Lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying, running… If you’re a caregiver, there is no end to the physical responsibilities you have to make sure you can do everything possible to support those it’s your job (or moral responsibility) to support.
In addition to being physically strong enough to do all these actions, you also have to be alert enough and fit enough and have the stamina to do it all day in and day out.
Here are 10 of the best exercises out there to helping you be the best caregiver you can be.
1. Running
It’s the most basic of all exercises, but running really is a no-brainer for caregivers. Running keeps you physically fit to maintain a healthy BMI and keeps your stamina up, all while being a great stress-releaser to keep your mind clear when you feel emotionally drained. This is one of the best exercises to do without fitness equipment, but treadmills are just as good here.
2. Yoga
Everything about yoga is great for caregivers. From stress relief to heightened flexibility to increased alertness, there is almost nothing yoga doesn’t help. Don’t have time for a class? You can always do it at home with the right mats.
3. Dead lifts
The Olympic sport turns out to be perfect for caregivers. The motions are essentially very similar to the heavy lifting you have to do on a regular basis, so toning up those muscles will make the work you do much easier.
4. Squats
When constantly having to lift or move people – especially when they are often overweight – having powerful legs to help in your lifting is crucial. Try using squat racks like these to get your lower body into better shape.
5. Sports
Football, basketball, rugby and any sport that requires large amounts of sprinting or sustained running offer huge benefits for your cardio health and double as some of the best stress relief possible.
6. Bench Press
This is the staple workout for building a powerful upper-body, and it can do a huge amount of good for caregivers. Using a bench press machine regularly can help you when you need to move around heavy objects, furniture or people throughout the course of your day.
7. Cycling
Like sports, cycling offers a big payoff on reducing your stress, while also building up your cardiovascular endurance. Cycling also comes with the bonus of toning up your upper-legs, which, like squats, improves your ability to lift large amounts of deadweight.
8. Stairs
Running stairs is another incredible workout that pumps up your legs and your heart. Try mixing it in with your running routine or subbing it in for squats.
9. Bicep Curls
By gradually building your resistance up over time by adding weight to your curls, you improve the strength of one of the most important muscle groups for a caregiver – the biceps. This is particularly helpful if you have to support other people often or lift and sustain a large amount of weight.
10. Rowing
Using rowing machines regularly brings huge improvement in almost every major muscle in your upper-body. From chest to biceps to back, with sustained rowing workouts almost everything you have to do physically as a caretaker should come easier.
Guest contributor Jessica J. Pohl is a published journalist & blogger for Digital TV ,limo rentals and healthcare related blogs with an Healthcare degree and political science minor from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
GuestPost
teechymantra