Daily 5-Minute Workouts to Get You Moving
- Published: Tuesday, March 12th 2013
- in Fitness
Daily 5-Minute Workouts to Get You Moving By Kristin McGee, certified yoga, Pilates, and fitness instructor, CLAY Health Club + Spa, Reebok Sports Club/LA, Equinox, Yoga Works, and more | March 12, 2013 In today’s busy world it’s easy to feel like you have no time to work out—but with these five-minute daily workouts, you’ll be able to fit in a full-body workout into each week’s busy schedule. All Photos Courtesy of Appcession
Monday: Abs The Hundred — lie on your back, lift your legs to 45 degrees, lift your head and neck, stretch your arms forward and pump them vigorously up and down five times on an inhale and five times on an exhale. Repeat 10 times until you’ve reached 100 arm pumps (Fig.1). Single Leg Stretch — Next, pull your right leg in to your chest as you extend your left leg out. Then switch and pull your left leg in and extend your right leg out. Continue switching for eight to 10 reps with each leg movement counting as one rep (Fig.2). Criss Cross — Finish up by placing your hands behind your head, elbows wide, and cross your elbow towards the opposite knee, continuing “criss-crossing” for eight to 10 reps (Fig.3).
Tuesday: Leg and Butt The beauty of these exercises is that they can be done lying down while watching TV! Side Posse in to Develope — Lie on your left side with legs slightly forward, then bend your right knee in and slide your toes up your inner thigh as your knee moves toward the ceiling (Fig.1a). Next, extend the leg straight up towards the ceiling before lowering it straight back down (Fig.1b). Repeat for eight reps then reverse the movement. The Clam — Lying on your left side, bend your knees up towards your chest, then open and close the right knee like a clam shell, initiating movement from outer hip and buttocks. Do 20 reps (Fig.2). Ballerina Butt Lifts — Lie on your belly and bend your knees while touching your heels together and turning toes out. Now, pulse your legs up to the ceiling, lifting knees off the floor. Perform 20 reps (Fig.3).
Wednesday: Arms Pilates Push-Ups — Start by standing with your arms reached out to the ceiling (Fig.1a), then slowly round your body forward toward the ground (Fig.1b) and walk out to plank pose (Fig.1c). While keeping your abs tight, elbows bent, and back straight, lower your body down towards a narrow triceps push-up (Fig.1d) and then press back up to plank. Walk arms back to your toes, round up your body slowly to stand and repeat the movement five to eight more times. You can also add more push-ups each time, 1, then 2, then 3, then 4, then back to 3, 2, 1. Tricep Dips — Sit with your legs long in front of you, hands back about 10-12 inches with hands facing forward. Lift yourself up to an incline plank. (Too hard? Feel free to keep your knees slightly bent!) Now, holding your body still, bend and then extend your elbows as your lower and lift your body. You’ll feel your triceps and rear deltoids working. Repeat two to three sets of 10-12 reps (Fig.2).
Thursday: Legs Pilates Plies — With or without a Magic Circle, hold your arms out in front of you in ballet first position (as if you’re hugging a tree). Start with your heels together and toes turned out in a Pilates “V Stance.” Bend your knees to the sides, and then squeeze your butt as you lift back up. Repeat 20 times (Fig.1). Pilates Releves — In the same arms-stretched-out position above, rise up to the balls of your feet and lower back down. Repeat 20 times (Fig.2). Pilates Lunges — Again with your arms stretched out, step out with your right foot to a 45-degree angle in a Pilates lunge, press off your leg, and move your legs back together to come to your starting position. Repeat on the left side. Do 10 lunges on each leg (Fig.3). Repeat the entire sequence one or two more times.
Friday: Abs Double Leg Straight Leg Lift — Lie on your back with your legs straight up, heels together, and toes slightly turned out while squeezing the upper inner thighs. With your hands behind your head, lift your neck up off the floor, elbows wide. Keep your head up and then lower and lift your legs (but not too low because you need to keep your lower back pressing into the mat). Repeat 10-12 times (Fig.1). Single Leg Teaser — Lying on your mat, bend your knees mid-way up and extend your right leg at the knee at a 45-degree angle. Inhale and slowly roll up to a sitting position, lengthening your lower back and trying to sit as tall as you can as you reach your arms out at a diagonal. Lower back down and repeat four times (Fig.2). Single Leg Teaser with Twist — Keeping the right leg extended, repeat the single leg teaser movement above, but this time, at the top of the sit up, twist your torso and arms to the right, then come back to center before lowering down (Fig.3). Start the sequence over at the Double Leg Straight Leg Lift, then do the Single Leg Teaser series with the left leg. Repeat the entire sequence one or two more times.
Saturday: Arms Boxing — Start standing with your body bent forward in a 45-degree angle and your feet hip-width apart. Lift your elbows up to your shoulders and keep your hands in fists (Fig.1a). Next, punch one hand forward as the other arm punches back, keeping elbows high as you come back to center, then switch arms. Continue switching for 16 reps (Fig.1b). The Bug — While standing, bend your body forward in a 90-degree angle. Open your arms like a scarecrow and squeeze your shoulder blades tight, then extend your arms toward the floor with your elbows extended, and finally bend them back to the scarecrow position. Repeat 16 times (Fig.2). Wings of a Bird — Standing and bending at that same 90-degree angle, open your arms wide to your sides. Extend your arms and squeeze the back of the arms and shoulders, holding for a second before lowering the arms back below you so the fingers touch, then lift back up. Repeat 16 times (Fig.3). Repeat the sequence one or two more times.
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