5 exercises to reduce stress

Why does exercise reduce stress?

Especially when you’re busy, your gym routine can be the first thing you skip to win time, but don’t! Exercising is one of the best ways to reduce stress, because it boosts the production of endorphins in the brain. This is the hormone that fights stress and makes you feel happy. That’s why after exercising, you always feel much better and more relaxed.

Research has shown that 30-minutes of light exercising, like walking or biking, has a significant positive impact on the mental health. So, if going to the gym ever feels too much, just go outside for a 30-minute walk. You’ll feel like a brand-new person afterwards.

5 EXERCISES TO REDUCE STRESS AT THE GYM

1 Medicine ball slam

Time to get strong, make noise, and get all the stress out with overhead medicine ball slams. This is a great exercise to let out any frustration, and stuck energy. It also connects you to your strength, builds muscles and burns calories.

How to perform:

1. Stand with your knees bend.
2. Bring the medicine ball above your head.
3. Extend your arms.
4. Activate your core.
5. Bend slightly forward from the hips and slam the ball on the floor in front of you.
6. Pick the ball back up, and repeat.

2 Deadlifts 

Deadlifts require focus. And when your mind is focused on performing the deadlift correctly, it automatically takes away other stressors. That is exactly what the mind needs to let go and relax. It is no coincidence that deadlifts are a favorite of any strength-training routine.

How to perform:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and position the barbell over the mid-foot, with the bar touching your shins.
2. Bend and grip the bar with your palms facing down.
3. Keep your back straight, your chest up, and your shoulders back.
4. Activate your core, lift the bar up by extending your hips and knees.
5. Bring the bar down by bending your hips and knees.
6. Repeat

3 Barbell power cleans

Just like with the deadlift, the barbell power clean requires focus. It is also a great self-confidence booster which will amp up the endorphin levels in your brain a lot. If you would only do this exercise (after a good warm up of course), you will already feel so much more relaxed.

How to perform:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the barbell over the mid-foot, with the bar touching your shins.
2. Bend and grip the bar. Hands are slightly wider than the shoulders apart. Palms are facing down.
3. Brace your core and lift the bar by explosively extending your hips and knees while at the same time, pulling the bar up towards your chest using your upper back and shoulders.
4. When the bar reaches your chest, quickly drop your elbows under the bar and catch the weight on your shoulders with your elbows pointing forward. Stand up straight with the weight on your shoulders.
5. Lower the bar back down to the ground by bending your hips and knees.
6. Repeat

4 Russian twists

The Russian twist is an instant stress releaser. The twists help the small postural muscles of the spine to stretch and contract. This relieves tension in the spine and improves circulation in the muscles and bloodstream. It is just like squeezing all the tension out of your spine.

How to perform:

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Lean back a bit and lift your feet off the ground, keep your knees bent.
2. Hold a weight, like a dumbbell or medicine ball, with both hands, as high as your
3. Twist your torso to one side, bring the weight towards the ground next to your hip.
4. Back is straight, abs are
5. Twist your torso back to the middle, then twist to the other side and bring the weight towards the ground next to your other hip.
6. Repeat.

5 Child’s pose

This exercise is less focused on doing, but more on ‘being’. In a child’s pose, you have your forehead and knees on the floor, and you bow down. The only thing you have to do is be in this position, and just breathe and relax. This pose helps to release tension from the spine, and calms down your body and mind. It’s also perfect as a cooling down exercise.

How to perform:

1. Sit on your hands and knees, with your wrists underneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
2. Bring your big toes together and bring your knees wide apart.
3. Lower your hips back towards your heels and stretch your arms out in front of you. Keep your palms facing down and your forehead resting on the mat or floor.
4. Relax your shoulders and take a few deep breaths, feel the stretch in your spine and hips.
5. Stay in this position for as long as you like. This can be a few breaths to a couple of

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