Let’s face it … getting in shape for a lot of people is always about time and commitment. While the latter is compulsory, time does not have to be a constraint. As opposed to some of the workouts which you have to set a chunk of your time aside to complete, there are others that you can do virtually anywhere and at any time.
Regardless of whether you’re on your break at work, or between loads of laundry, these four exercises will give your body and heart effective, but, quick work outs to make sure that they remain healthy and fit.
1: Burpees
If you’re looking for an exercise that will work every single muscle in your body and one that will leave you breathless, Burpees is the number one choice. You can do them anywhere since you don’t need any equipment and not much space is required.
Here are the steps:
- Start by getting into a squat position
- Place your hands on the floor in front of you.
- In this position, kick your feet back and at the same time let your chest hit the floor to assume a push-up position on the down stroke.
- Now kick your feet back towards your hands and complete it with a jump.
- You can add a clap on the jump to make the routine fun and add some pizzaz!
Try doing this as fast as you can for about 3 minutes and you can be guaranteed that you will be breathless in a heartbeat. You will not only be increasing your heart rate quite a bit, but, you are also engaging every muscle in the body.
2: High Knees
This is one of those exercises that you can do anywhere, at home or while on a lunch break at the office.
- Assume a standing position preferably at shoulder width.
- Bring your right knee towards your chest.
- As soon as it gets to the highest point possible, drive it back to the ground.
- As soon as the right foot hits the ground, drive the left knee towards your chest and repeat the same procedure you did with your right knee and keep alternating.
This workout is great because it does not require a lot of space and time, but, engages the whole body, burns calories, fat and benefits heart health.
Do these for two minutes or as long as you can and they are great added in intervals with the Burpees.
3: Jump Lunges
These are among the most ideal body weight workouts that even a fit person can never get enough of. They target the heart and work balance and coordination.
- In the starting position, your right leg should be bent forward at a 900 angle and the left leg bent behind you.
- In this position, jump up with as much vigor as possible and then switch legs midair so that the left one is bent at 900 in front of you and the right one is behind you when you make the landing.
- Repeat this several time, but, make sure that you first work on your balance before you kick up the pace.
4: Tuck Jumps
Tuck jumps are great for heart health and lower body muscle groups.
- Stand with your feet at shoulder width.
- Jump as high as possible and then bring your knees into a tight tuck towards your chest.
- Try and keep the upper body as tight as possible to make this even more effective.
Do as many reps as you can without pausing in between. This may be difficult if you are new to fitness or out of shape, but, with practice and as your fitness level improves it will get easier.
……………….
These are some of the best workouts to get the most benefits in the shortest time. They are some of the moves used in High Intensity Interval Training because they are so effective for burning fat.
If you’re looking to improve heart health, burn fat and accelerate your fitness level, then these four quick exercises will make sure that you achieve these goals without having to commit an hour a day to cardio.