Microworkouts
Microworkouts are short bursts (two minutes or less) of intense exercise. Inspired by HITT intervals, they can be cardio- or strength-based. You can do them while you’re waiting for your tea to steep or a virtual meeting to start. It could be a minute-long plank hold, 50 squats, or a set of tricep dips.
The only drawback to a microworkout you can do in two minutes or less is that you no longer have the excuse, I don’t have time to exercise. You can get in a workout in less time than it takes you to listen to a song, answer a few emails, or empty the dishwasher. When you take a few stolen moments each day to go at your max, the beneficial effects accumulate.
Here’s a list of microworkouts (with videos!) to get you started.
Microworkout Overview
Before you try your first microworkout, we recommend watching this short video from Mark Sisson. He explains what microworkouts are, how they differ from conventional, focused workouts, and how he puts them together throughout his day for a great overall workout.
Bonus: He gives some great tips on how to avoid active couch potato syndrome.
6 Microworkout Moves
There are some moves that naturally lend themselves to microworkouts. Hint: They include the Primal Essential Movements.
Here are six of our favorites.
1. Squats {No Equipment}
Muscles targeted: buttocks, hip flexors, quadriceps, abdominal muscles, calves, hamstrings, lower back.
2. Push-ups {No Equipment}
Muscles targeted: chest muscles, shoulders, triceps, abdominals, serratus anterior.
3. Plank {No Equipment}
Muscles targeted: core muscles, traps, rhomboids, lats, pecs, deltoids, biceps, triceps, quadriceps, buttocks, abdominals, lower back.
4. Pull-ups {Optional Equipment}
Muscles targeted: Lats, teres major, traps, pecs, rhomboids, biceps, upper back, forearms, abdominals.
5. Sprinting {No Equipment}
Muscles targeted: buttocks, hips, hamstrings, quads, calves, abdominals.
6. Trap Bar Deadlift {Heavy Equipment}
Muscles targeted: quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, adductors, erector spinae muscles, abdominals, obliques, lats, traps, infraspinatus, gripping muscles.
Putting It All Together
We like to mix it up with three of our favorite microworkouts.
Remember: These exercise might be shown back to back, but to make it a true microworkout, you’ll want to spread these exercises out over your day in two-minute increments.
1. Arm Microworkout {No Equipment}
When you want to focus on your arms but don’t have any equipment to help you out, then just do the moves in this no-equipment arm microworkout.
2. Microworkouts for the Home Office {Light Equipment}
For those of you looking to add more movement to your workday, this video from Brad Kearns, New York Times bestselling co-author of The Keto Reset Diet and Keto for Life, is a great place to start. He demonstrates 4 microworkouts you can do in your home office whenever you need a work break.
Spoiler alert: Using only a pull-up bar and a stretch cord, he’ll show you air squats, chin-ups, a stretch-cord circuit, and hex bar deadlift.
Microworkouts for the Home Office
3. On-the-Go Road Warrior Workout {Light Equipment}
Mark shows you what you need to do for a terrific workout with nothing but a stretch band. You can do the four moves at full-speed in less than two-minutes (give it a go a few times during the day), or take it more slowly and tackle the exercises one-by-one, hour-by-hour.
On-the-Go Road Warrior Workout
Just Move
Moving throughout your day is essential to your health. When we sit for just 15 minutes, insulin resistance can increase and glucose tolerance can decrease. Microworkouts are a great way to get you out of the chair and your blood flowing.
Whether it’s running up a flight of stairs or dropping and giving yourself 20, scatter microworkouts throughout your day whenever you don’t have the time (or the desire) to dedicate 45-60 minutes to a workout. Star jacks, jump rope, mountain climbers, crunches. There’s no shortage of moves to inspire your microworkouts.