15 Minutes of Fitness – Functional Workout #1

With 24 hours in a day, 15 minutes may not seem like a lot of time.  In fact, you can actually get a lot of small things done (that can make a big impact on your day) in that short amount of time, including:

• Folding a full load of laundry
• Reading a few good articles in your favorite magazine
• Practicing a speech or a short presentation
• Sending a note of encouragement to a friend or family member who needs a “pick me up”
• Packing your lunch for the next day

When it comes to your health, you can also get in a good workout in just 15 minutes (or 900 seconds).  A good example is CrossFit.  This type of workout has been popularized because it provides effective “workout of the day” (WOD) routines that pack a lot of exercise in under 20 minutes.

Consider this … it takes:

• Up to 6 seconds to complete one slow repetition of a strength movement, counting “1-2-3 up, 1-2-3 down” (150 repetitions in 15 minutes).
• One second to complete to jogging strides (1800 strides in 15 minutes).
• 20 seconds to complete one stretch (45 stretches in 15 minutes).
• One second to complete 3 jumps when skipping at a moderate pace (2,700 jumps in 15 minutes).

You don’t need to set aside a block of 45 to 60 minutes in your day to get an effective workout.  That’s not always realistic (or enjoyable).  Breaking up your total exercise for the day into “15 minutes of fitness” makes exercise doable and ensures you give your body what it needs each day to be healthy and fit for life!

“15 Minutes of Fitness” is an exercise series being developed by TodaysFitnessTrainer.com (in conjunction with WorkoutBOX.com) to provide quick and effective workouts that you can do at home or at the gym (if it requires free weights or commercial equipment) in an effort to help you get the recommended exercise recommendations for good health and fitness (according to the American College of Sports Medicine).

The series focuses on four different types of workouts:

1. Cardio (i.e., cardiovascular exercise)
2. Resistance (i.e., strength training)
3. Functional (i.e., neuromotor exercise)
4. Flexibility (i.e., stretching)

Today’s feature workout is “Functional Workout #1”.

15 Minutes of Fitness – Functional #1

Today’s functional exercise program includes the following exercises:

Five Way Lunges (5 minutes)

• Equipment Required:  None (you can add additional weight for more resistance)
• Repetitions:  5 repetitions (one repetition equals lunges in five directions in sequence on one leg – front, front angle, side, back angle, and back)
• Sets:  2 sets (right then left = one set)

* To read a more detailed exercise description and videos, click here.

Push-Up Inclined (5 minutes)

• Equipment Required:  None (all you need is your body weight)
• Repetitions:  8 to 20 repetitions (as many as you can do, maintaining good form at all times)
• Sets:  2 sets (60 seconds of rest in between sets)

* To read a more detailed exercise description and videos, click here.

Quadruped, Alternating (5 minutes)

• Equipment Required:  None (although you may want to complete the exercise on a yoga mat if you have hardwood floors)
• Repetitions:  8 to 15 repetitions (on each side; be sure to alternate left and right sides during each set)
• Sets:  2 sets (60 seconds rest in between each set)

* To read a more detailed exercise description and videos, click here.

Optional: Five Stretch Series (5 minutes)

Even though the amount of time is much shorter than a traditional workout, a proper warm-up and cool down are important for safety and effectiveness.  This 5 minute warm-up is recommended at the beginning of this program if you only intend to do this program alone.  If you are combining 15 minute workouts (back-to-back) you can use this series as either the warm-up or cool-down.

Equipment Required:  None (although you may want to complete the stretches on a yoga mat if you have hardwood floors)

• Stretches:  Chest stretch, back stretch, glute stretch, hamstrings stretch, and quadriceps stretch
• Repetitions:  2 stretches (on each side – where applicable), 30 seconds each
• Sets: One set only

* To read a more detailed exercise description and videos, click here.

Stay tuned for another “15 Minutes of Fitness” workout next week on TodaysFitnessTrainer.com!

Written by TodaysFitnessTrainer (trainer@todaysfitnesstrainer.com).