I have not been to the gym since the lockdown in 2020. Sounds like a long time right? But don’t get too excited if you have also not been to the gym because I’ve been making up for mine at home. I know lots of people who stopped working out and lost their fitness goals and fit body during the lockdown and went out of shape. One of my fave fitness trainers Rhaki Giovanni also fell into this category but she is getting her groove back on. Watch her on YouTube to follow her progress as she tries to get fit again.
What helped me during the lockdown was that I was bored and had a lot of time on my hand and luckily for me, I got a small barbell a few weeks before the lockdown as well as my dumbbells and battle rope that I already had. These few items served as my gym and are still serving me well but I plan to resume the gym, maybe for some boxing lessons.
Let’s forget about the lockdown a bit. I referred to that because we all had ample time to do whatever we wanted then but now things are going back to the way they used to be. Though the western world has not fully opened up but here in Nigeria, everything is completely back to the usual hustle and bustle of waking up early and trying to beat traffic.
Going to the gym is obviously not on your to-do list because you probably think you need to workout for at least an hour to keep fit and live a healthy life. What if I told you that it doesn’t have to be so serious that you can have explosive workouts done in just 10-15 minutes daily? Is that something you’d be interested in?
Ok, yeah, I see you are interested. So, I’m going to share with you my brief workout routine for days when I have to step out early or very busy day when i try to catch a few minutes of exercise.
There are different types of exercises, but on such days, I focus on HIIT (high-intensity interval training). This is because high-intensity training burns calories fast and helps you drop unwanted weight. What happens is that, it’s like you are working out for longer hours because after a workout and during rest time, your body keeps burning fat and calories, even if you just had a few minutes. This also happens when you do weight training exercises compared to jogging and some aerobics.
Best 10 mins at-home exercises with no equipment.
Note that because you are working within a very short time, you will have little or no rest, so let’s get into the exercises.
Heel kicks: Because you are supposed to warm up and stretch before you begin your workout, we’ll start with something simple and warm up with heel kicks or butt kicks. This exercise is like jogging but jogging at a spot and getting high off the ground. To do this exercise right, stand with your feet a little apart then move on a spot like you are running, with your hands straight behind you, raise your heels in an attempt to kick your butt and touch your heels as you raise your legs. Do this as fast as you can in 45 seconds. There are different variations of butt kicks, make sure you stay within your difficulty level and follow the safety tips.
The next thing I do is push-ups. I’m still in the beginner level of full push-up. I think my maximum rep is about 10, so, I do incline or half push-ups. If you don’t know how to do push-ups, check out my article on how to start and become a push-up pro. Whatever your difficulty level is, you can always switch it up. If you are a beginner you need to start from the basics, learn good form and posture so that you don’t injure your arms and shoulders in the process. I usually go 20 reps of five sets, which is usually explosive and draining, considering that the rest time in between is very little. 20 reps and five sets are what I do but you can go as your body allows you. This is guaranteed to break a sweat within a few minutes.
Squats: squats are believed to be full-body exercises and I agree with that because you engage multiple muscle groups especially when you use some weights to this exercise. If you noticed, after push-ups, we are doing squats next and this is to afford you time to rest your arms while still exercising. Doing squats is great but knowing how to do it well is another thing. There are so many benefits of Squats, it helps burn fat, strengthen your core and tendons as well as reduce your chances of having knee and ankle injuries and help you get rid of cellulite. Squats can be done with a dumbbell or a weighted vest but they can equally be done without any equipment. Start by standing with your feet midway apart, clench your fists together, then go up and down. Ensure to have good form, you can go below the knee level or squat at your knee level. Stay within your difficulty level. I have a thing for 20 reps and five sets, so, I also do this here or I do 15 reps and 20 sets.
The last of my 10 minutes workout is Burpees. I call this a killer badass exercise because there’s no getting used to this but it’s one exercise that everyone must include into their workout routine. This is a full-body workout that has variations and different difficulty levels. But I’ll quickly describe the intermediary level. You begin this movement with feet slightly apart, then you make a power jump i.e lifting your body then coming down to a lower squat position with your palms on the floor, then you move your feet backward like you are about to begin mountain climbing exercise or a pushup position. Do the range of motion between 5-10 reps, I’m sure you will be out of breath before the 10th one.
These few simple exercises should make your 10-15 minutes home workout very eventful and explosive. If you happen to complete these 4 simple exercises before 10 minutes run out, you can repeat the set again. If you choose to extend your workout time, you can add a few minutes to stretch before and after your workout.
Never underestimate the importance of stretching before and after workouts. Do about five sets of the entire routine; it’s sure going to be a blast! If you are a beginner, you will have aches afterward. Until your body adjusts to this new activity, then, you will have muscle memory but once you progress, change your routine or change your difficulty level, your body will try to adjust to it.
So what are you waiting for? Set a reminder if you need to or find ways to stay motivated to begin exercising or lose weight.
Kind regards
Chika Osuji
Tel 07039283618