I’m not saying you’re going to love me after doing this 16 minute GET IT DONE workout, but I know you will love yourself and your body for squeezing it in to your busy schedule. Not for the faint of heart, this workout is for anyone who wants an intense and short workout, or who needs a time limit to get motivated to exercise. It’s true – sometimes all it takes is for me to chant in my head “only 1 more minute…only 30 more seconds” when the workouts get tough and my inner quitter starts campaigning her cause. For a regular exerciser, this would be a great warm up for your usual workout & may add some extra muscle definition. For someone new, it’s all about showing up and doing your best. In a few short weeks you will notice significant improvement – which feels truly phenomenal when it’s yours and you get to own it for yourself.
To get ready, you’ll need comfy workout clothes, access to the world outside your own front door, and running shoes of some sort. I use my iPhone for the timer and my workout music, but a watch or any other timer will suffice.
My ideal setting is in the great outdoors or somewhere not far from my house where I would normally go hiking. Another option is a local park, the beach, a lakeside, or a high school track. Anywhere’s fine, really, the point is of course to JUST DO IT!
1) 2 minutes WALKING
It’s time to get out the door and get walking down the street. 2 minutes of walking will get your body warmed up and will start to motivate you towards the next challenge.
2) 2 minutes of SQUATS
Stop your walking either back at your house or pull over onto a nice grassy or flat area and go right into 2 minutes of squats. Arms at shoulder height and bending the legs as if squatting down. It’s quality not quantity here, so take the time to breathe and make sure you’re not hurting in your back or knees. If you are, go a little less deep on your squats for now.
3) 2 minutes of RUNNING
BOOM! It’s time to get moving! Grab a very quick post-squat swig of water if you’ve got some and take off! Run, jog – or if you must, alternate between walking and jogging for 2 mintues. This portion is sure to boost your cardio and wake up your whole system.
4) 2 minutes of PUSH-UPS
Oh yeah! Now’s the fun part. Get down on that dirt and give me some push ups. Knees down pushups are fine, full body push ups work too. Take rests if you need to, but don’t stop until those 2 minutes are up.
5) 2 minutes of LUNGES
Lunges are a great workout for the entire leg and gluteal area. By stabilizing the pelvis during lunges, we also get a great abdominal muscle workout as well as a good core strengthener. Switch legs every lunge and be sure to press with your foot into the ground firmly. Lunges are also another great form of cardio.
6) 2 minutes of ABS
My favorite way to workout my abs is to switch it up. Whether you’re doing crunches or holding side plank & doing side plank hip drops (the secret to that lovely muscle near the pelvis that everyone wants to get toned), give it your all for 2 full minutes. With all of the other stuff you’re up to in these 16 minutes, these 2 minutes of abs will be all you need to seriously tone your middle ground.
7) 2 minutes of RUNNING
Ha! Just when you thought you were near the end, you’ve got 2 more minutes of running to go. Again, alternate between running and walking if you have to. Or if you want to modify this workout for a more gentle approach, ditch the running in this section altogether and just walk it.
8) 2 minutes of STRETCHING
Finishing up this workout with a nice stretch when you’re all warmed up is just the treat your body will crave to complete your 16 minute workout. Whether you choose a runner’s stretch or a wide straddle, or even a combo of different stretches, the lengthening will soothe your soul and put you in a post-workout bliss.
Now, for an added bonus, if you’re not back at your house it’s time to walk home. Ha. If you’re morally opposed you can call a friend, hitch-hike, wait for a bus, or text Uber or Lyft.
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This post is linked to Thank Your Body Thursday.
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