Not all full-body workouts are designed to make you sweat crazy and shake your muscles through every rep. There are a few exercises that work your entire body effectively without draining much of your energy. One such efficient exercise is the inchworm exercise. While it may sound like a funky dance move, trainers absolutely love the inch worm exercise benefits as it provides a hard and effective full-body workout!
Here is the step-to-step guide of the simple yet effective inchworm exercise.
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The inch worm exercise:
Basically, this exercise is a low-impact warm-up exercise that hits all of your major muscle groups and helps prep the body for more intense exercises or athletic activities. Its called ‘the inchworm exercise’ because it exactly mimics the rhythmic movements of inchworms.
It might sound silly, but it is one of the best full-body exercises to increase your flexibility, strength, and mobility. It strengthens the muscles of the front half of your body while stretching the muscles of the back half of your body. Thus, it targets the entire body including shoulders, glutes, and hamstrings. The inchworm exercise is also an excellent exercise to sculpt your core. Additionally, the best thing about the exercise is that it can be modified easily to make it more challenging and interesting. As a result, you’ll never get bored with this workout! Let us breakdown the various steps of this exercise to maximize inch worm exercise benefits.
Inch worm exercise benefits:
1. Inch worm exercise benefits the whole body:
A perfect inchworm workout uses just your body weight. This is because it targets almost all the muscle groups including your shoulders, triceps, chest, and abdominals. Working all your muscles groups in one of the many inch worm exercise benefits.
2. Inch worm exercise benefits as it is a great addition for HIIT routine:
The inch worm exercise benefits any workout routine as it is a great low-impact exercise. Since it strengthens and stretches the different muscle groups, it can be easily included as a part of a high-intensity interval training routine.
3. The inch worm exercise benefits as an effective cardio move:
This move requires you to transition from a standing position to a plant position that requires multiple muscles working at the same time. This fast-paced movement, as a result, elevates your heart rate and makes it an effective cardio move.
4. The inchworm exercise benefits as a great warm-up for any type of workout:
Since the exercise is a whole-body exercise, it is a great warm-up for any type of workout. Whether it might be cardio, strength, or flexibility routine, you can add it to the beginning of your pre-existing routine for a more effective workout.
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How to do the inchworm exercise:
Step 1:
This first step on the inchworm exercise is simple. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides.
Step 2:
Then check your posture and make sure that your abdominals are engaged and back is flat. You will begin to engage your muscle groups to enjoy inch worm exercise benefits.
Step 3:
Take a deep breath in and then as you exhale, look down and hinge forward at your hips, and place both palms on the floor.
Step 4:
Now, with your hands on the floor in front of your feet, inhale and walk your hands forward, one at a time.
Step 5:
You will now find yourself in a full plank position with your body forming a straight line from heels to head.
Step 6:
Now, begin walking your feet forward, one at a time towards your hands. Exhale as you step forward.
Step 7:
As your feet reach close to your hands, stop and return to the standing position slowly. Inhale as you get up.
Step 8:
This is one rep. Do 2 sets of 10-12 reps. With this, you will have completed a robust inchworm exercise.
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The inchworm exercise is simple and effective as a warm-up. As a result, the inch worm exercise benefits your entire body. Moreover, it is a solid movement that you can incorporate into just about any routine. If you feel that this exercise is too easy for you, feel free to add on a few squats and push-ups when you’re in the standing position.
