Quick workout routines with no excuses

Working out at home can be challenging due to lack of time. Enter ‘fitness snacks’, or five-minute workouts that pack a punch and challenge your body without taking up too much of your time. Research shows that exercising for short bouts throughout the day can have a positive effect on your BMI and can help you keep chronic diseases at bay. A five-minute workout can benefit you just as much as a proper workout by getting the heart pumping and the body moving. Here are five five-minute workouts you can try at home.

1) The arms and core combination

Fit as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of these four exercises to build your core strength and sneak in an arm and shoulder workout through it too,” says Shivoham. “Start with 5 push ups, followed by five squats, five sit-ups and five half burpees. Repeat this set as many times as your fitness level permits.”

2) The lower-body combination

“Do 30 seconds each of shoulder taps, squat jumps, cycle kicks, downward dog to upward dog and walking lunges. After every 30 seconds, do mountain climbers for 30 seconds,” says Shivoham. A combination of these exercises is great to improve your stamina and mountain climbers target most of your body’s muscles and get your heart racing. 

3) The mobility and core combination

"Start with 10 push-ups, followed by 10 seconds of high knees, 10 in and out squats, and 10 seconds of jumping jacks. These will stretch your spine, strengthen your core and improve joint mobility."

4) The core-focused combination

“Begin with legs-up crunches, then knee tucks, go into a plank, then full sit-ups and finish with a hollow hold. Do each exercise for 30 seconds and focus on completing two rounds within five minutes.”

5) The full-body muscle-building combination

Burpees are one of the best full-body exercises that can get your heart racing and improve your oxygen levels. Combine it with push-ups and squats and you have your mini full-body routine with legs and arms worked on too.