Time is one of the most precious commodities of all, and it never seems as if we have enough of it. That’s true for me, at least, but I’m sure many of you face the same challenges. The modern era is anything but uncomplicated, and almost all of us are in a race to balance what we need to do with what we want to do.
We understand the importance of regular exercise, but by the time we’re finished doing everything else we need to do, we’re generally out of time. We seem to face an all-or-none proposition in which we don’t have enough time to perform good, long workouts—so we don’t exercise at all. Days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and the whole time, we’re not getting any exercise, which only works against us.
However, I have a solution: a set of exercises that, when combined, can form a fast five-minute workout that can be surprisingly effective.
5 Fast-Moving Exercises That Can Be Performed in 5 Minutes
In the time it takes to ponder going to a regular workout—and feeling guilty that you’re not–you can perform this exercise set and be off to other things. Even better, you can perform these exercises almost anywhere.
My patients generally tolerate these exercises well, but I recommend consulting with your medical provider to ensure that they are suitable for you.
1. Fast Walking
Regular walking is quite therapeutic, and I recommend performing at least 30 minutes per day. However, we often don’t have time for that. All we have is one clean minute in this routine, and we can work with that. If you’re doing these exercises indoors, you can use a walking pad or even walk up and down a hallway—you just need to get your juices flowing.
Step 1: Walk for approximately five seconds at your normal speed to establish your walking pattern.
Step 2: Speed up to as fast as you can walk while still maintaining your movement pattern. Maintain this for one minute before slowing and stopping.
Modifications: Be sure to push yourself, but only walk as fast as you can comfortably and safely.
Why I Like It: Fast walking is invigorating as can be if you can keep your pace up. Further, walking fast, even briefly, can raise your heartbeat quickly, giving you a nice benefit in a short period of time.
2. Fast Punching
Fast punching is plain fun. It not only provides a cardiovascular benefit, but it can also do wonders for warming your shoulders up.
Step 1: Place your feet hip-width apart and start punching straight forward with fast, repetitive jabs.
Step 2: Continue for one minute. You’ll notice considerable fatigue in the latter half of the exercise time, but keep at it, even if you slow down.
Modifications: Don’t be concerned if you cannot punch very fast. Just punch as fast as you can. You can still benefit from the action and may improve over time.
Why I Like It: Fast punching exercises are just plain fun and can also be great for stress relief.
3. Fast Feet
Fast feet is a standing exercise that provides a quick, energetic, tip-of-the-toes movement that can get your heart rate up fast.
Step 1: Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Step 2: Move your hands up in front of your chest.
Step 3: Rise onto your toes and begin running in place with the smallest, fastest steps you can manage, and when I say fast, I mean fast. Only raise your feet until they just barely come off the ground.
Step 4: Continue this exercise for one minute, or as close to that as you can.
Modifications: Only go as fast as you can when starting this exercise. You will get better over time. You can perform the exercise with your feet flat on the ground if you cannot manage it on your toes, although it will be a little more challenging.
Why I Like It: The fast feet exercise provides healthy movement for your hip flexors and your gastrocnemius and soleus muscles and builds what I like to consider “functional” strength. It can also substitute for fancy dance moves in a pinch.
4. Pogo Hops
In the last exercise, our legs were going a mile a minute while our upper body stayed still. Now we’re going to include the upper body. The pogo hop is a fast, whole-body movement that can really get your heart pumping and your breathing going.
Step 1: Stand and perform small hopping motions using mainly your calf muscles. You can flex and extend your knees slightly to help, but only just a little. I want a pogo “hop,” not a pogo “jump.”
Step 2: Perform this exercise for one minute, being sure to move as fast as you comfortably and safely can.
Modifications: Only bounce as long as it feels good. Also, only perform small, sustainable hops. Don’t try to jump too high.
Why I Like Them: You’ll see how effective this exercise is by the time you have finished hopping; your whole body gets a nice workout.
5. High Knees
The high knees exercise moves beyond small running and hopping movements into a larger, more strenuous one that adds the cherry on top of this exercise set.
Step 1: Run in place as fast as you can. However, the trick here is to also move your knees up into and out of flexion as far as you can.
Step 2: Continue performing this exercise for one minute.
Modifications: If you cannot raise your knees high during this exercise, just raise them as high as you can. Only perform them as fast as you comfortably can.
Why I Like It: The high-knee exercise is high-intensity, coupled with large physical movements, so just one minute gives you a whole lot of bang for your buck.
Voila! An exercise routine that can give you a great workout in only five minutes. While I suggest longer exercise times—at least 150 minutes per week—these are great if you don’t have the time to do so. They’re tougher than they seem, which makes them more beneficial than you may initially think. Try them—I think you will like them—and good luck.
About the fitness model: Aerowenn Hunter is a health editor and fitness model for The Epoch Times. She’s an accredited yoga therapist.