A 15 Minute Daily Workout for Busy Professionals
We live in a busy world where everyone is involved in one activity or the other and there is barely any spare time for yourself.
This is then linked to several health complications that may arise from a poor nutrition and a sedentary lifestyle. Diabetes, obesity, heart complications, and a lower life span are some of the health risks involved in an unhealthy lifestyle.
To know how healthy you are, you have to calculate your BMR, which is your weight in kilogram divided by the square of your height in meter.
Staying healthy amidst the daily struggles you encounter could be a daunting task, but the good news is that you don’t have to spend hours at the gym to keep physically fit. A 15-minute daily workout plan is all you need.
You also do not have to go to the gym, as there are exercises you can do in the comfort of your home or your office space with little or no equipment required.
Getting to exercise on a daily basis might seem daunting, but it becomes easier when the time is as little as 15 minutes. It will encourage you to get moving quickly because you don’t have to spend forever on it. Also, by doing this daily, you cultivate a consistent habit which will eventually play a huge role in the result you get.
Below are a few exercises to fit into your 15-minute daily workout plan if you are a busy professional:
1. Squat Jumps
How It Works: squat jumps tone the calves, gluteus, hamstrings, core, and quadriceps, which play a major role in strengthening the hips, knees and ankles that power your jump. It provides a cardio effect, helps build muscle, burn more fat, maintains mobility and balance, prevents injuries, tones your abs, backside and entire body and helps you to jump higher and faster.
How to Do it: there are two different routines to approach squat jumps: the basic routine and the advanced version.
The Basic Routine: lower your body by squatting down as much as you can; do this as if you are assuming a sitting position, with your knees bent and thighs parallel to the ground. Now, launch your body upwards with your hands up in the air as you jump. Ensure you land back in the same position and return to the starting position where you squat. Then, repeat.
Advanced Version: this includes a number of variations to improve the intensity of the workout. Simply get a pair of dumbbells, lift them and keep by the sides. Now, lower your body by squatting down, with your knees bent while you get into the sitting position.
Keep your thighs parallel to the ground, remain in the position for a few seconds and then return to the starting position and repeat.
Prescription: 2–3 sets of 15 reps
2. Pushups and Dips
How It Works: pushups and dips are bodyweight exercises that help tone the muscles and are great for those who have a tight schedule. They are referred to as enduring exercises, as they target several muscle groups to give your upper body a great workout. While pushups target the arms and shoulders and also strengthen the muscles of your back, chest, and core, dips especially target the triceps.
How to Do It:
The Perfect Pushup: get into the plank position while you keep your feet together and your palms flat on the floor beneath your shoulders. Now, lower your body till you are able to keep your elbows at 90 degrees, your back straight and aligned and your weight intact. Once that is done, lift yourself back up and return to the starting position. Then, repeat.
The Perfect Dip: using a workout bench, start from a sitting position. Keep your arms slightly behind your hips, tuck in your elbows and align your head and torso upright. Once that is done, lower yourself down the edges of the bench to keep your elbows at 90 degrees and then return to the starting position.
Prescription: 50 reps in six sets: 20 pushups, 20 dips, 15 pushups, 15 dips, 15+ pushups, 15+ dips.
3. Diving dolphin
How It Works: diving dolphin helps to strengthen the core, upper back, and shoulders and stretches your body to the maximum. It conveniently combines stretching and strengthening. It is also helpful for those who have weak wrists.
How to Do it: you first have to perfect how to do the basic forearm plank, as the diving dolphin is simply a version of the plank exercise. Simply get into the plank position, with your elbows hinged and your legs together.
Then, press deeper into your forearms while you push your chest closer to your thighs, your heels closer to the floor and your hips raised. Engage your upper back muscles in the exercise to help you get a better stretching and strengthening as you press deeper.
Once that is done, return to the basic forearm plank position and ensure you do not sag your lower back throughout the process.
Prescription: 10 reps
4. Cat-cow exercise
How It Works: this exercise works by improving the shoulder and spine flexibility. It also helps relieve tension in the spine and reduces stiffness in the back and hips due to its flexibility benefit.
How to Do it: go down on all fours with your hand underneath your shoulders and your knees on the ground. Then, inhale deeply while you drop your chest and lift your head, with your gaze forward.
This is for the cow pose. To do the cat pose, simply exhale with your tailbone tucked in, abs contracted, your back rounded toward the ceiling and your head down.
Prescription: 10 reps of each
5. Double crunches
How It Works: double crunches work effectively on the upper and lower abs and targets the rectus abdomens. It requires you to squeeze your core in at each rep, and this helps tone the abs.
How to Do it: start by lying on your back while you bend your knees and keep your hands behind your head. Then, lift your head and shoulders toward your legs to enable you to curl up your abs as you curl your knees up at the same time. Exhale as you curl up and then return to the starting position while you inhale.
Prescription: 10 reps
Conclusion
This workout plan alternates both lower-body and upper-body movements. They help to move your muscle groups around and give you the best result. The key to getting an amazing result from this plan is to perform all exercises consecutively without rest and be consistent with it on a daily basis. With time, you will begin to notice changes.
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