HealthRadar360
Anxiety and stress are common findings in today’s world. There can be many intriguing factors that can vary from person to person but what matters here is what one should do to get rid of stress. When we have to go through a thing, isn’t it better to fight it back rather than let it stay and rot ourselves? In this regard, exercises and meditation can be helpful. Even many professionals consider workouts of particular strength as the best way to vent out the stress, and some have also given their guidelines of best exercises for stress management.
Apart from it, there is also some scientific evidence that exercises are helpful to lower stress levels. They help us combat the overthinking and get rid of the thought, leaving us relaxed and calm.
What Kind Of Workouts Are Appropriate To Relieve Stress?
Now the question which arises here is what kind of workouts can help us relieve stress? Apart from meditation and yoga, there are also some workouts available that help in venting out stress. However, while enlisting those activities, some consist of high energy-consuming workouts.
Many of us are unaware that High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is far more beneficial than a moderate or low-intensity workout. The fact has been proven by the research also. A study published by the researchers of the University of Missouri-Columbia in Science Daily. According to which relatively high-intensity workouts help decrease stress and anxiety levels.
Regarding the role of workouts in stress management, Bryna Carracino, a founder of Rehab NYC, holds an opinion. According to her, “The way you move keeps your mind strong, which combats stress,”
Best Exercises For Stress Management
In short bursts, stress can be good as it helps you in fight and flight situations. In addition, it makes you dodge undesirable circumstances and meet deadlines. But, an increased amount of anything can be harmful. The same goes for stress. It can make you vulnerable and can affect your mental and physical health. According to The American Institute of Stress, 73% of people go through the stress that hampers their mental state. Whereas in 77% of people, stress affects physical health.
Now, there we have two lanes, either take a back seat and let the stress handle our matters or take a stand and try a new workout routine. So here is the list of some of the best exercises for stress relief.
Dumbbell Deadbug
Dumbbell deadbug is considered one of the phenomenal workouts when it comes to relieving stress. The regime requires a lot of effort and strength to pull oneself against gravity to make the person completely forget the matter that was bothering him earlier. The key to the Dumbbell bug is to keep the back in contact with the floor.
It involves the core muscles. The individual lay down on his back with Dumbbell in each hand facing each other and knees bent at 90°. Exhale and extend one leg forward and the opposite arm back over the head. Inhale and return to the starting position.
Kickboxing
Are you feeling frustrated and wanting to take out all that anger just in a go? Kickboxing can help you in it. It provides a great deal to vent the energy and anger and makes you feel relaxed and composed.
Kickboxing involves punches and kicks in a controlled environment in a disciplinary manner. Apart from lowering the rage and relieving the anxiety, it brings balance, flexibility, and coordination.
Forearm Planks
Our next member in the list of best exercises for stress relief is one of the simplest yet breathtaking workouts, the plank. Although the plank looks very simple, the part where one needs to hold himself is the real game-changer. It requires a lot of effort and tons of focus. Maybe that’s why it is in our list of best exercises for stress as they can easily distract the one from his agony.
The individual needs to start with a primary push-up position with both the knees and elbows in contact with the ground. While doing so involves all the body’s major muscles, naming core, back, arm, and leg muscles.
Burpees
Coming towards our next exercise, burpees. It has difficulty corresponding to squats and push-ups, although it is not as renowned as them. It consists of two parts—a push-up, which is followed by a leap. You need to start with a squat position and kick your feet back so you can jump. That could be the reason most people consider it as a push-up followed by a jump squat.
Apart from helping in tackling the stress and burning the fat, burpees can also help you reap other benefits. For example, they strengthen the heart and lung muscles, lower blood pressure, and improve blood flow. All these things, if not directly, then indirectly, can also help in stress management.
TRX Push-ups
Another workout that can help us to vent out the stress is TRX Push-ups. One needs to start with a fundamental position of a push-up plank. For this, one has to put his hands in the cradle then stroll his feet back in a horizontal position of almost 45°. While doing so engages the significant muscles of a body and requires a great deal of stress and sweat.
Well, those who do not have TRX straps don’t have to worry that much. Carracino suggests using a couch, chair, or bench in such cases but with precautions.
Pilates
Pilates, a controlled exercise that helps to build strength, flexibility, and endurance, work amazingly as a stress reliever. According to Thomas Plante, an associate professor of psychology at Santa Clara University in California, Pilates tones the human body, which helps it look good and make it feel better.
Those who need the training to start pilates can take classes at a studio specified for pilates or at a gym or take help from recorded videos.
Dumbbell lateral lunges
Dumbbell lateral lunges with front raise is another workout in our series of best exercises for stress. The person has to start with their feet together, and one light dumbbell is resting on the left side. Then, the person has to lift the right leg laterally and the left arm out while facing the palm up. According to the trainers, the person has to stay with the same side for 25 seconds before switching to another side.
Beast
Beast is one of the other best exercises for stress management. Similar to the previous one, the person has to manage against gravity and pull the muscles to bring them to work.
Take a table position while aligning the shoulder, elbows, and knees in position. Next, the person is supposed to lift the knees off the ground and hold them for 5 seconds while pressing them out.
Why Is HIIT Helpful?
HIIT helps to keep our mind and body engaged. However, it is supposed that indulging oneself in vigorous workouts requires loads of focus. And that’s the turning point, as one forgets what’s stressing them out.
Bryna Carracino prefers workouts that require body conditioning so that the person can entirely focus on the moment. For this, she suggests kettlebells, dumbbells, and TRX straps as they put the human body in a better “proprioceptive environment.” The fitness trainer and founder of Rehab NYC think that “The more the body lives there, the more cognitive health is improved.”
Moving ahead, Chris Stockel, a founder of a fitness studio in NY City, also benefited us with his personal experience. He found the exercise helpful during his challenging time. Those exercises are so physically challenging that his brain has to stop overthinking and stay focused on the task. “It makes me feel entirely present,” says Stockel.
Performing vigorous and strenuous workouts activates a cascade of chemical reactions in the human body. As a result, our body generates certain chemicals called hormones. Top among them is cortisol and endorphins. The endorphin is known for relieving stress and anxiety and promoting good mood and behavior.
Frank Lupin, MS, ATC, PES, and a trainer at Coordinated Health in Bethlehem, Pa, also supports the idea. Including this, Chris Stockel also highlighted some of the other benefits of HIIT. For example, he considers strength training workouts to help “build self-confidence, elevate your mood, help you relax, and improve your sleep.”
Another perk of HIIT is they are quick and requires less time. Hence, they are easy to squeeze into a tight schedule.
Conclusion
As we wrap our text here, it is clear that exercises and workouts of specified intensity help vent out the stress. They release endorphins which fight stress and promote a good mood. Moreover, HIIT requires a lot of focus which helps to keep us distracted from unpleasant thoughts.
Although not all exercises work similarly on all individuals, one needs to be mindful while choosing the one. In addition, these exercises are not an alternative to medicines and therapies so, don’t forget to consult your physician or therapist before starting any exercise. Here we are ending the text with a short note,
“People are disturbed not by a thing, but by their perception of thing” – Epictetus.
