Let's face it, we all find excuses to put off working up a sweat now and again. However, it is vital to get your heart rate up on a daily basis, even if it’s only for a short amount of time. Thankfully you can find enless of short, ten-minute exercise videos online, and we want to introduce you to our favourite ab, lower body, cardio, and arm no-equipment routines.
Some researchers believe that working out for only ten minutes a day can help us harness the benefits without an overwhelming time commitment. For example, Martin Gibala, a professor at McMaster University and lead author of a study published in 2016, claims "Brief bursts of intense exercise are remarkably effective."
Bursts of high-intensity exercises may be effective, but short moderate exercises can help you, too!
Work up a sweat with these four cardio workouts
How can cardio benefit you?
It can help you shed extra fat and improves your heart and lung health. You may scrunch your nose at the thought of doing cardio, but if you start slow with short workouts, you may eventually begin to enjoy exercising for a longer period of time, especially once you experience that “feel good” high that typically follows a workout!
1. 10-Minute CARDIO TABATA TURN UP WORKOUT with Sydney Cummings
If you scroll through Syndey Cummings’ YouTube channel, you’ll find a playlist for ten-minute, 30-minute, 40-minute, 50-minute, and 60-minute workouts, as well as no equipment exercises, dumbbell-centric routines, butt workouts, HIIT workouts, ab burnouts, and everything in between. Her videos are exclusive to everyone, no matter which fitness level you are!
She demonstrates modifications as well as high-intensity exercises throughout her videos, so you can tone it down if you need to or heighten your intensity if you can.
Her TABATA TURN UP WORKOUT includes 20 seconds of intensity followed by ten seconds of rest, and you don’t need any equipment!
This exercise layout gives you enough time to rest so you can move at a quick and efficient pace during the 20-second frame. It also improves your aerobic and anaerobic systems!
One source writes in regards to Tabata, “When our bodies undergo a high-intensity workout or experience, our basal metabolic rate (also known as BMR) skyrockets in order to function at that level. Our BMR is what determines the rate at which fat in the body is burnt. By increasing our BMR, the workouts, short as they may be, are highly efficient and effective in terms of burning fat.”
2. Silent Death Cardio - Apartment friendly workout to lean down with Blogilates
If you want to work up a sweat without disrupting your neighbours below, you may want to check Blogilates’ “Silent Death Cardio” workout!
Cassey Ho, otherwise known as Blogilates, specialises in pilates, so she knows how to provide your muscles with a nice, satisfying (sometimes painful) burn. Although she provides some cardio videos, she mostly uploads three to 30-minute Pilates-related exercises. If you want to tone your body, you may want to check out her channel.
One line in her description for this workout says, “This routine is silent but deadly! Let’s get it!!” It may not include jumping, but it can pump up your heart rate.
3. 10-Minute No-Equipment, At-Home Cardio Workout with POPSUGAR Fitness
If you want to feel like you are working alongside a group of friends for some pump-up, upbeat cardio, you can check out POPSUGAR Fitness’ “10-Minute No-Equipment, At-Home Cardio Workout”. This video includes straight-up cardio moves!
Most workout videos shared by POPSUGAR Fitness include three people; they have one leader who instructs, motivates and gives advice on how to properly perform each movement, and they have someone showing more advanced moves and another performing modifications.
4. 10 min No Jumping Full Body Fat Burning HIIT Workout | QUIET CARDIO (Beginner & Apartment Friendly) with Emi Wong
If you’ve just started to get into training, this workout video with Emi Wong (@stayfitandtravel) may be the one for you!
The video linked above does not include any jumps, and the moves are beginner-friendly; she uses exercises that may also benefit other areas of your body like your arms, abs, and legs.
Emi Wong is a personal trainer, and she has a variety of exercise videos that may be worth checking out.
Burn your core with these two ab workouts
Most of us want a toned, flat stomach, but it takes more than a few ab workouts to get that desired six-pack. A lot of experts claim that if you want abs, you need to pay attention to your diet, and dumbbells and cardio can also help you.
