Daily Essential Workouts for Any Schedule: Top Three Exercises You Can't Afford to Skip, Even on Busy Days as a Personal Trainer Recommends
Looking for an effective, equipment-free workout that you can do at home? Look no further! This three-minute full-body workout, consisting of squats, push-ups, and planks, requires no equipment and can be done anywhere.
Squats (1 minute)
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed outward. Keep your back straight and core engaged. Lower your body as if sitting in a chair, pushing hips back and bending knees, ensuring knees track over toes. Then push up through your heels to standing. Repeat continuously for 1 minute, focusing on controlled form.
Push-ups (1 minute)
Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor, legs extended back, and body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower your chest toward the floor by bending elbows, then push back up to the starting position. Modify by doing push-ups on your knees if needed. Perform as many quality reps as possible for 1 minute.
Plank (1 minute)
Get into a forearm plank position: forearms on the ground, elbows under shoulders, body straight from head to heels with core tight. Hold this position for 1 minute, focusing on keeping hips level and core engaged.
This routine targets your lower body (squats), upper body (push-ups), and core (plank) for a balanced, equipment-free full-body workout. To get the best results, maintain good form throughout and move steadily without resting between exercises to keep your heart rate elevated.
As your fitness improves, you can repeat this circuit multiple times or increase the duration per exercise for more intensity.
Tips
- Warm up briefly with light movement before starting.
- Breathe steadily and avoid holding your breath during exercises.
- Focus on quality over speed to prevent injury.
- If needed, reduce plank time to 30 seconds or do push-ups on knees to build up strength.
This efficient workout leverages bodyweight exercises to engage multiple muscle groups and boost cardiovascular fitness without any equipment or special space. It's appropriate for all fitness levels and can be done anywhere, anytime.
For example, you can do these exercises during commercial breaks, after children go to bed, or even between meetings. To make squats more challenging, hold a heavy weight at your chest. A heavy book can be used if no other equipment is available.
For push-ups, aim for 3 sets with 12 reps. To modify a push-up, bend your knees and place them on the floor, do push-ups against a wall, or elevate your hands on a desk. If you are new to squats, use a chair to help with the exercise and come to a full seated position before standing back up.
As your legs get stronger and technique improves, you can perform squats without a chair. For the plank exercise, aim for 3 sets with a 30-second duration. To modify the plank, place your knees on the floor or your forearms on an elevated surface like a chair, desk, or wall.
An exercise mat can be used for extra padding, but is not necessary. Remember to keep your shoulders, torso, and hips aligned during push-ups.
Stay tuned for more achievable workout ideas, health tips, and wellbeing advice from the Fit&Well Newsletter. Happy exercising!
This three-minute workout, which includes squats, push-ups, and planks, offers a balanced, equipment-free full-body workout suitable for health-and-wellness enthusiasts seeking fitness-and-exercise opportunities at home. With a focus on science-backed biomechanics, this routine targets your lower body, upper body, and core, engaging multiple muscle groups and boosting cardiovascular fitness (fitness). As you improve your fitness, consider increasing the duration of the exercises or repeating the circuit multiple times for more intensity. Don't forget to warm up, maintain good form, and breathe steadily, and feel free to modify exercises as needed to accommodate your fitness level (yoga). Remember that regular practice and safety measures will help you reap the benefits of this fitness-and-exercise routine in your health-and-wellness journey.
