Are you struggling to fit exercise or movement into your day? I get you and I feel you! With 6 kids and a busy online practice, I have to be very intentional about scheduling my exercise time. If exercise is a challenge for you to fit in or if you absolutely loathe it, keep reading as I’ve got 5 fast, effective exercises when you have no time and the gym is just one more check box on your lengthy list of to dos!
Let’s be honest…not everyone has the luxury of committing a full hour each day to hot yoga or a spinning class at the gym. Working mothers and those who put in long hours at work have even less time than the average person. Without a late night gym near your home or office, it is easy to put off working out for the proverbial “tomorrow.” Soon, the resolutions of getting into shape and shedding that last ten pounds goes out the window.
Leaving exercise for “tomorrow” doesn’t have to be that way anymore with this guide to 5 fast yet effective exercises that can be done anywhere (even with no equipment around!). Besides, why spend 45 minutes slaying it on a treadmill when there are more effective, shorter exercises that can help you achieve your ideal physique and fitness level in no time? Heck, you can easily do some push ups while making your coffee in the morning so keep it simple.
The key to sustainable health changes is finding something you enjoy and can stick with consistently. And, maybe ditching the word “exercise” and shifting your mindset “fun, sweaty activity” will motivate you to lace up those sneakers and get out of your head!
As an occupational therapist, yoga instructor, and fitness advocate and lover, I see great value in mixing up your types of exercise to improve all aspects of health including cardiovascular fitness, strength, agility, balance, and flexibility. If your aim is to lose weight and gain muscle, stop doing an hour on the treadmill 5 to 6 days a week (for the love of Jesus) and start trading your outdated, exhausting cardiovascular theories for heavy weights and HIIT style training.
5 Easy, Fast Exercises for Those Busy Days
Skipping
Do you remember when you were a kid in school? Jumping rope, or skipping, is generally an underrated exercise among novices who might regard it as child’s play.
If you visit any boxing ring in your city, you’ll quickly learn that jump rope is the exercise of choice for cardiovascular conditioning and agility among champion boxers. As a cardio workout, skipping torches calories at an alarming rate; a 150-pound individual can burn 750 calories per hour jumping ropes, roughly equivalent of a 10-mile run. I bet that is something you didn’t know?!
And guess what? All these calories can be burned without leaving your house, apartment or hotel room. Contrary to common belief, jumping rope is not bad for the knees. However, acquiring the right techniques and mastering your form will help in jumping safely and effectively. Consistent practice will also result in gentler footwork and landing impact, which might come handy in multiple facets of everyday life.
Jump rope is an amazing exercise for your core and strength and the best part is, it can be done anywhere, anytime. So, tap into your inner child and grab yourself a jump rope to have on hand for those busy, crazy days!
HIIT
HIIT is the ideal short workout for those who lack time. Performed in alternating intervals of high-intensity bursts and rests, HIIT can be applied to any endurance exercise such as running, swimming, cycling or even stair-climbing.
You might have heard of High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, gaining popularity in recent years as a fat-burning workout. Recent research has postulated that high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) may be more effective at reducing subcutaneous and abdominal body fat than other types of exercise. Bottom line, HIIT is the ideal short workout for those who lack time. Performed in alternating intervals of high-intensity bursts and rests, HIIT can be applied to any endurance exercise such as running, swimming, cycling or even stair-climbing.
A great example of HIIT exercise combo is to sprint for 45 seconds, walk for a minute, then repeat this sprint-walk cycle for 15 to 20 minutes in total. Research shows that a 15-minute HIIT can reap the same cardiovascular benefits as a steady-state workout that takes twice the amount of time. In fact, a study in 2011 showed that some people burned almost 200 extra calories in the 14 hours after their workout ended.
When it comes to HIIT exercise and physiologic benefits, calories are not only burned in shorter workout time, but this type of exercise also increases the amount of burned energy after exercise. This is a concept referred to as “after burn,” and this process helps you achieve your weight loss goals faster.
Push-up Burpees
Those who have done burpees as part of a fitness routine probably have a love-hate relationship with this full-body exercise. This kind of routine works the arms, back, core and legs simultaneously. Traditional burpees include 4 main moves; squatting, kicking back the legs quickly to assume a push-up position, resuming the squat position then jumping up to full height. The body moves on both vertical and horizontal plane and the explosive movements involved make burpees an intense exercise.
Burpees are so intense that beginners may have problems performing continuously for more than 30 seconds. Aim to complete three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions in 30 seconds daily to reap the conditioning benefits and to maximize your time. A five-minute burpee routine alone is very effective in building muscular strength and cardiovascular fitness. And, in order to protect your joints and your spine, do a modified version if needed.
For those who are more athletic and want to ramp up the routine, adding a full push-up while in the push-up position before jumping back up is a commonly suggested variation. The addition of full push-up results in a more body-weight resistance work to the chest, back and core, and therefore increases the benefits of this exercise.
Planks and Variations
Aiming for a beach-ready body by next summer? Ditch the crunches and do the plank instead.
Another fitness fave is the plank: a simple single-position exercise that engages the whole body, particularly the core, which is essential to maintaining a good posture. Aiming for a beach-ready body by next summer? Ditch the crunches and do the plank instead. Slowly build up your ability to hold the position by adding 15 seconds daily, and you’ll start to see positive results within a month.
Another variation of the static plank hold is the push-up plank, where you start off in a plank position, and raise yourself up to a push-up position and lowering yourself back to the plank position. This set of dynamic movement calls for balance and control, and increases arm strength as well as your core muscles.
Walking Lunges
If you go for a daily walk, then why not start benefiting from adding walking lunges at the end of your workout as a strength-building exercise? Walking lunges can also be performed on their own in your spare time or in those stolen moments. The American Council on Exercise ranks lunges as one of the exercises that elicit the most muscular activity on the booty and thighs, making lunges a good exercise for sculpting the body.
Walking lunges are more dynamic if done over a distance. Alternate left and right lunges to provide more challenge in ensuring a horizontal movement, on top of the lowering and rising movement of a typical lunge.
To do a walking lunge, simply take a step and extend your right quad forward with the knee bent and your kneecap directly in line with your ankle. Your back knee will be bent and your kneecap will be close to the ground. Hold for 1-2 seconds and take another step forward with the left leg, repeating the same process as the right leg.
So there you have it. 5 super-fast and effective exercise when you have no time or have zero exercise equipment available around. Which of these exercises do you plan to try today and incorporate into your daily routine? I would love to hear from you! If you are looking for more tips on optimizing your heath in a holistic manner, check out my private Facebook page for inspiration, empowerment and education:https://www.facebook.com/groups/2633464513623387
