Kylesh Sharma ‘27
ASDOH-ASDA
It’s no secret that if you want to perform your best in life, it all starts with a healthy body. Among the many components that contribute to a healthy body, exercise is firmly on the podium as far as the most important factors go. Making sure you get your body moving on a regular basis has too many benefits to name, but a few that are worth keeping in mind are:
-promoting a healthy metabolism
-improving joint health
-preventing muscle atrophy
-lowering all cause mortality
-higher quality of life + longevity
With all those benefits (and more) it might be puzzling to some why people aren’t prioritizing exercise. However, life is challenging and our other pursuits can make it tough to juggle all our daily or weekly tasks.
What is the number one reason people say they cannot exercise? Lack of time.
In a perfect world, we would each have 45-60 minutes per day to schedule whatever form of exercise we most enjoy. However, it simply isn’t that easy, and many times penciling in a workout happens on the fly or at best only on the weekends.
Well I have some news for you: you can reap some benefits of exercise in as little as a 15 minute workout! And if you really think you cannot spare 15 minutes, then prepare to be amazed as you break a sweat in a condensed 5 minute version. Do either of these in the morning before you get going on your day, or squeeze a workout in between patients!
I don’t know about you, but a couple of those benefits are too good to pass up! Let’s get into it.
15 Minute Tabata Circuit
For this workout, we will be utilizing the tabata format of circuit training. Tabata training is also often referred to as “40 seconds on, 20 seconds off”, which means that for the duration of 1 minute, at the start of the minute you would perform the exercise continuously for 40 seconds and then rest for the last 20 seconds of the minute. In circuit training, exercises are performed one after another in succession. Now to combine these two training principles, here is a workout circuit where you perform each exercise for 40 seconds and rest 20 seconds between.
Bodyweight squats
Sit ups/crunches
Push ups (can modify and do knee pushups when needed, hold push up position when you get tired for remaining duration)
High knees Rest - 1 minute Repeat 3x or more as desired
Pat yourself on the back — you put in a little sweat equity and are ready to take on the day!
Now if you are super strapped for time, no excuses. I got you. Here is a second circuit workout, however, now you will be performing the exercise for the a full minute with no rest between exercises, resting only at the end.
5 Minute Morning MEGATRON Circuit!
High plank toe touch outs
Alternating jump lunges
Side skier hops
Push ups (can modify and do knee pushups when needed, hold push up position when you get tired for remaining duration)
High knees
Well done. I’m proud of you. You just got your heart rate up and your body thanks you for it high five There is always time for a little workout — especially when you remember that your future self will thank you immensely.