However, ab workouts can benefit your body and health in numerous ways! Training your core can strengthen your back, improve your posture, and better your performance in sports. One source writes, “Six-pack abs look good, but strong abs can make you feel good. A supported spine makes daily activities easier and protects you from back pain and injury.”
Therefore, it is important to work your abs! Let’s take a look at some of our favourite core-strengthening exercises:
1. INTENSE ABS! 10 Minute Ab & Core Yoga Workout with Lindsey to Burn Belly Fat, Tone & Shape
Lindsay, also known as PyscheTruth, seamlessly incorporates yoga-style movements into her exercises. She may speak in a relaxing tone, but her moves can give you the burn your core needs.
She narrates throughout the entire video on how to perform the moves and when to inhale and exhale. Her moves may help to contribute to a stronger, healthier core!
Just remember, that it’s important not to hope for flat abs, but to work towards building stronger muscles.
2. 10 Minute Obliques Workout with Sydney Cummings
This workout with Sydney Cummings involves 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest and it targets your oblique muscles - your side abs!
Pilates Fitness claims, “Having firm obliques not only looks good, but also supports the back and overall posture. This helps prevent injuries and pain especially associated with the lower back and shoulders.”
Shape your lower body with these two exercises
The two Pilates-based routines are not the easiest, but they may help your booty to gain some strength and maybe even a lift if you stick to a consistent schedule!
After trying shorter workouts, you may gain enough strength to move to longer workouts as well as exercises with weights and resistance bands.
1. 10 Minute Butt and Thigh Workout At Home - No Equipment Butt and Thigh Toning Workout with Fitness Blender
One Youtuber says, “this workout is SOOO much fun and far from boring! As a lazy person this makes me look forward to workout days.” Does this comment make you want to try out this simple butt and thigh workout?
This workout includes simple moves that may give your thighs and butt the burn you need!
And it may not only strengthen your booty, but it may help to give your thighs some shape, too. However, if you hope to see results, it is vital to stay consistent with your workouts.
2. 10-Minute Booty Shaping Workout with POPSUGAR Fitness
This POPSUGAR Fitness workout only features one person instead of three, but Equinox trainer Nicole Steen can help your booty to lift and burn!
Nicole focuses on an array of Pilates-based moves, you will spend most of the ten minutes on your hands and knees lifting your legs in various direction, and the remainder on your side, also lifting your legs in various directions.
You may feel super sore the next day, but it will feel so good!
Strengthen your arms with these two exercises
1. 10 MIN TONED ARMS WORKOUT (At Home No Equipment) with MadFit
If you want to build muscles in your arms, you may want to try out this workout! However, the idea of working your arms without weights may seem easy, but MadFit’s moves may propel a deep burn.
2. Complete Arms Workout (At Home No Equipment Exercise Routine for your Arms) with Blogilates
If you watched someone do this workout, you may think, “that looks so easy!” But, the various pulses will likely bring a slow, slow burn.
This workout focuses more on Pilates-based arm strengthening moves!
Aim to get better results with the right protein powder
When should I consume protein for maximum results? Before or after a workout?
Scientists are still debating when the best time to consume protein is - some say it doesn’t matter, whereas others believe it is best to do so within 30-minutes of your workout. However, it is vital to have protein on a daily basis, especially if you are exercising. Why? Because protein can help to repair damaged and sore muscles!
Healthline writes, “A protein shake is a good option between meals, either as a snack or around your workout. They typically contain 25–30 grams of protein per scoop.”
Lately, we can’t get enough of Sunwarrior Classic Plus. The classic blend we know and love was enhanced with the amino acid balancing effects of peas, chia seeds, quinoa, and amaranth
It sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
Now, it’s time to put on your workout gear and exercise. If you think of it, ten minutes out of your entire day is nothing - you have no excuse. Let’s go!
Which workout video are you most excited to try?