3 free and fast exercises

Two main barriers to exercise are time and money. But this quick workout doesn’t require equipment, and can be done anywhere: a gym, a park or a small room will do!

You have to create time for you, because no one else will. This can sometimes mean finding 10 minutes in a hotel room after getting back from a business conference and before you shower for a dinner meeting.

Your mission is to perform three rounds of these three exercises, in order, for 30 seconds per exercise. You can do this workout … Every. Single. Day.

Step-Up Push-Up

Muscles worked: glutes, quads, chest, triceps, shoulders, abdominals

  • Begin in a standing position. As you bring your hands to the floor in front of you, at shoulder-width, step your right leg back as far as it can go.
  • While stepping your left leg back to match, lower your upper body toward the floor. At this time you can allow your knees to rest on the ground to assist with the push-up, if you wish.
  • As you push your body away from the floor, step your right leg forward as far as you can and stand up, bringing your left knee toward your chest.
  • Complete the same sequence, but this time with your left leg stepping back first, thus alternating sides for the entire 30 seconds.

 

Oblique Can-Can

Muscles worked: obliques (side abs), abdominals, shoulders, triceps, quads, hamstrings, glutes

  • Begin on your hands and toes, as if you are about to do a push-up, and then walk your feet in toward your hands, about 3 or 4 in (7.5 to 10 cm), allowing your knees to bend and bump to raise into the air.
  • Lift your right foot slightly and twist your hips, opening them to your left.
  • As you pass your right leg underneath your body, working to get it to full extension, allow your weight to go into your left heel and continue to pivot your hips all the way open to the left side.
  • As you begin to pivot your hips closed, back to the right, tuck your right leg back underneath you, returning it to starting position.
  • Complete the same movements to other side, focusing on your left leg.

Wall-Sit Wall Angels

Muscles worked: quads, shoulders, hamstrings, neck

  • Find your favorite wall (if you don’t have one, a tree, sign or light post will do).
  • Stand with your back to the wall and slide down the wall until 90-degree angles are made at your hips and knees, as though you were sitting in a chair.
  • At the same time, orient your arms so they’re also touching the wall: elbows in line with shoulders, 90-degree bend, backs of your hands touching the walls (palms forward).
  • Slowly slide your hands up the wall, attempting to touch them as high as possible overhead, but stopping before either your elbows or hands lift away from the wall; when you feel they’re about to lift (or do lift), slide down to starting position on the wall.
  • Continue this motion, with your head, back, backs of your elbows and backs of your hands maintaining contact with the wall at all times.