Self-Care Solutions: Your 10-Minute Anywhere Workout
If you have ever had a scheduling conundrum, you know that getting everything done in a week, a day, or even an hour can have you throwing your hands up in the air in exasperation. Rather than getting lost in the chaos, turn that feeling into motivation. Life can be a puzzle and you have to see where the pieces fit — especially when it comes to finding a place for exercise.
If exercise and you have not seen each other in a long time, it’s time for a much-needed reunion. Start by investing in activity, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. In fact, breaking down exercise into 10-minute segments could be the key to getting healthy and becoming the master of your schedule.
To give you an idea of what a 10-minute workout entails, I’ve put together the following sample workout that you can do just about anywhere.
Your 10-Minute Anywhere Workout
1-Minute Warm-Up
Marching in place, jumping jacks, butt kicks, or high knees.
25 Squats
Step your feet a little wider than hip-width apart with your toes pointing forward. Now, bend your knees, keeping the majority of your weight on your heels. Don’t forget to make sure you pull in your abs to protect your low back.
Image credit: Muscle Transform
10 Pushups
Lucky for you, there’s a pushup for everyone. Come to the floor on all fours. Start with your hands about shoulder width apart at chest level. Keeping your knees on the floor, lower your upper body toward the ground by bending your elbows. If you’re ready to make this move harder, switch to doing the pushups on your toes.
10 Triceps Dips
Dips are best done off a chair or step, but you can also do them on the floor. If using a bench, sit down with your hands on the bench and your fingertips pointing forward. Bend at the elbows to lower yourself down toward the ground but don’t come all the way down. Then push yourself up like a kid trying to sit up on a countertop.
Image Credit: Rosanna Davison Nutrition
25 Crunches
Lay on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Put your hands behind your head with you elbows pointed outward and your head relaxed. Using your core muscles, crunch your upper body up off the ground.
10 Reverse Lunges (each side)
Step one foot backward into a lunge so that your front and back legs make a 90-degree angle. While you want to go low in your lunges, make sure to keep your back knee off the floor.
10 Walkouts
Take your hands to the floor and walk them forward until you’re in a plank position. Walk the hands backward to come back up.
25 Sumo Squats
Stand in a wide stance with your feet turned out. Bend your knees into a squat and push the floor away with your heels as you stand.
Image Credit: Muscle Transform
10-Second Plank Hold
Hold your pushup position for the count of 10. Be sure to count out the full 10 seconds.
This 10-minute workout is a mixture of well-rounded exercises, but it’s not the only way to exercise. Take a 10-minute walk, see how many squats you can get in during the day, walk up and down a set of stairs, or find time during your day to stretch. The willingness to aim for a quick 10 is the difference between getting healthier and regressing. Which will you choose?