It’s that time of year when many of us are contemplating getting back into a regular exercise routine. However, finding the time and motivation to hit the gym can be a challenge. But what if you could create your own convenient workout routine that could be done anytime and anywhere? Whether you’re in your living room or a hotel room, you can tailor a fitness plan that works for you.
Kick the hour-long workout mindset
First, let go of the outdated belief that a workout needs to be an hour long. Movement is better than no movement, and you can reap substantial benefits from even a 10-minute workout. While it’s true that shorter workouts need to be more intense to provide comparable results to longer exercise sessions, shorter and moderate workouts are still better than doing nothing at all.
Choose a suitable time frame
Next, figure out a reasonable time frame for your workout. Do you have seven minutes? How about 10, 20, or 30? Aim to create a workout that fits within a 10-minute span. If you have more time, you can repeat the sequences.
Alternate between upper and lower body exercises
Choose exercises that switch between focusing on the upper and lower body to keep your heart rate elevated. Although not as stimulating as constant running or cycling, this approach will still boost your heart rate to the level of a brisk walk. For example, you could do squats, push-ups, and lunges, which emphasize the lower body, upper body, and lower body, respectively.
Create two personalized exercise lists
To make this process even simpler, create two lists of exercises, one for the upper and the other for the lower body. Avoid exercises that can aggravate existing injuries or conditions. For example, if you have knee problems, consider incorporating knee lifts, floor or ball bridges, and hamstring curls on a ball. For a shoulder issue, opt for pain-free exercises like “air-boxing” instead of push-ups.
Design your 7-minute workout
Now that you have your two lists, alternate between these 7 or 14 exercises. If choosing seven exercises, perform each for one minute, or 30 seconds per exercise if you have 14 in total. You’ll then have a flexible and personalized workout to suit your needs.
Remember to include a warm-up and cool-down, reducing the intensity for the first and last few exercises, or adding a few minutes of walking. Incorporate two to three core exercises for a comprehensive workout.
The key is consistency. Regardless of how busy your days are, this simple system can help you maintain an exercise routine that works for you.
