10 Minute (or more) Total Body Workout

This workout is best used on days you are short on time.  After all, a quick workout is better than no workout!   How it works: This workout is based on the idea the intensity is more important than duration.  Below you will see two sets of seven exercises.  Chose one set to do each day.  The key to remember with more intense, shorter workouts is to really push yourself!  So do these with a workout buddy and compete, or count reps and try to beat your last record each time. Do each exercise for 20-30 seconds. Rest for 10 seconds, and then start the next exercise. Continue doing the circuit of 20-30 seconds of exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, until you've done all seven exercises.  This completes one circuit.  After you complete one full circuit rest for 60 seconds and begin a second, or third, or fourth round.  So, this way you can customize the workout duration to suit your needs.   Circuit #1 Body-weight chair squat: Stand with your hands behind your head. Sit back at the hips and bend your knees to squat down.  Squeeze your glutes and push back up. Plank pose: Place your forearms on the floor (shoulder-width apart) and straighten your legs behind you so your feet line up with each other. Lift your hips and torso off the floor. Focus your eyes on the floor beneath you so your head is in neutral alignment with your spine. Back extension: Lying on your stomach with your arms at your sides (with palms up), inhale and lift your head and torso up off the floor into a back bend.  Your feet may stay down, but for more intensity, lift them as well.  Go as high up as you can.  Hold the up pose for a moment; then, as you exhale, lower yourself back down. Jumping Jacks. Forward lunge with band pushes: Take a large step forward with one leg and push both arms straight out in front of you.  When your front thigh is parallel to the floor, hold for 2-5 seconds and return.  Repeat with your other leg and arms. Dumbbell or band biceps curl to an overhead press: Stand holding a pair of dumbbells with an underhand grip (palms facing forward) at arm's length next to your thighs. Without moving your shoulders forward, move your arms slightly back behind you. Curl the weights up to your shoulders, then rotate your arms as you press the weights overhead so that your palms face forward at the top of the move. Pause for 2 seconds and then return to starting position. Lying Swiss-ball triceps extension: Grab a pair of dumbbells and lie face-down with your chest on a Swiss ball with your arms bent 90 degrees. Keeping your elbows and upper arms stationary, straighten your arms. Pause for a count of two, then slowly return to starting position. Circuit #2 Squat with alternating arm pull: Stand with exercise bands with handles in your hands attached to a low point. Sit back at the hips and bend your knees to squat down. Squeeze your glutes and push back up. Once up, pull the bands into a row. Step ups: Stand facing a step or bench or sturdy chair. Place one foot on the bench and push down through your heel to lift your other leg up to the step and drive the knee up. Return to the starting position and finish the reps with one leg before switching legs and repeating the exercise with the other leg. T push-up: With hands placed shoulder-width apart on the floor, do a push-up. When your arms are straight, lift your right hand and rotate to the right so you raise your right arm straight up over your shoulder and your body forms a "T." Bring the arm back to the floor. Do another push-up and alternate arms. Mountain climbers: Get in a push-up position, but with your feet staggered on two good-sized hand towels. Make sure you are on a surface that will allow the towels to move back and forth under your feet. Move feet back and forth (bring one knee in toward your body, then the other) as fast as you can under control. Swimmer's lat pull: Use an anchored exercise band. With feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, lean over at the hip - don't roll your back - until your upper body is almost parallel with the floor. Extend your arms in front of you as you grip the band handles. Draw your arms down and extend them in back of you until they are at hip level. Then reverse the motion and repeat. Backward lunge: Stand with your feet together, facing and holding exercise bands with handles in each hand. Move your left foot backward and pull the handles into a row with elbows at your side. Keeping your head and chest up, bend both knees to lower your body. Return to the starting position. Alternate legs so you work both sides of the body. Single-leg Romanian deadlift: Stand on one foot. Keeping the arch in your spine, push your hips back and lower your hands. Press your heel into the floor to return to standing. Do equal amounts on both legs.   Source: Tucker, Jeffrey. To Your Health. October 2009.