So you’re looking to lose weight, stay in shape, or just firm up your body? Either way, everyone should have a set of simple yet functional exercises that they can perform on a daily basis. A small exercise routine can go a long way on the road to good health, by giving you something to get the blood flowing to your muscles and boost the old metabolism.

So here are a few every day exercises that you can do to stay fit, even when you have other exercise plans or no time to exercise.

1. Plank

The oddest of stationery exercise positions, planking has been used for endurance building by athletes for decades, and has recently emerged as a popular basic level endurance builder. Basic planking involves flipping the switch on the encasement muscles of your vital organs, as well as the rib cage, allowing you to hold a planking position for longer, gradually over time.

2. Hip Bridge

The hip bridge is another tremendous basic work out that requires a person to lie down on their back and raise themselves up by the hip, creating the appearance of a bridge or an arc. A hip bridge is a dual effect workout as it forces the brain to stay alert and participate in the exercise. A hip bridge takes care of foot placement, body-weight distribution as well as your breathing.

3. Squats

The standard squat has been a mainstay for basic warm up exercise for centuries now. It is another exercise that requires active participation from the brain as it requires the right kind of foot positioning, even weight distribution between both legs, and a protruded chest along with a straight back. It’s a great overall workout for your entire lower torso and legs.

4. Push-up and Side Plank

The universal push up coupled with a side plank might not be the easiest exercise, but it is definitely one of the most effective ones, requiring weeks of practice with the correct hand and foot placement, working every possible muscle from the fingertip to the toes. This exercise also pulls on your abdominal muscle, keeping the body aligned throughout your session.

5. Jumping Jacks

The decades-old jumping jack is still one of the most effective basic exercises as it adds a bit of plyometrics into one’s routine, adding functional fitness. This simple act of jumping up and down in a repetitive motion is said to work wonder for your abdominal muscles and entire lower torso and legs. Jumping jacks are also wonderful for getting the blood pumping at a higher rate.

These basic exercises should serve to significantly improve your strength and endurance, apart from keeping you fit. And with these basic exercises that take a total of 5-10 minutes to complete will make sure that you’re on your way in the healthy right direction.

Written by Benjamin Roussey for bodono.

Benjamin Roussey is from Sacramento, CA. He has two master’s degrees and served four years in the US Navy. His bachelor’s degree is from CSUS (1999) where he was on a baseball pitching scholarship. He has an MBA in Global Management from the Univ. of Phoenix (2006) where he attributes his writing prowess. He has worked everywhere from small businesses to large corporations, and also for public agencies. He has lived in Korea and Saudi Arabia where he was an ESL instructor. He misses Saudi food and living in Korea. Benjamin has a tremendous work ethic and is quite focused. Now he writes professionally for several clients that covers one sector of our economy to another. Currently he lives in the Phoenix area after living in Cabo San Lucas, MX for 3 years. He enjoys sports, movies, reading, and current events when he is not working online: www.infinista.com.