The 10 Minute Workout for Busy Parents

In the time it takes you to check your emails, browse social media, or put away groceries you could have completed a body-morphing workout. Ten minutes is all the time it takes to strengthen your immune system, elevate your mood and burn extra calories. Along with a healthy diet plan, short bursts of exercise can help you shed unwanted pounds.

However, not all fitness routines are created equal.  Research has suggested that a short blast of intense exercise can boost metabolism for the entire day more effectively than a workout that’s slow and steady. In 10 Minute Solution: Butt Lift I gave a variety of workouts from high intensity drills to strength training to prevent the body from getting used to the work and results plateauing. All workouts are only 10 minutes but intense to challenge your strength and endurance. You will find high intensity plyometric exercise in the “HIIT Butt Lift” or get the heart rate pumping with “ Cardio Booty Camp”.  If you need a quick health boost while at work or at the park with the kids, try doing a few quick sprints or a few rounds of burpees.

Start with a basic burpee: 

A. Start standing, then bend your knees and bring your hands to the floor outside your hands.
B. Jump or step your feet back into a plank position, then jump or step your feet outside your hands to a low squat.
C. Come to standing or jump as high as you can. This completes one rep.
D. Do 15 reps for a set.

Easy? Try adding on a few variations:

Air Jack

A. Start by standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart and your hands at your side.
B. Jump into a jack, reaching arms and legs away from body. Increase this challenge by jumping into an “air jack” where you jump off the ground, lifting reaching feet and arms out and in before touching the ground.
C. Once you’ve landed and feet are back together, bend your knees and bring your hands to the floor outside your hands.
D. Jump or step your feet back into a plank position, then jump or step your feet outside your hands to a low squat.
E. Come to standing and immediately jump into your jack! That’s one rep. Repeat 15 times.

Mountain Climber

A. Start standing, then bend your knees and bring your hands to the floor outside your hands.
B. Jump or step your feet back into a plank position.
C. Draw your right knee to your nose, replace it in plank and then draw your left knee to your nose and replace it to plank.
D. Jump or step your feet outside your hands to a low squat.
E. Come to standing and immediately jump into your jack! That’s one rep. Repeat 15 times.

Ten minutes a day will have many benefits on achieving your goal physique and your overall health. With a regular schedule of workout routines, you will take off and keep those pounds off for good.

By Christine Bullock

Photo credit: Kathryn Page