We’re the first to admit that some days the struggle is very real when it comes to finding the motivation to move your body in a purposeful way. And while sometimes settling into the couch and treating yourself to a little potato time is exactly what you need, there are some quick and easy ways to fit in some purposeful movement in the same time it takes to find something new to watch on Netflix.
Reason Season is our four-week course, in partnership with Swisse Multivitamins, to help you craft healthy daily habits and routines, and to instil daily exercise habits into our weekdays. So, we asked fitness expert and The Kitchen Series, author, Katie Martin to share her top three, 15-minute workouts you can do at home, with no equipment needed.
No stranger to the benefits of exercise, Katie is a strong advocate for finding time in your day to move your body with purpose, for both your physical and mental wellbeing. And you don’t have to put your full kit on and hit the gym to tick your exercise box every day, “Daily movement can be a morning walk or some light yoga before bed. It doesn’t necessarily mean an all-out HIIT session going at 110%.”
Katie highlights the multifaceted benefits that exercise can have on your overall wellness, creating an “extremely positive impact on your sleep, diet choices, hunger and satiety levels, cortisol levels and your overall immunity.” She also points to the benefits of implementing a routine in your days to help sustain regular exercise habits and suggests planning your days in advance to set yourself up for success. “That may look like booking in your group fitness class or blocking out a gap in your calendar for your run. Planning ahead for the week helps me keep super consistent and routined with my training.” Katie also says this is a great way to ensure you’re not over-training and to maximise your time.
Once you have established an exercise routine that works for you, Katie says it’s also important to ensure you’re supporting your body with the right vitamins and minerals, and micronutrients as it “has a direct impact on your performance, recovery and training progression.” She also believes it’s important to find a routine that works for you to ensure you’re setting yourself up for success in the long run. “If you know you aren’t a morning person, do not expect yourself to get up and train every morning. You will end up feeling defeated, unmotivated and ultimately resent the process.”
Read on for Katie’s top three, 15-minute workouts you can do at home, and if you haven’t encountered any of the movements before, we’ve popped a glossary down the bottom for you to familiarise yourself before you get sweating.
Workout #1 - The Sweaty Shredder
This workout is built on one main set, detailed below, in an Every Minute On The Minute (EMOM) style. Set a timer for 5 minutes and aim to complete each round before the next round starts. Repeat the main set three times for a total of 15 minutes of sweaty, satisfying movement.
Main Set:
200m run
20x mountain climbers
10x squat jumps
10x push-ups
10x burpees
Workout #2 - FullBody Strength
This workout is an As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) style workout. A great one for coming back to time to build strength and witness your growth as you become faster each time. Begin at your own pace and focus on technique over speed.
Main Set:
10x squats
10x commandos
10x lunges R leg
10x lunges L leg
10x push-ups
20x ab jackknives
Workout #3 - Running
Designed to get your heart rate up and get those endorphins pumping, this workout will get you out of the house and back into your body.
Jog 2:30 mins
Run 1 min
Walk 30 seconds
Jog 2:15 mins
Run 1:15 min
Walk 30 seconds
Jog 2:00 mins
Run 1:30 min
Walk 30 seconds
Finisher - 3 Rounds
40-sec run, 20-sec jog
Got the Sunday scaries? Head over here for Reason Season’s second Weekday module for our top tips on pushing back at work when you’re feeling burnout.
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Glossary
Squats - Bend your knees and lower yourself down from the hips, and stand back up again.
Squat Jumps - Start in a squat position with your hands together in front of your chest. Push through your legs to explode as high as possible into the air, swinging your arms past your hips. Land softly down into your starting squat position to be ready to repeat the exercise again.
Commandos - Starting in a nice high plank position on your hands with your core engaged, lower down onto your right elbow and then the left. Whilst keeping your hips as still as possible, press back up onto your right hand, followed by your left to come back to your high plank. Repeat, alternating which side leads first.
Lunges - Stand with your feet hip-width apart, step forward with one foot, bend your knees to 90 degrees and then push back up again.
Ab Jackknives - Start laying flat on your back with your legs extended straight up to the sky and hands by your side. Engage your lower core and push your legs up to the sky to lift your glutes off the ground 1cm. Try and avoid any rocking or use of momentum to lift up. The smaller the better.
Mountain Climbers - Start in a high plank position, arms strong and core engaged. Bring your left knee into your chest followed immediately by your right knee, swapping simultaneously. You should only have one foot on the ground at a time. Speed is key here.
Burpees - Start standing tall, feet hip distance apart. Bend into a squat position, place your hands down between your legs and jump your feet back to make a high plank position. Lower your body to the ground, immediately pushing back up to the plank position. From here jump your feet back up to the outside of your hands and push through your legs to jump up to the sky. Land back down softly in your squat position to repeat again.
Image credit: Urban List, Katie Martin
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