Fantastic Five-Minute Workouts
Time is in short supply for almost everyone these days but it’s still important to include physical activity throughout your busy day. Most people believe that to get a good workout, you must exercise for thirty minutes or more without stopping or else you don’t get anything out of it. Wrong! Research proves that short, intense segments of activity spread throughout the day are just as effective as one long workout, so there are no more excuses about not having enough time. Everyone can spare at least five minutes somewhere and there are brief workouts that challenge your whole body in that amount of time. To get you started, here are some fantastic workouts that really only take five minutes!
Workout 1: Fast and Furious Cardio & Conditioning Work
Have hand weights nearby and ready to use.
0:00 – 0:30: Warm up by briskly walking in place.
0:31 – 1:00: Increase the pace to a power-walk speed.
1:01 – 1:30: Keep walking and add a simple overhead reach by raising your arms straight up with every two steps.
1:31 – 2:00: Change the arm movement to reaching in front and then pulling back. Continue walking.
2:01 – 2:45: Pick up the hand weights and perform as many bicep curls as possible while you continue your walk.
2:46 – 3:30: Change the movement to pushing the weight directly overhead and then lowering as you keep the pace.
3:31 – 4:00: Put the weights down and slow down to your original pace.
4:01 – 4:30: Perform as many squats as you can by sitting back and keeping your heels pressed into the ground.
4:31 – 5:00: Walk slowly as your breathing and heart rate return to normal.
This workout increases your heart rate quickly and conditions the cardiovascular system with the high speed of walking in place. Using weights for arm work while you walk maintains the aerobic work while you build muscle at the same time. By gradually slowing down, you allow your body to return to a normal state slowly but still fit in muscle toning by doing squats. The steadily decreased demand on the body allows the body to stabilize comfortably. By combining aerobic conditioning with muscle toning, you get twice the benefits in one brief workout – what could be better?
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