Micro Exercises For Beginners

Intro

There are plenty of excuses you can give for not spending enough time working out or hitting the gym. From bad weather to a lack of willpower, plenty of factors can keep you from getting the exercise you need.

Perhaps the most significant reason people give for not exercising as often as they should is that they don’t have enough time.

We live in a fast-paced world where most people have packed schedules and busy lives. In between all of the responsibilities, how do you find the time to work out?

The good news is that on days when you’re really busy, you don’t necessarily need a full hour of exercise to see positive results. Ultimately, any exercise can make a difference to your health.

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What Are Micro-Exercises?

Created for people who barely have time between tasks, micro-exercises are short exercise routines you can use to get extra movement into your day. Some people start simple by simply making the most of the things they do every day.

For instance, if you’re sitting behind your desk answering emails, you don’t necessarily need to just sit there. You can respond to emails with your voice dictation software or on your smartphone and do some squats while you’re finishing your job. If you’re standing behind a counter serving customers, you can do some calf raises.

When you’re washing dishes at home or brushing your teeth, you can grip the edge of the counter and do some basic countertop push ups. Even making the decision to run up the stairs rather than just walking can help.

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When You Really Have No Time

If you’re really struggling to find time in your schedule, find ways to fit exercise into your daily routine. Do some jumping jacks while you’re on the phone, or chase your dog or child around the house for some extra cardio. You can fit in exercise just by doing the things you would do normally with a little bit of extra movement.

When you’re using the vacuum cleaner, dance or add some extra movements to work more of your muscles. You can even put a pair of weights on your legs or arms to add a little pressure on your muscles.

If you can grab four or five minutes out of your day, look for ways to do high intensity training during that time. For instance, you could start by doing some stair runs, followed by squats, quick push-ups, and a 1 minute plank.

In just five minutes, you do a workout that will have you sweating.

If you want to focus on a single exercise, consider jumping jacks. Jumping jacks are an overlooked exercise which allow you to work out a significant amount of your body. If you have time, combine 10 jumping jacks with 15 squats, followed by 10 plank shoulder taps.

A plank shoulder tap involves getting into the plank position with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips, torso, and heels in line. Tap your right shoulder with your left hand and vice versa ten times, while keeping your hips still.

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3 Micro Exercises To Try

If you’re thinking of trying micro-exercises, there are plenty of ways to get started. Here are some good options to consider:

● Stair walk: Find a set of stairs with at least ten steps and walk up and down them. Every time you walk up and down, pick up the pace slightly, making sure you get to a relatively high pace by the end of the routine. You can also add exercises like lunges to the end of each run if you feel confident enough.

● 4-minute workout: Start with squats for a total of 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds, followed by mountain climbers for 40 seconds. Rest again for 20 seconds, do push ups for 40 seconds, then rest again. Try at least 2 rounds.

● Quick run: Jog for around 60 seconds, then break into a mid-intensity run for 15 seconds, followed by another light jog. Upgrade to a full intensity run for 15 seconds, then go back into a light jog. Alternating between intensity levels can really improve your workout.

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