The 5-Minute Workout That Will Shed Your Winter Weight

Health Envoy's Blog

No time to work out? Shave time off your gym visit and blast away fat with this HIIT workout by fitness expert Michelle Bridges.

 

By Brianna Steinhilber, @weightloss

If your inner couch potato left you with a few extra pounds this season, then Michelle Bridges, Australia's top weight-loss expert and author of the new book Total Body Transformation, is your new best friend. She's put together a simple, 5-minute High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout consisting of 10 moves that'll get your heart rate up, torch calories, and give your metabolism the jumpstart it needs to shed that winter weight. The best part? It requires absolutely no equipment at all and can be done anywhere — at the gym, in your living room, or at the park.

Warm-up: Michelle recommends stretching after the workout, when muscles are warm. Before you begin the circuit, jog lightly (in place, around a track, or on a treadmill), jump rope, or perform another light cardio activity for 5 minutes, aiming to raise your heartbeat over 150. Then perform each of the following exercises for 30-second intervals.

Fast Low-Step Running

How to: Find a low step and stand in front of it. Quickly step up onto it and back down — right and left up, right and left down — as fast as you can for 30 seconds.
Beginner's tip: Perform exercise at a slower pace and gradually increase your speed as you become more comfortable with the exercise.
*Booster: Pump your arms to give yourself more speed — and work those arm muscles too!

 

Basketball Jumps

How to: This move is similar to jumping jacks, but you are moving side to side. Take a long low step to the right, bend through the legs, step the left foot in, and spring off both feet to shoot your basketball. Repeat on the other side, alternating between both sides for 30 seconds.
Beginner's tip: To protect your knees, make sure they stay aligned with your toes.
*Booster: The lower you go, the higher you jump — and the more calories you burn!

Sideways Running

How to: This agility move is great for sculpting inner and outer thighs. Starting with your right foot, run three steps sideways to the right. The last step of your right foot should "stick" as you drop your weight into that leg, and then push off and step out with your left. Think of rhythm with this one — the timing should feel like, "one, two, drop, and push; one, two, drop and push."
Beginner's tip: To protect your knees, make sure they're pointing in the same direction as your toes. Keep your shoulders back and down, with your chest up and abs in.
*Booster: As you get more comfortable with the exercise, increase your speed.

 

Jumping Jacks

How to: Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides, and jump about shoulder width apart. As you jump, swing both arms out to the side or overhead. Toes and knees should be slightly turned out. Jump again and return legs and arms to starting position. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Beginner's tip: To reduce jarring in the legs, focus on landing softly and make sure your heels touch the ground. There shouldn't be any tremendously loud thumps – rather, focus on landing quietly.
*Booster: Increase your speed and see how many you can complete in the 30-second interval.

Pushups on Knees

How to: Kneel on the ground and walk your hands forward until they are slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Straighten your arms and look directly ahead at the floor. Keeping abs tight, bend your elbows and lower your upper body until your chest is 4 inches off the floor. Exhale as you straighten your arms, returning to the starting position. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Beginner's tip: This is a great variation for people who are still building their upper body strength. Drop your shoulders down away from your ears and keep your butt down and core tight.
*Booster: When you feel ready, modify this move to pushups on your toes for an even harder upper body and core workout.



 

Plyometric Lunge

How to: Begin with your right foot forward, left foot back. Drop down into a lunge so that both knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Pushing off with the heel of your front foot, jump and switch legs, bringing your left leg forward, and right foot back.
Beginner's tip: Make sure to take your time, land softly, and ensure your knee does not extend past your toe. For an easier version, break the jump movement into two steps by bringing the back leg forward to meet the front and then pushing the front leg back into a reverse lunge position.
*Booster: This exercise is great to tone your legs and butt and is a cardio blaster. For a more intense cardio workout, increase the speed of your jumps, letting your feet only rest on the ground for a second before jumping and switching legs.



 

High Knees With Twist

How to: With this exercise, you're keeping your cardiovascular system pumping and strengthening your legs and glutes — and as a bonus, you're also working your core with the twisting action! To perform, run in place with high knees (bringing each knee up to hip height), while at the same time twisting towards each knee as you raise it up, alternating from side to side in a twisting motion.
Beginner's tip: Start out with a low jog and gradually raise your knees up towards your hips until you are able to perform the full exercise.
*Booster: Pick up the pace for an even bigger cardio blast — and target your abs even more by pulling your knees up as high as you can (aiming for above hip height as your goal).

In and Outs

How to: Lower your body into a pushup position, your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart, arms and torso straight. Jump both feet in towards your chest and quickly jump them back out into a full pushup extension. This move is great for your core, while also working your chest and shoulders.
Beginner's tip: The slower you hop your feet in and out, the easier the exercise. Begin at a comfortable pace and gradually increase your speed. You can also start by hopping your feet only halfway up towards your arms before returning them back to the full pushup extension, working up to the full hop.
*Booster: Increase your speed, jumping in and out as quickly as you can to increase the number of reps you can complete in 30 seconds.




 

Lunge Kicks

How to: Perform a reverse lunge, driving your right leg behind you and bending your left knee, touching the floor in front of you with your opposite hand. Then, as you draw the right leg back up, kick forward with the left leg, being sure to also lean back so you're working your abs as well. Perform for 30 seconds on the right side, and then switch driving your left leg back and kicking forward with your right.
Beginners tip: Start with a manageable kick waist height or lower and gradually increase the height as you get more comfortable.
*Booster: This exercise targets your legs while also working your cardiovascular system. To raise your heart rate even higher, increase your speed. You can increase the difficulty by driving the back leg even further behind you for a deeper lunge and increasing the height of your kick.
Cool Down: Now is the time to stretch! Pick 10 stretches that target different muscles and hold each for approximately 1 minute. Keep breathing and try to sink deeper into the stretch as you exhale; do not bounce intro your stretches or hold your breath.