If you are like the many Americans who feel there are not enough hours in the day, read on! Below are five simple exercises that you can do anywhere, anytime, and each one takes as little as 60 seconds. Sound too good to be true? It isn’t! These five exercises can serve as a starting point for any beginner, or can replace your routine on days you just can’t squeeze in a full workout.
Five facts about these exercises:
• They can be performed anywhere and anytime
• Each focuses on creating symmetry, balance, and core strength
• Doing them creates consistency, which causes positive change in your physical and mental wellbeing
• You don’t need any equipment or a lot of space
• They make exercising FUN!
1. Take a stand: Try this exercise in the office or at home: take your calls standing up. You will burn 50% more calories than sitting. Secondly, “good cholesterol” levels decrease by a whopping 20% and there is a 7% increase in your risk of diabetes after just a couple of hours of sitting.
Coach’s tip: Start by taking your calls in the standing position in intervals. Try sitting for morning calls, then switching to the standing position for all afternoon calls when you feel your energy levels beginning to drop.
2. Brush your teeth: Every time you clean your choppers, try standing on one leg. This move will assist in strengthening your core and lower lumbar muscles, increase balance, and help create symmetry throughout your hips. The instability works the smaller muscles which are essential for core strength.
Coach’s tip: Start on your right leg until you spit and rinse. Then switch over to the left leg for the remainder of your brushing experience.
3. Dance off the calories: Turn up the music and groove away some calories while you getting dressed. You can actually can burn an extra 50 to 100 calories in the time that it takes you to get ready for your day by adding a little two-step or the twist!
Coach’s tip: My top choices for morning hits: Gloria by Laura Branigan, I Got a Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas, and Last Dance by Donna Summer.
4. Squeeze and release: Whenever you find yourself stuck in traffic or standing in line at the checkout counter, try alternating between contracting your abdominal and glute muscles. Simply contract and hold each muscle group for up to 60 seconds, relax, alternate, and repeat.
Coach’s tip: Doing this move is a must while standing because it forces your body into a position that automatically stabilizes your spine, which lowers the risk of back injuries.
5. Go to bed: Perform one of the following moves on your bed and see how many you can do in a minute’s time: push-ups, tricep dips (with your feet positioned off the bed on the floor and your hands resting on the edge of the mattress), or a standard plank. Performing these exercises on your bed is similar to training on a wobble board, which benefits your body by forcing it to work twice as hard as it would on a stable surface.
Coach’s tip: To prevent your spine from sagging, contract and hold your abdominal region tight. Pretend that ice water is being poured down your back. Just the thought of that will keep your spine straight!
by Jay Cardiello