5 Best Exercises For Women

You may have heard that working out regularly has tons of health benefits, but if you’re not quite sure where to start or what type of exercise you should be doing, it can be difficult to figure out which exercise routine will work best for you and your body. To help ease your mind and get your body in shape, we’ve compiled a list of the five best exercises to try that are best suited for women! Read on to learn more about them.

1. Walking

It might seem like an obvious choice, but walking is underrated as an effective exercise for women. Walking is good for overall health, it's one of simplest exercises you can do and it's free! Just 20 minutes a day of walking can be all you need to keep your heart healthy. And if you want to add some intensity or challenge to your walk, simply pick up your pace or find a steeper hill—though that might mean incurring additional expenses if you live in a city with hills like San Francisco. If you don't have time to go outside, try taking a brisk walk around your office building during lunchtime. If you're strapped for cash, look into getting yourself a treadmill desk so that you can walk while working at home. The key here is to make sure that whatever activity you choose will allow for movement without requiring any equipment (unless it's absolutely necessary). This way, no matter where life takes you, from job changes to moves across country, there will always be ways to stay active and fit.

2. Running

One of, if not THE most popular workouts for women is running. It has health benefits like improving cardio health and promoting weight loss. Running also keeps your bones strong and boosts your mood while giving you a natural energy boost. You don’t need to be an athlete to run or even jog slowly – just try adding short runs (even outside) into your workout routine 3-4 times a week. Aim for at least 20 minutes of fast jogging or running each time and work up from there! Don’t forget to stretch before and after you exercise. Stretching will help reduce soreness after exercising, improve flexibility and help keep your muscles in shape. Yoga: Like running, yoga is another great exercise that anyone can do! There are many different types of yoga, but it all comes down to finding one that works best for you – be it Vinyasa Flow Yoga or Bikram Yoga (hot yoga). Regardless of what type of yoga you choose, make sure that it fits into your schedule because once you start practicing regularly it will become a huge part of your life. Don’t forget about stretching either! If possible, try combining stretches with breathing exercises between sets when working out in order to get maximum results out of both parts of your workout.

3. Yoga

Yoga can improve posture, balance and flexibility. It also reduces anxiety and stress by boosting one’s mood. Doing yoga with a friend is an added bonus that can make an otherwise intimidating practice more enjoyable. Yoga will also help you sleep better at night, so you can wake up energized and ready to tackle your day. And if it’s weight loss you want, try adding some high-intensity interval training (HIIT) into your routine; research suggests that combining aerobic exercise with strength training helps people lose weight faster than cardio alone. As always, check in with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine. You might even consider meeting with a trainer for advice on how to stay safe as you get started. But most importantly, don’t let fear hold you back from giving these exercises a shot! You could feel happier and healthier than ever.

4. Hiking

One of the many great things about hiking is that it’s low-impact and involves no equipment. Just lace up some good walking shoes, hit a trail and you’re off! Hiking is also a very affordable way to exercise, as most trails are free to use. There are even apps for finding nearby hikes and most smartphones have GPS capabilities so you can map out your route beforehand. The scenery alone makes hiking a fun activity for women: one study showed that simply looking at nature for 15 minutes could temporarily reduce stress by 68%. But if you don’t want to hike solo, search online for hiking clubs in your area or consider meeting up with people from a local Meetup group. These groups often hold social events where members can get together to talk about their favorite trails, find new ones and make friends along the way. Or just head over to Google Maps and type in hiking near me—you’ll find plenty of suggestions! Finally, if you live somewhere with lots of hills (or mountains), look into training for a race like Tough Mudder. Many races will offer prizes for female participants or allow women to register at a discount—just be sure to sign up early since these types of races tend to fill up quickly.

5. Swimming

Because it works most of your body at once, swimming is a great aerobic workout. It’s also low-impact, so you can still wear heels without worrying about hurting your feet. Make sure to take advantage of what happens naturally when you swim; try doing freestyle intervals where you alternate between fast and slow strokes for an added intensity boost. And if treading water starts to feel easy, add in some light weight training by holding dumbbells or a water bottle (filled with sand). You may find that adding these few extra pounds makes it tougher to move your arms freely during freestyle laps—your shoulders might even get a nice toning benefit! Just be careful not to add too much weight. Start small and work your way up. The key is to make sure you are keeping good form while working out. One of my clients got injured because she was pushing herself too hard trying to keep up with her friend who was running on a treadmill next to her, says Rod Aissa, NASM certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Instead of giving into peer pressure and trying to keep pace, she should have eased off or substituted another exercise like planks or squats. The result?