book, take armloads of new books to shelve requiring several trips rather than wheeling over a cart, and such. But the stair thing seems easy enough to try. Thanks!
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Hi MotherReader,
The stair thing works great even if you don’t remember to skip steps until half way up the stairs. I do that a lot. My friends swear by stand up desks too. Not sure if you can do that at your library though.
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Jeee, I started your stairs climbing exercises three days ago, I garantee everyone that I feel it! ^^
I might definitly be continuing those for a while! 🙂
Thanks for the tips!!
I need some more ! ^^
Mélanie F.
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Hi Melanie,
I know, right?!! You can feel it by doing that stair climbing, skip a step, for just a few flights in a day! Makes me realize that I don’t do lunge exercises EVER even with exercising now 3 or 4 days a week It’s easy to fit in too.
My other tip is standing instead of sitting when you can. I don’t do it for very long because it’s hard on my back but my friend Nathalie swears by it.
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Nat
Thanks for the tip, I started doing double when taking the stairs at work, very good ‘workout’ each time! 😉
Hi Nat,
Do you feel it yet? My lunge workout. I usually remember half way up the stairs.
Pragmatic Mom recently posted…7 Fun, Easy and FREE Ideas to Get Kids Reading
Hi again!!
I’ll try Nathalie’s tip as soon as I get the occasion! But I usually have the same problem than you! my back starts to hurt pretty quickly :S Don’t know if I will be able to hold on.
i’ll see how it goes and will come back to you soon.
Thank you again 🙂
Mélanie
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Hi Investir en Bourse,
I asked Nathalie if she has extra padding where she stands but she doesn’t. The skipping a step has been working out for me though. It’s like doing a lunge and I’d never do lunges on my own otherwise. They usually hurt my knees.
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Mia, I’ve used a standup desk for the last 3 years after several years of using a balance ball. And it’s been the best thing I’ve done for my home business – including my back. In fact a couple times a wheelbarrow did my back in and if I didn’t have a standup desk, I couldn’t keep working/writing as my back recovered. Of course, everyone’s back and back pain is different so the best suggestion is this:
The key is to start in small spurts and take breaks. I often wiggle my hips, do little squats and calf raises as I work. Your back needs movement so just standing can be hard too. Alternate with sitting in spurts as you build your strength.
I don’t do this – but many people also use a gel mat when standing to help make it easier on their feet and perhaps back.
I’ve written a whole free report on how to use a standup desk – available on my blog below.
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Hi Sarah,
Thank you for your advice on using the Stand Up Desk. The gel mat sounds like a great idea! As does the moving around and taking frequent breaks because I do notice that my back gets stiff from standing up! Thank you! I’ll give it a try!
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Madison
I really need some information about simple exercises that I could do at home.
Hi Madison,
I have a Pinterest board on exercise. Maybe that will help? http://pinterest.com/pragmaticmom/6-pack-abs/
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Madison Gomez
Those were kinda easy and I always do the stair thing. It is good.
Hi Madison,
I am noticing that stairs, two at a time, really is helping me work lunges into my daily routine. You too? It’s nice to sneak it in without doing anything too strenuous.
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