When it comes to excuses why I can't work out on any given day, "I don't have the time" is always at the top of the list. Between work, endless Zoom meetings, and my non-negotiable morning and bedtime rituals, my schedule is usually pretty full, and I know I'm not the only one. Still, we know that exercise is essential to our overall physical and mental well-being so squeezing it in is a must. Here’s where this list of 15-minute workouts will come in handy.
Lucky for us, a quickie workout (15-minutes or less, to be exact) can be effective at raising our heart rate and building strength. And, short workouts also help make it way easier to stay consistent with our fitness goals despite busy schedules. In other words, no more using lack of time as an excuse.
Here, find some of the best quick workouts we learned this year that we will definitely rewatch many times over in 2022.
1. Weighted core workouts
Leg days and arms days may get all the love, but building a strong core is also essential for a well-rounded fitness routine. These 5, 10, and 15-minute weighted core workouts will help you do just that—and fast.
2. Lower-body banded workout
Got 11 minutes to spare? Grab a mat and loop resistance band, and hit play on this beginner-friendly glute workout led by trainer Simone de la Rue. Fair warning: Your buns will burn.
3. Arms-and-abs workout
On the days you want to focus on building your upper-body strength, turn on this 15-minute workout taught by Amber Rees and Lindsey Clayton, senior instructors at Barry's and co-founders of Brave Body Project. It features moves such as bicep curls and shoulder presses with medium weights. Don't worry; there are lots of modifications too.
4. Pilates posture workout
If you spend hours a day hunched over a computer like me, you need this upper-body Pilates workout led by Brian Spencer of East River Pilates in your life. It’s specifically designed to help strengthen the muscles that relate to better posture.
5. Quickie HIIT workout
This 10-minute, full-body HIIT workout delivers a lot of bang for your buck: cardio and strength all in one. It consists of six movements, 10 reps each, two to three rounds depending on your fitness level. You've got this.
6. Barre arm workout
If barre is more your style, show your arms some love by adding this short workout to your watch list. Nicole Uribarri, program director and founding instructor of Bande, will leave your arms feeling like Jell-O in just 15 minutes. All you need is light hand or wrist weight, and you're ready to go.
7. 5-minute cardio workout
On days when you're really pressed for time, this super-fast cardio session will save the day. That said, don't underestimate its ability to get your heart pumping. Just because it's quick doesn't mean it's easy.
8. Rebounder HIIT workout
If you love a good HIIT workout, but they tend to take a toll on your joints, adding a rebounder (aka mini trampoline) into the mix can help. Plus, bouncing is fun. Here, The Ness founder Colette Dong shows you how to bounce and burn.
9. Bodyweight Tabata workout
Tabata workouts are fast, effective, and burn so good. This one, in particular, taught by trainer Charlee Atkins, CSCS, founder of Le Sweat TV, features three circuits and four rounds each. No equipment required.
10. Foam roller workout
Chloe De Winter of Go Chlo Pilates shared a 15-minute foam roller workout that feels a little bit like cheating because it doubles as a full-body massage that *hurts so good.* But, given that it can help release built-up tightness and knots, it's worthy of adding to your rotation in 2022 and beyond.
11. Upper-body strength workout
No weights? No problem. This quick strength workout proves you don't need any weights to build upper-body strength. Grab a mat and follow this sequence of push-ups, tricep dips, planks, and more.
12. Oblique workout
When you're working on strengthening your core, don't forget to show your obliques, the side-abs muscles, some love too. In this 10-minute workout, dancer and trainer Sydney Lotuaco shows us how to work those hard-to-target muscles.
13. Core workout for lower-back pain
If that WFH life has your lower back feeling tense, you're definitely going to want to try this workout designed to relieve that lower back pain by strengthening your core and glutes. Relief is just 10-minutes away.
14. Lower-body workout with weights
When the calendar says it's leg day, hit play on this beginner-friendly, lower-body workout featuring all the leg day classics including squats, deadlifts, and lunges. And if you're up for the challenge, grab a pair of weights to take things up a notch. Either way, this sequence will light your glutes and legs on fire.
15. Upper-body resistance band workout
Ditch the hand weights and grab a resistance band for this upper-body workout. It may look super easy, but trust, you will feel the burn. Watch the video and try it out to see for yourself.
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