Too Busy to Hit the Gym? Try These Three 10 Minute Workouts for Your Busiest Days

Some days it may seem more impossible than usual to find time for a workout, but these 10 minute workouts will change everything.
 
You know the days when you wake up late, forget breakfast, stay at the office until 8pm, and still need to find time to move your body? We’ve all been there! And it’s when you’re the most busy that you need to make exercise a top priority.
 
As long as you have 10 minutes and a small amount of space, you can workout anytime and anywhere. These three quick workouts are great for any busy schedule and will work your entire body!
 
Any of these 10 minute workouts are awesome when you’re traveling, on-the-go, or don’t have time to get to the gym or yoga studio.
 

Here’s all three 10 minute workouts

To get started, here are the three 10 minute workouts you can choose from. They’re perfect to practice throughout the week so you target full body for a great balance of strengthening, toning, and cardio.
 
1. Upper Body & Core
10 reps for 4-5 rounds

• Plank Shoulder Taps
• Boat Hold
• Traveling Pushups
• Tricep Dip + Kick

 
2. HIIT Workout
20 reps for 2 rounds

• Burpees
• Plank Jacks
• Long Leaps
• Squat Jumps
• Plank Side Jumps
• Jumping Lunges

 
3. Leg Day
10 reps for 4 rounds

• Forearm Leg Raises
• Back Lunge + Knee Up
• Wide Squat + Heel Raise
• Plyometric Side Lunge
• Star Jumps

Here’s How To Practice the Drills for These 10 Minute Workouts

Don’t worry, we’re not gonna leave you hanging. Here’s how to do all the exercises above:
 

1. Upper Body & Core

Plank Shoulder Taps:

• Find Plank Pose, feet wider than hip-width distance and wrists directly below your shoulders
• Engage your core
• Lift your left hand and tap it to your right shoulder
• Place your left hand down and tap your right hand to your left shoulder
• Repeat

Note: Keep your feet wide and core tight to keep your hips steady. Don’t rock side to side.
 
Boat Hold:

• Sit with your knees bent and feet planted on the ground
• Lean back on your tailbone until you feel your abs tighten
• Keep a tall spine, and your shoulders away from your ears
• Lift your feet off the ground, knees bent, until your shins are parallel to the ground
• Hold for increments of 10 seconds, increasing each round

 
Traveling Pushups:

• Find Plank Pose, feet hip-width distance and hands wider than your shoulders
• Walk both hands to your right. Drop down halfway and push yourself back up, keeping your entire body stiff as a board
• Walk your hands over to the left side and repeat

Note: You can modify by dropping to your knees. Keep your core engaged so your hips don’t sag.
 
Tricep Dip + Kick:

• Sit with your knees bent and feet planted on the ground
• Bring your hands by your hips, fingers facing heels
• Press into your hands to lift your hips off the ground into Reverse Tabletop Pose
• Dip your hips to hover above the ground, then lift your body up with your arms and kick out your right foot at the top of the movement
• Squeeze your triceps at the top, drop hips back down and repeat on the other side

 
Downward Facing Dog Pushups:

• Find Downward Facing Dog
• Bend at your elbows in a pushup motion to lower your body
• Push back up and repeat

Note: If you don’t feel this in your shoulders, walk your feet closer to your body and try again.
 
 

2. HIIT Workout

Burpees:

• From standing, drop your hips back and down into a squat
• Place your hands in front of you and jump your feet out behind you so that you land in Plank Pose
• Jump your feet up to the outsides of your hands to find a squat
• Reach up, and power up to a jump

 
Plank Jacks:

• Find Plank Pose
• Engage your core and jump your feet out wide like a jumping jack
• Jump them back to center
• Repeat

 
Long Leaps:

• Stand with feet hip-width distance apart
• Bend your knees and leap as far forward as you can
• Turn around to face the direction you came from
• Repeat

 
Squat Jumps:

• Stand with feet a little wider than hip-width distance apart and toes slightly pointed out
• Keep your weight in your heels as you send your hips back and down (like you’re sitting in a chair)
• Fire through the muscles in your legs to jump up into the air
• Return to squat position
• Repeat

 
Plank Side Jumps:

• Find Plank Pose
• Engage your core and jump both feet, at the same time, to your right hand
• Jump back to Plank Pose
• Repeat on your left side

 
Jumping Lunges:

• From Mountain Pose, step your right foot back into a lunge
• Engage your back leg as your front knee stacks over your front ankle
• Power off your front foot to jump both feet in the air, switching your feet and landing in lunge with the opposite foot forward
• Repeat on both sides

3. Leg Day

Forearm Plank Leg Raises:

• Find Forearm Plank Pose
• Engage your core
• Keep your body straight as a board (don’t let your hips pop up)
• Raise your right leg, drop it down
• Raise your left leg, and repeat

 
Back Step + Knee Up:

• Find Mountain Pose
• Step far back with your right leg, into a front-facing Pyramid Pose
• Bring weight into your front foot and draw your right knee up in front of your body
• Repeat

Note: Complete all reps on one side before moving to the left.
 
Wide Squat + Heel Raise:

• Stand with feet much wider than your hips, toes turned out in opposite directions
• Keep your spine tall as you lower down into a squat (don’t let your chest fall forward)
• Lift up to standing and lift both heels
• Return your heels to the ground
• Repeat

 
Plyometric Side Lunge:

• From standing, step your right foot out wide to the right
• Sit your hips back as you lunge into your right side
• Dynamically lift your right foot off the ground and kick it out to the side
• Repeat

Note: Complete all reps on one side before moving to the other.
 
Star Jumps:

• Find Mountain Pose
• Drop your hips back into a squat
• Explode into the air, kicking your arms and legs out like points of a star
• When you return to the ground, immediately lower back to a squat
• Repeat

No Excuses! 10 Minute Workouts For Errybody!

We all have those busy days that never seem to end, but on those days it’s especially important to carve out some time to take care of yourself.
 
You definitely have 10 minutes to spare, so what are you waiting for? After each of these quick 10 minute workouts, you’ll feel energized, powerful, and proud of yourself! Which of these workouts is your favorite?
 
All videos were filmed at Pacific Beach Training in San Diego, California, where Jessica Thiefels is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor.
 

Step It Up to 20 Minute Workouts With this Fitness Program

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