4 Ten Minute Fat Burning Heart Healthy Routines

No Time to Exercise? Everyone has 10 minutes they can steel through the day. Studies prove several ten minute bouts of exercise throughout the day are equally as beneficial for your health and calorie burning as one longer continuous session. If you spend your day at a desk, take ten minutes out of every 2 hours to get up, get moving and get closer to a body you can be proud of. You will return to your desk refreshed, with more mental clarity and a renewed sense to continue working knowing you are closer to reaching your fitness goals. Giving your metabolism a boost several times through the day, adds up to more fat burning.

The 4 following 10 minute workouts can easily fit into your day, can help burn off your meals, and most importantly you’ll have fun getting fit.

Climb your way to fitness - Start out with two trips up and down a flight of stairs. For your next two trips, pick up the pace going up the stairs, and walk down at a moderate pace. For trips five and six, take giant steps by placing your foot on every other step. Walk down at a moderate pace. The seventh and eighth trip you should vigorously pump your arms (ie. Rocky) as you climb. Than walk down slowly. If necessary, hold on to the railing when descending the steps. Finally for the last two minutes, perform quick steps up and down on the bottom step (ie. football drill).

Million Dollar Boxing Body – Stand up in your office or anywhere you have a few feet of space around you. For the first minute, step side to side with your hands up as if to protect your face. For the second minute, make the side step a little deeper so that you are squatting at the mid point. For minutes three through five, plant your feet and work on repeating 16 of each of the following punches with each arm; cross punch, jab and upper cut. For minutes six and seven alternate 16 kicks to the front with 16 kicks to the side and 16 kicks to the back. Arms are protecting your face. For minutes eight and nine, shift your weight from side to side and shadow box using any combination of punches that feel good to you. For the tenth minute stagger your legs and shift your weight front and back (alternating feet every couple of seconds) as you throw jabs.

Jump for Fitness – You can use a rope or pretend. Start out with the standard jump with feet together for 1 minute. For minute two, jump side to side. Minute three jump front and back. Minute four, jump on the corners of an imaginary square. Minute five, alternate hopping on the right foot then left. Minute six jump so that the rope is going to go under your feet twice in one jump (or pretend). Minute seven hop on the right foot for 10 jumps then the left and continue to alternate. Minute eight, go for speed, jumping as quickly as you are comfortable. Minute nine, spin the rope backwards and finally for the tenth minute, perform a jumping jack with your feet as you spin the rope.

Speed Play – Begin by walking and after a minute or two, accelerate until you have reached your peak speed, then slow down until you feel recovered. When you are ready, repeat another bout of accelerating. Continue to play with your speed for a total of ten minutes getting in 3 – 5 exercise bursts. This activity helps you to get in tune with your body and pay attention to how you (and your heart rate) are feeling.

It may take time to work up to performing some of these exercises for the whole 10 minutes. If you can make it for up to 4 minutes, or even one minute, be pleased you made the effort and try for a little longer next time until you build up to 10 minutes several times a day. You can choose to do all 4 routines once a day for variety. Or choose routine to be repeated several times a day then switch the routines daily or weekly.

Exercise is one of the very best things you can do for heart health, anti-aging, detoxifying, boosting metabolism and fat burning. Make a conscious effort to plan for several short bursts of exercise throughout the day. Short exercise bursts help to improve heart rate variability which is the greatest predictor of health. Take 10 . . . you are worth it!

Kelli Calabrese – MS, CSCS, 2004 Personal Trainer of the Year. Kelli is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist and 20 year fitness industry leader. She is the author of Feminine, Firm & Fit – Building A Lean Strong Body in 12 Weeks. She has 23 fitness, nutrition and lifestyle related certifications and is available for personal training, online training, iPod workouts, phone coaching, grocery shopping tours, seminars and media appearances. Kelli’s personal mission is to provide individuals with the tools to make health, fitness and wellness a permanent part of their lives.

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