It happens day after day: we get busy with meetings, appointments, dates with friends, and before we know it, there is no time or energy left in our day for a work out. It’s so easy to fill our days with all of the important tasks we need to accomplish before the sun goes down, and so difficult to schedule in that hour of personal time for a fitness class. Whether you are a working parent, a multitasking student, or a dedicated employee, personal and professional commitments seem endless.
Because we know how limited your free time already is, we have put together a list of some quick work outs for you to try, mix up, and combine for a great work out!
1. Jogging in place
This is a great warm up to get your blood flowing and your muscles ready.
2. Jumping Jacks
Jogging in place can easily be transition in to a set of jumping jacks to warm up your arms and legs.
3. Squats
Squats are great for targeting several muscles in your legs and glutes, but if you feel as though you would like to try something more intense, incorporate weights or try jump squats.
4. Planks
Planks can be done traditionally, or on the left or right side. Try the reverse plank if you want to target your glutes and abs!
5. Burpees
These high intensity exercises are sure to have you sweating! A combination of jumping, planks, and squats, Burpees target muscles through out the body while incorporating the fast movements of cardio to get that heart rate going.
Timing is everything
It is so important to understand that fitness can be incorporated in to your busy day, even if it is just for ten or fifteen minutes. That period of increased heart rate, shifted focus, and strength building has so many short and long term positive effects, both mentally and physically. Here are other quick fixes to try if your are feeling especially pressed for time:
- Make a schedule and stick to it. This idea sounds great in theory, but can be tedious and overwhelming in practice. Take it one day at a time, and plan out large blocks of time each day. Before you know it, you will be left over with lots of free time!
- Learn to say “no”. If you know you have a busy week coming up, don’t commit to anything that is not completely necessary. Push lunch dates back a week or two, reschedule that dentist cleaning you didn’t want to go to anyway.
- Go to bed early, wake up early. This may not work for those who get the most work done late at night, but if you find that your sleep schedule has had an impact on your ability to accomplish tasks during the day, stay committed to getting a solid 8 hours per night.
No matter how busy you get, be sure you always keep yourself and your health as a top priority!
