You’re busy, and sometimes you don’t have time to get to the gym for a long workout. However, everyone has a few minutes to spare throughout the day, and there are workouts designed to burn optimal calories in only 5 minutes. So on days where you can’t imagine taking time to head to a gym, just set aside a few minutes to do one of these workouts. They’re guaranteed to get you results.
1. Quick circuit training
If you’ve only got 5 minutes to spare, there’s a good chance you’re not going to have any gym equipment nearby, said Ben Greenfield, fitness and triathlon expert, in a Huffington Post article. Instead, use your own body weight to your advantage. Greenfield recommends this circuit.
- 25 jumping jacks
- 20 crunches
- 15 slow, controlled squats
- 10 slow, controlled pushups
- 10 burpees (squat-thrust-jumps)
2. Jumping rope
According to Health, you can burn about 68 calories in 5 minutes with one simple exercise: jumping rope. Set a timer and jump rope as fast as you can for the next 5 minutes. Just like that, workout complete.
3. Total body
This fast, total body routine featured in Fitness is guaranteed to hit every area. For the first minute, begin with the clean and press. This is where you stand with feet shoulder-width apart and place a 5-pound dumbbell to the outside of your knees, palms down. Then, stand and bring the dumbbells to your hips, raising the weights to your shoulders and overhead.
Minute two will target your back, butt, and legs. “Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a pair of 5-pound dumbbells at your sides. Take a big step out to the right with your right foot, bending right knee 90 degrees while keeping left leg straight,” Fitness writes. Draw your left elbow straight up, keeping your arm close to the side. Return to the beginning and then repeat.
For Minute three, stand with feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed out. Then, hold a 5-pound dumbbell in each hand with arms extended and palms up. “Bend knees 90 degrees, squatting as you curl weights toward your shoulders. Return to start and repeat for 60 seconds.”
Minute four is dedicated to a move called push-up plus. Start in the push-up position and do one push-up. Then, lift our left hand off the floor, extending your arm out to the side. You’re going to hold it in this position while lifting your right foot off the floor. Lower your hand and foot to floor, and repeat with the opposite hand and foot.
You’ve made it to the final minute. Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold 5-pound dumbbells with your elbows bent 90 degrees. Lift your left foot behind you and move forward slowly from the hips, while straightening your arms. Bring your arms next to your hips, return to the starting position and repeat.
4. Interval workout
Combine burpees and reverse planks, fitness health expert Jeff Halevy, told the Huffington Post. It’ll target muscular strength, power, stability, and endurance, even managing to incorporate cardio. To do this workout, start by doing burpees for 15 to 20 seconds and then hold the reverse plank for 25 to 40 seconds for a total of five to nine rounds.
5. Five-minute workouts
This five-minute workout comes recommended by Shape. Do each of these moves for one minute each.
Fast Feet: Stand with feed wide and knees bent, running in place as quickly as possible.
Side-to-Side Power Lunge: Stand with your feet together and take a large step out with your left foot, lowering to a side lunge. “Explosively push off left leg to jump up in the air, bringing legs together and clapping hands together overhead. Land softly with knees bent before immediately stepping out to the right to reverse,” according to Shape.
Single-Leg Plank Hops: Start in a full plank position, then lift your left leg and bend your knee, lifting your heel to the ceiling. Bend your right knee and jump up about 45 degrees to the right, landing on the ball of your right foot. Quickly jump back to the left and repeat.
Surfboard Hops: Start with feet slightly wider than hip width. Lower into a deep squat while extending your arms straight out from the shoulders. “Jump up, tucking knees and arms in towards chest. Rotate in midair to face opposite side and land in deep squat position (try to land on your ‘board,’ but facing the other direction.)”
Original post found at: http://wallstcheatsheet.com/life-2/fitness/5-workouts-that-take-5-minutes.html/3/P.S. Change up your exercise routines by doing them at different times. I know everyone hates to get up early in the morning, but setting your alarm clock to get out of bed a half an hour earlier can mean the difference in losing an extra five or more pounds per month.
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