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Sold! But depending on your goals, there are different strategies for incorporating micro-workouts into your routine, says Stobbie. Here’s what you need to know:
If your goal is to improve your health:
Do three mini-workouts, spread throughout the day. Rather than hoping those opportunities will slap you in the face, identify when you’ll have time, like before work, at lunch, and in the evening while watching TV. Then stick to it.
If your goal is to lose weight:
Add a mini-burn at the end of your normal elliptical or treadmill workout to boost the number of calories you’re torching.
If your goal is to gain muscle:
Tack it on to the end of your strength-training and focus on the same muscle groups you were working. (If it’s a leg day, do this three-minute leg workout from Instagram star Kayla Itsines before you call it quits.)
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Since it’s all too easy to half-ass a micro-workout, you’re going to want to make the most of your speedy sweat sessions:
Ramp up intensity:
“If you’re only working out for five minutes at a time, you want to make the most of that time,” says Stobbie. That means going HAM. “If you didn’t break a sweat and aren’t having a hard time catching your breath at the end, you need to up the intensity next time,” she says. This helps you burn more calories and stresses muscles enough to trigger strength gains.
Maintain form:
Just because you’re gunning for intensity and speed doesn’t mean you should let your form break. Think about the proper technique during every rep.
Do it no matter what:
If you have absolutely no time that day, squeeze in one five-minute workout. “It’s better than nothing,” says Stobbie.
Give it a try:
Stobbie created these two mini-workouts for you to try at home. They’re great examples of how you can break up the time. For instance, you can do one move per minute or set up a ladder workout (like the fat-burner below) and challenge yourself to complete it in five or 10 minutes.
5-Minute Booty Burner
Minute 1: Squats
Minute 2: Squat Jumps
Minute 3: Lunges
Minute 4: Lunge Jumps
Minute 5: Wall Sit
The 5- or 10-Minute Fat-Burner
10 Burpees
20 Pushups
30 Alternating Lunges
40 Jumping Jacks
50 Situps
40 Mountain Climbers
30 Alternating Lunges
20 Pushups
10 Burpees
Ready to fire up your abs? Try this three-minute obliques workout from trainer Holly Perkins, C.S.C.S., author of Lift to Get Lean.
We promise you’ll feel the burn!