No time to work out, you say? Nonsense. These quick workouts only take five minutes and can be done anywhere, with no equipment. All you need is a clock and a little motivation.
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Why Short Workouts?
Let’s be real: Five minutes of exercise a day is better than none, but it won’t get you fit. Most health experts recommend at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity, three to six days a week, in order to reap the full health benefits of exercise.
However, that doesn’t mean you have to do all 30 minutes all at once. You can break those 30 minutes up into shorter, more manageable chunks. For some people, 30 consecutive minutes a day is nearly impossible, but fitting in five minutes here and there, five times, throughout the day? Much easier. And by the end of the day, you’ve had plenty of exercise.
Quick workouts can also be more effective than you think, because effectiveness depends on intensity. The shorter the workout, the harder you have to work to make it count. Since these five-minute bouts are over before you know it, go for maximum effort every time.
Keep this guide to short workouts handy for commercial breaks, while you’re waiting for the water to boil or when you need a break from your desk.
Cardio Workouts
To blast calories in just five minutes, try these high-intensity cardio bursts. The key here is to move continuously to keep your heart rate as elevated as possible. Try not to rest unless you absolutely have to, and then get right back to it.
1. 5-Minute Plyometric Workout
Alternate 30 seconds of tuck jumps; 30 seconds of alternating jump lunges; and 30 seconds of box jumps for a full 5 minutes.
2. 5-Minute Low-Impact Cardio Workout
Alternate 30 seconds of jumping jacks; 30 seconds of mountain climbers; and 30 seconds of skaters for 5 minutes.
Strength Training Workouts
You don’t need weights to get in a good resistance workout. You have the best weight there is you! Focus on one muscle group per day, or do these one after another for a full body strength training workout in under 30 minutes.
3.5-Minute Leg Workout
Alternate 20 walking lunges; 20 squats; 20 Bulgarian split squats, 20 jump squats for 5 minutes.
4.5-Minute Arm Workout
Alternate 10 push-ups, 15 tricep dips, 10 traveling planks for 5 minutes.
5. 5-Minute Ab Workout
Alternate 20 crunches, 20 bicycle crunches, 20 reach for your toes, 20 v-ups for 5 minutes.
6. 5-Minute Glute Workout
Alternate 20 donkey kicks on each leg, 20 bridges, 20 standing kickbacks oneach leg, 20 walking lunges for 5 minutes.
7.5-Minute Core Workout:
Alternate 15 seconds hollow body hold, 15 seconds of superman hold, 30-second plank, 15-second side plank each side.
Full-Body Cardio And Strength Training Workouts
To really get the most out of your 5 minutes, combine both techniques for a full body cardio and strength training workout. One and done.
8.5-Minute Burpee Workout
Alternate 10 burpees, 10 burpees with push-ups, 10 burpees with tuck jump, 10 burpees with jump for distance for 5 minutes
9. 5-minute Cardio + Bodyweight Workout
Alternate 20 squats, 20 jumping jacks, 20 crunches, 20 mountain climbers, 20 push-ups for 5 minutes.
10.5-minute Cardio + Bodyweight Workout (Advanced)
Alternate 20 squat jumps, 20 burpees, 20 v-ups, 10 tuck jumps, 10 decline or clap push-ups for 5 minutes.