Want to sculpt that dad bod or drop some post-pregnancy weight? We have just the thing! Earlier this year, we asked how your health-related New Year’s Resolutions were going and gave some tips to get back on track if you had fallen behind. Now, we’re back with some exercises specifically designed for parents on a tight schedule.
We understand that time is not exactly available in abundance for parents. So we’ve got a workout that can be completed at home in just 15 minutes, and yes, even a short workout can have a significant impact on your overall health!
The goal is to get your heart rate up quickly, which moves oxygen and blood to your muscles, helping you burn calories effectively and lowering your cholesterol. While there are a number of exercises that can achieve this, we’ve focused on 3 that can easily be completed in a relatively small space with no equipment.
Before you start, make sure you take a few minutes to warm up your body with dynamic stretching. And if it’s been a while since you’ve regularly exercised, it’s always good to check with your doctor before beginning a new routine.
If you’re just getting started, alternate resting and exercising for 30 seconds each. As you get more comfortable, you can up your rotation to 60 seconds.
Lunges: 5 minutes
This simple exercise works the quads, glutes (the sciency term for butt), and hamstrings. Here’s how you do it:
- Start by standing straight.
- Step forward with one leg
- Keeping your torso straight, bend at the knees until your back knee is just off the ground and your front knee is at a 90° angle.
- Stand up and repeat, alternating the front leg.
Burpees: 5 minutes
Burpees have become incredibly popular because they’re a full body workout that’s easy to complete anywhere. Whether your goal is to build muscle or lose weight, they’re one of the most efficient exercises you can do. However, they are not the easiest exercise to complete. Because of this, there are levels (beginner, intermediate, advanced). We’ll provide instructions for all three so you can determine what works best for you.
Advanced
- Start in a squat position, bent at the knees with your back straight and your feet should-width apart.
- Lower your hands to the floor just inside your feet (you’ll feel a bit like a frog).
- Placing your weight on your hands, kick your feet backwards so you’re in a pushup position.
- With your body straight, do one pushup. Remember, for proper form, don’t stick your butt in the air or let your back sag low
- Kick your feet forward, coming back to the squat position in step 1.
- Stand straight and reach your arms above your head.
- Jump into the air, and when you land return to the position in step 1.
- Repeat for steps 1-7 until you have completed your timed exercise.
Intermediate (eliminates push up)
- Start in a squat position, bent at the knees with your back straight and your feet should-width apart.
- Lower your hands to the floor just inside your feet (you’ll feel a bit like a frog).
- Placing your weight on your hands, kick your feet backwards so you’re in a pushup position.
- Keep your body straight and hold this position for a few seconds.
- Kick your feet forward, coming back to the squat position in step 1.
- Stand straight and reach your arms above your head.
- Jump into the air, and when you land return to the position in step 1.
- Repeat for steps 1-7 until you have completed your timed exercise.
Beginner (eliminates push up and jump)
- Start in a squat position, bent at the knees with your back straight and your feet should-width apart.
- Lower your hands to the floor just inside your feet (you’ll feel a bit like a frog).
- Placing your weight on your hands, kick your feet backwards so you’re in a pushup position.
- Keep your body straight and hold this position for a few seconds.
- Kick your feet forward, coming back to the squat position in step 1.
- Repeat for steps 1-5 until you have completed your timed exercise.
Sprinting
There’s nothing fancy here. Just a short, simple sprint for your timed exercise. This is easiest to complete outside, but as my dog can testify, a long hallway works just as well. If you’re pressed for space, just “sprint” in place. The key here is to really sprint–no jogging. Before you begin, make sure your leg muscles are fully warmed up and ready to go.
While a long jog has significant health benefits, the short, 30 second burst we’re focusing on needs to be a sprint to achieve the heart rate necessary for maximum weight loss and health benefits.
Beav and Alex recently completed this very routine with our friend Jordan (aka RelentlessMomma).
See how well they did (or didn’t do) with it here. 👇
