Essential Daily Exercises

This is a core set of exercises that most people should get in the habit of doing on a daily (or almost daily) basis. They are carefully selected for being injury-preventative, relatively quick, and do not require significant equipment other than a set of weights.

Ideally, these exercises form the foundation of a fitness routine that you build up over time. However, when life gets busy try to make sure that you find time for at least these basics.

1. Crunches
20-100 straight, 20-100 to the left, 20-100 to the right

2. Plank
Count to 20-100, twice

3. Alternating Bicep Curls
5-50 lbs, x25 per side (50 total)

4. Shoulder press
5-50 lbs, x10

5. Lateral raises
2-15 lbs, x10

6. Thirty minutes of any aerobic exercise at the point where it is difficult to carry a conversation (e.g. swimming, cycling, or jogging)

..and, of course:
7. Drink plenty of water
8. Get enough sleep

Start low and go slow. If you take some days off, resume with less weight and repetitions.