Highbar Physical therapy & Health blog
You know exercise is important to your health. It helps you feel better physically, gives you energy, and helps you deal with the stress of your busy life. But what do you do when life gets too busy to take an exercise class, go for a run, or get to the gym?
It’s easy to start skipping exercise when life gets busy, but that leads to less energy and more aches and pains. This makes you feel like exercising even less, sending you in a downward spiral. That means that finding time to exercise when life is busy is even more important than your days that you have plenty of time.
Finding Time for Your Exercise Routine
If you can find 8 minutes, you can maintain your strength. Yes, even on your busiest day!
Exercise doesn’t have to take up your entire day. In fact, your 8 minutes don’t even have to be all together. You can break them up throughout the day. Doing one exercise for one minute every hour while at work counts just as much as doing 8 minutes of exercise after the kids are in bed and before you collapse on the couch. The following exercises use your body weight for resistance, so you don’t need any equipment. They also use many muscle groups at once so you can maintain strength in your whole body in a short amount of time.
8 Minutes of Exercise Circuit
Plank: Lying on your stomach, with your forearms on the ground, elbows under the shoulders, and arms parallel to the body. Toes tucked under, engage your stomach muscles, and lift your body up.
Hold for 20 seconds, rest 5 seconds, and repeat 3 times.
Push up: (put one or both knees down for modification) 20 seconds of push-ups, 10 seconds of rest, and repeat for 1 minute.
Quadruped: Start on your hands and knees with hands under your shoulders, and knees under your hips. Lift and reach with one arm and the opposite leg, maintaining a stable core.
Hold 10 seconds, repeat 5 times on each side.
Bridge: Lying on your back, with your knees bent, engage your abdominals, and lift your hips. Hold 20 seconds, rest 5 seconds, and repeat 3 times.
Lunge: Stand tall and take a large step forward with the right leg, shifting your weight forward. Lower your body until the right thigh is parallel to the floor and your right shin is vertical. (do not let the knee shift past right toe). Return to the start and repeat on the other side.
Repeat 20 times.
Squat to heel raise: Feet shoulder-width apart, core engaged and arms raised high above the head. Perform a squat and return to standing then rise onto your toes.
Repeat 20 times.
If Pain is Keeping You From Exercise
Setting aside 8 minutes for exercise is important, but if you're in any pain while doing these exercises or you feel pain afterward, contact Highbar to schedule an appointment with a physical therapist.
