5 minute workout plans for the girl on the go

I am a firm believer in using my time wisely, which is why I have developed 3 Five Minute Workouts for the Girl on the Go. You can easily fit these into the few extra minutes you have before work, at lunch, or any extra time you have. Just make sure if you work out at work or somewhere besides your house, you bring an extra hand towel and deodorant; these workouts might be short, but they’ll get your heart pumping and your muscles moving. In terms of other equipment, you might also want a towel or mat to for the exercises that will require you to be on the floor. I prefer to workout in bare feet, but you might want a comfortable pair of tennis shoes as well. The workouts below do not even require hand weights, so they really are for the on-the-go girl. They are designed to target the most muscle groups simultaneously to get the most out of the short time.

Workout 1 is a total body workout that combines, strength, endurance, and core. Complete each exercise for about thirty seconds. Do two sets of each exercise to complete the full circuit. Do not take breaks between exercises.

Complete thirty seconds of jumping jacks. Try to keep your arms straight. If possible clap your hands at the top and behind your back. Next is thirty seconds of squats with bicep curls. Pretend you are holding two dumb bells. Keep your elbows by your sides. Stand with your feet hip width apart with your toes pointing forward. Squat down until your butt is parallel with the ground. Don’t bend over into it. As you squat down, raise your arms up, keeping your elbows bent and tight at your sides.Then lie down on the ground for thirty seconds of push ups. Keep your body parallel with the ground. Don’t stick your butt into the air and don’t dip your back. To make the exercise more challenging, keep your elbows in at your sides. Go all the way down to the ground until your chest hits the floor and all the way back up. Do not fall to the ground.Stay in push up or plank position and hold it for fifteen seconds. Keep your body parallel to the ground. Stay on your hands and do not put your knees on the ground. Then flip it over and hold hallow man position for fifteen seconds. Lie flat on your back and pick your heels and shoulders off the ground about two inches. Don’t forget to breathe! The last exercise is crunches. Stay on your back and place your hands behind your ears. Put your legs straight up in the air. Look at a point on the ceiling. Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth to help you not put pressure on your neck. Relax and pull your shoulders up and off the ground and back down. Again, do this for thirty seconds.

Then repeat the entire circuit. This workout should take approximately five to seven minutes to complete so it’s perfect if you want a combination of exercises to target some major muscle groups.

The routine for Workout 2 focuses on core strength. Personally, I’m all about abs. If you’re like me, this short workout focuses on core, but combines it with some cardio and strength as well. Again, the objective is always to get the most bang for your buck.

Begin this workout with thirty seconds of side leg swings. Stand with your legs together. Put one hand on your hip. The opposite hand goes behind your head. Take the leg on the side with your hand behind your head and lift it while bringing your elbow down toward it. Essentially you are lifting your leg as high as you can to reach your elbow. This will crunch your side together. If you can, don’t put your foot down in between repetitions. Instead, try to balance. On the second round of the circuit, use the opposite leg.Next, get into plank position. You will do mountain climbers in plank position. Keep your body parallel to the ground. Your legs will alternate from a bent to a straight position like you are running up a mountain. This is also a cardio interval.Stay in plank position, but on your forearms. For the exercise dynamic dolphin you will hold plank for two seconds and then raise your bottom up and hold for two seconds. Continue to go up and down in this manner for the full thirty second interval.Next is side plank. Start on your side and stack your feet. Raise yourself onto your forearm or your hand if you are able. Put your opposite hand behind your ear. Reach your elbow down and meet your other elbow and then back up. Again, complete this for thirty seconds. On the second round, switch sides.Stand up and complete a thirty second interval of high knees. You will run in place brining your knees as high up as possible. Your goal is to pull your knees up to your chest. Keep your arms pumping. Yes, you will look silly. My kids always giggle at me for this one, but it’s a great way to work abs and get some cardio in as well.

Without taking a break, repeat the cardio interval. This is another five to seven minute circuit you can easily fit into your day.

The Workout 3 focuses on cardiovascular exercises, but again includes strength and core. Continue to complete each exercise for thirty seconds twice.

The first exercise makes my PE students inevitably giggle. It’s called “butt kicks” and that’s exactly what you do. You run in place, but you make your heels come up until you kick yourself in the booty. If it’s easy, do it as fast as you can like you are sprinting.Next, get into plank position for plank jacks. Stay on your hands with your body parallel to the ground. Jump your feet in and out while maintaining your position. Thirty seconds of this one is rough, but keep yourself parallel to the ground.Stay in plank, and yeah, it will hurt. This one is called plank moguls. You will keep your hands in the same place, but jump your feet to one side, then the middle, then the other side.Keep it going for thirty seconds.Stand up again for long jump run arounds. You will stand with your feet together. Jump as far as you can forward. Then run around in a circle until you return to where you stared. Then jump forward as far as you can again and repeat the exercise for the full thirty seconds.Then stand on one foot. Put your hands on your hips. Jump forward, backward, side, other side. Repeat this for thirty seconds. If it’s too challenging on one foot, jump up, back, side, and side with both feet instead. One the second round, switch feet.

Essentially, you could do all three of these circuits at different times during your day. You could also choose to do all three at the same time for a fifteen to twenty minute workout. You can change the order of the moves as well if it works better for you. As I’ve said before, the goal is to make the workout work for you personally. If you need to modify a move, don’t get discouraged. Instead, keep working at it until you can do it.

And if you haven’t read my article about tips to keep your workout plan, check it out! A workout plan you never do won’t bring your results. It’s hard work and dedication that will help you achieve your best self.

And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @michellehoerlein and visit my website www.fitmodelmom.com