5 Workout Ideas When You’ve Got 10 Minutes or Less

‘Lack of time’ regularly pops up as one of the biggest barriers to regular exercise. There is often the perception that exercise sessions need to be a certain length to count for anything. The truth is that short bursts of activity can bring huge benefits ranging from giving you more energy to helping you improve your fitness and strength. 

Sometimes it’s just not realistic to fit in an hour long, or even a half hour exercise session. Often these sessions also require time to travel to and from the session. The good news is that there are a number of great options to get more activity into your day, when you’ve only got 10 minutes or less to do it in! Here are some top ideas to get exercise in on super busy days.

• Stairs 

When there’s the option to do so, take the stairs! If it’s your goal to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle it should be a ‘given’ that you take the stairs when you’ve only got a flight or two to walk. Perhaps you might even consider taking the stairs even for five or more flights! For a great cardio workout in only 10 minutes, set yourself a timer and run (or walk!) up and down a set of stairs as quickly as you can until the timer ends.

• Steps

If you don’t have a set of stairs handy, you may be able to find a doorstep or two more easily. Stand in front of the step and run up and down it as fast as you can for a few minutes. Then repeat on the other side. Maybe you can even find a bench (for example in a playground), where you can do giant, low impact step ups.

• YouTube

YouTube is a great resource for short bursts of activity. You can find any type of exercise ranging from yoga, stretching and Pilates to bodyweight workouts and high intensity Tabata. Decide on what type of exercise you want to do and type the specifics into the search box in YouTube. For example “5 minute beginners’ yoga workout” or “10 minute HIIT workout”.

• Calisthenics

Calisthenics are basically bodyweight exercises that can help to strengthen your body. Many of them can be done anytime, anywhere with no equipment. Set yourself a timer and decide what you’re going to do, then go for it! Examples include push ups, squats, lunges, sit ups and back extensions. You can also try cardio based activities such as skipping and star jumps. For low energy days, try some rejuvenating stretches instead.

• Just Walk

There’s a lot of traffic in South East Asia, but once you’ve become a bit savvy with it, walking can be a great option to get more activity into your day. Make sure you’re alert and aware of your surroundings, and then simply park a few blocks away from where you want to go, depending on how much time you can allow. Sometimes you’ll even save time with this method if you usually park in a busy area where it’s hard to find a spot. If you take public transport, use a similar approach. Get off a few stops earlier and walk the rest.