Too busy for a normal workout? Effective 5min workout routine for mums
If you don’t have time to workout nowadays, you should certainly skip it, right? As this guest blog explains, you couldn’t be more wrong. You can still get the benefits of working out with as little as a five-minute sweat session. Yes, just five minutes.
Perhaps you’ve hardly thought about it as it doesn’t seem like sufficient time to make a significant difference. After all, professionals frequently remind us that aerobic workouts lasting over 10 minutes contribute toward the weekly goal of 100 (something) minutes of intense cardio. However, this does not rule out the possibility of benefiting from shorter, high-intensity workouts. And as a mother, it’s the least (or most) you could do.
If your general goal is to lose weight, you can go for shorter workouts that work to build your muscles, ultimately helping you burn more calories while you are resting. Other than that, you can also try different ways to lose weight without exercise.
Leg Lifts
Begin by properly standing on your left leg. Assist yourself with a chair or a wall. Raise your right leg behind you, keeping it straight till you feel the tension in your glute. You’ve found your position.
Lift your leg a few inches further from this starting position until your glute is firm. Then, return to your initial point and rep another 10 times.
For a little added exertion, try holding your leg at the high point after the tenth repeat. Slowly raise your leg as far as you can. Since your glute is already tight, this will be a minor movement. Pulse 5 times before returning to your starting position in between repetitions. Stay at the point of tension for 5 seconds after those five repetitions.
Return to your original position and repeat with your left leg.
Bent Leg Lifts
This exercise is somewhat identical to the previous one, but with a bent, in the leg you are raising.
Begin by standing on your left leg firmly. For support, lean against a wall or a chair and bend your right leg behind you to parallel your shin to the floor. Lift your leg to the side until it forms a 45-degree angle.
Extend your leg behind you while maintaining this posture until you feel tightness in your glutes; after this, return to the starting position (leg bent at a 45-degree angle). Complete a round of ten reps.
Similar to the previous exercise, for an added burn, hold at the point of tension for five seconds after the tenth rep and slowly pulse five times. Hold at the high position for five seconds after the fifth pulse.
Lowering the right leg, do the same with the left.
Single-Leg Stretch
With this incredibly effective ab workout, you burn fat and tone pretty much all of your core muscles.
Begin by lifting your upper body and head slightly off of the ground. Pull the right knee towards the chest with your hands, pulsing twice, while the left leg stretches straight. Switch legs and complete the exercise on the left side.
Do this ten times on each leg.
Modifications: Raise your outstretched leg to a 45° angle if extending straight causes your back to rise off the mat. If raising your upper body hurts your neck, lay your head on the mat throughout this exercise.
Double Leg Stretch
Begin by slowly cradling your knees to your chest. Exhale and curl into a tight ball, lifting your upper body a little off the mat to meet your knees. As you inhale, stretch your arms upwards at a 45° angle and extend your legs at the same angle. Stay for one full second, then exhale by reaching your arms around to meet your knees and pulling them back towards your chest.
Rep 5 times more.
Modifications: With your legs outstretched, you can lower them to enhance difficulty or elevate them to acquire strength. If raising your upper body hurts your neck, do this exercise with your head on the mat.
Single Straight-Leg Stretch
Lie down with your legs extended overhead at a 90-degree angle. Lift your upper body and head off of the ground and hold this position for the length of the exercise. As you drop your left leg (as far as you’re keeping it straight), use your hands to draw your right leg (also straight) towards your chin. Switch legs and repeat.
Complete ten repetitions on each leg.
Modifications: If raising your upper body hurts your neck, lay your head on the mat during this exercise.
Bottomline
Yes. Even five minutes of exercise each day can benefit your body in a variety of ways. If you’re still not convinced, try one of the exercises in the section above. Then, once you’ve finally caught your breath, ask yourself again if five minutes should be enough to get your pulse pounding. And, in general, doing something is healthier than doing nothing, so get going!