How many times have you joined the gym or started an exercise routine at home and run out of enthusiasm within just a few weeks? This is the case with most people who have an earnest desire to become fit but are not able to keep the momentum going.
You may blame yourself for being lazy or not motivated enough but that may not always be the case. Fitness experts note that most people give up on exercise because they take on too much too soon. When you force your body to go out its comfort zone within a short span of time, it’s going to resist.
That’s when you start looking for reasons to not go for that run in the morning or schedule your life in such a way that there’s no time left to go to the gym. As a counter mechanism to working out, you might end up falling sick or even telling yourself that you’re just too tired when you actually are not. These excuses make you feel better about not exercising since you now have a “valid reason”.
So how do you get into the habit of exercising? Start with 15 minutes a day of doing an exercise that you like. It could be anything that gets you active and makes you sweat. The change is so small that your mind and body won’t come in the way of doing it. But soon, you’ll realize that even 15 minutes of sweating it out improves your mood. This will eventually encourage you to workout more regularly, for a longer duration, and with greater intensity. Here are seven 15-minute workout options to get you started. Start at your own pace and increase the intensity as the weeks pass.
Workout 1: The Booty Buster
Perform the following 3 exercises back-to-back as directed. Set your countdown timer to 15 minutes and go.
Traveling Hipster: For 1 minute
Around the World Lunges: For 1 minute, alternating 3 on the left side and 3 on the right.
Frogger Stands: For 1 minute
Repeat steps 1 through 3 until the timer is up!
Workout 2: The 30-20-10 Run
Warm up with an easy 1/2-mile brisk walk or easy run.
Jog easy for 30 seconds, pick up the pace for 20 seconds, and then pick it up to a fast run for 10 seconds — hence the 30-20-10. Immediately repeat this cycle 4 more times, producing one continuous 5-minute repeat.
Walk or jog for 2 minutes. Then repeat the second step 2 more times.
Workout 3: The Ab Chisel
Plank Push-up Cross: For 1 minute, alternating between which arm leads.
Steam Engines: For 30 seconds, standing tall and keeping your elbows back.
Ab Rotation & Reach: For 1 minute. You can modify this by putting your heels on the ground.
Perform all 3 exercises back-to-back as directed. Repeat 3 times.
Workout 4: Ballerina Workout
Grab a pair of light weights (3-5 lbs) and stand next to a chair or barre. Repeat the following sequence twice.
50 plie squats in first position (heels together, toes out)
50 plie squats in second position (heels wider that hip-width apart, toes out)
50 overhead shoulder pulses
50 biceps curls
50 triceps kickbacks
50 leg raises to the front (25/leg)
50 leg raises to the back (25/leg)
Workout 5: Jump Rope Intervals
When you add the strength moves, using your own body weight for resistance, you’ve got a killer total-body routine—not bad for a 15-minute investment!
Jump rope for 1 minute
Hang the rope over a tree, railing, or any other stationary object at shoulder height or higher and use your body weight to do:
15 rows
15 biceps curls
Jump rope for 1 minute
Secure the rope to a solid base again and use your body weight to do:
15 triceps extensions
15 lat pull-downs
Jump rope for 1 minute
Finish with 10 CrossFit double unders.
Workout 6: Leg Burnout
Complete the full sequence twice, resting just enough between sets to catch your breath.
50 squats
50 alternating forward lunges
50 jump squats
50 jumping lunges
Workout 7: Prison Workout
This workout is perfect if you only have a small space like a hotel room, for example. Complete this circuit as many times as you can in 15 minutes to burn fat and build lean muscle fast!
10 squats
10 regular push-ups
10 lunges (on each leg)
10 narrow (triceps) push-ups
10 jump squats
