Can't Do a Complete Workout Over the Holidays? Use These 5 Minute Exercises Instead
The holiday season has everyone super busy. Whether you’re busy attending holiday parties or hosting your own, shopping for gifts for everyone on your list, or just trying to find time to get everything done before the end of the year, it’s hard. And, that means that you’re more likely to find it difficult to squeeze in a complete workout like you normally would.
Thankfully, there are 5 minute exercises that you can incorporate into your routine instead. These exercises will get you moving and stretching so you can keep your body strong and limber as you make your way through the holidays.
Work on Your Abs in Just 5 Minutes
Maintaining the strength of your core is super important, which is why, when it comes to 5 minute exercises, abdominal workouts are at the top of the list. According to The Soccer Mom Blog, you can use Pilates as your guide to tone up those abs in a few minutes.
Start with a single leg stretch, followed by a double leg stretch. Next, do the single straight-leg stretch, followed by the double straight-leg stretch, and finish off the routine with the criss-cross.
Build Strength with Dumbbells
5 minute exercises can also be completed with the help of a pair of dumbbells to increase the intensity of every movement. Before you begin, take a minute to stretch your shoulders, biceps, and triceps in preparation for the routine.
Try doing 20 reps of an overhead press to target the shoulders, followed by 20 reps of the triceps chop to get into the triceps. Finally, target the biceps with 20 bicep curls. As you get stronger, you can increase the weight that you’re using or you can increase the number of reps that you complete. Just be sure to take your time, and move through the movements slowly and with control. When you’re done, you can finish with a quick arm stretch as well.
Perform a Lower Body Series of Exercises
A great way to get in a quick burst of cardio is by focusing on your lower body muscles. In the course of just 5 minutes, you can perform a variety of lunges and squats to target the glutes, quads, calves, and hamstrings. Start with front lunges before proceeding to side lunges and back lunges. Then, perform basic squats to get into the butt muscles. By the end, you should feel your heart pumping.
Just because the holidays are here certainly doesn’t mean that you need to give up on your exercise routine because you’re pressed for time. Instead, try these 5 minute exercises that can help you stay on track, especially if you want to keep the weight off while indulging in all of the tasty holiday foods that are around.
