The holiday season is full of barriers to fitness - cold weather, lack of sunlight, travel schedules. While it can be difficult, it is vital to maintain your fitness in order to stay well.
Don't let the holidays, lack of access to a gym or attire keep you from doing a simple 4 minutes!
Here is a simple 4-minute workout routine that can be done anywhere, without any equipment. Add it into your day whenever possible! We recommend adding it to your Thanksgiving Day routine as well. It's an enjoyable short workout by yourself and becomes even more fun to do with the whole family on Thanksgiving afternoon.
Repeat each of the above sets 3 times each; 3 times/day
ZACH BUSH MD | 4 Minute Workout
This workout is a free, easy, effective, and fun way to tone your body. The recent science around nitric oxide show it to be very important for human health. This 4 Minute workout revolves around the body's ability to use nitric oxide for muscle growth.
Nitric oxide is a molecule made by the human body that feeds your muscles. When you move and run out of oxygen, nitric oxide is released. As it moves thru the body, the blood vessels dilate (expand) allowing for more oxygen and nutrient delivery. This leads to the ability to build muscle, maintain lean muscle, and rev up metabolism as a whole. Increased oxygen and nutrients inspire the liver and peripheral fat cells to release stores of fat so it can be utilized effectively.
In addition to the role nitric oxide plays, you strengthen your immune system thru movement. These exercises require you to breathe in more oxygen. You are opening your lungs, bringing full range of motion to the chest and shoulders. (And who at the holiday time doesn't need an additional heart opening exercise?!)
Turns out that the body also responds well to changes in activity. This is why intervals are so effective. Sustained efforts for a longer period undoubtedly provide benefit but numerous studies show that short intervals, even 4 minute ones repeated throughout the day, can be powerfully effective. Sometimes interval training is called a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout.
Our blood vessels actually only store about 90 seconds worth of nitric oxide before they need to make more. Working each major muscle group for 90 seconds, you efficiently work to tone and build muscle. The body regenerates nitric oxide every couple of hours - so you can release it multiple times per day.
This 4 Minute Workout is an effective way to muscle function in a short amount of time. On top of that, it can be completed no matter where you are, who you're with, or what you are wearing.
Muscle pain often comes from quite literally tears in the muscle tissue from strain. As muscles become stronger, they build one of several types of mass as a result of these tears healing. Along with the tear comes inflammation. Inflammation can restrict the blood flow, slowing down muscle regeneration. Eliminating this inflammation allows for improved blood flow, oxygenation and delivery of the key nutrients and minerals the muscles need to regenerate and grow stronger.
Quite literally, Daily Balance helps to amplify this process of recovery and growth. With improved muscle regeneration comes less pain and greater performance. Whatever performance looks like to you, better recovery means better performance.
If you have pain or soreness from holiday travel or stress, pair this with Lineage's Daily Balance Performance & Recovery Cream and you are sure to find relief and some good energy.
Click here and use the code 'Launch' to get 10% off your next order of Daily Balance!
