Drop 10 Pounds Fast With This 10-Minute Daily Workout
You don't need to spend countless hours in the gym to reach your fitness goals. Whether you want to get fit, lose weight, feel better in your skin, or all the above, you can transform your body in far less time than you think—especially if you're working hard and are efficient with your workouts. And let's be honest: The more time you save exercising, the more time you'll have for the things you really love doing, which is more important than ever in our lightning-paced world where every minute counts. If you want to get the best bang for your buck when it comes to your exercise time, we've got you covered with a 10-minute daily workout that will help you drop 10 pounds fast.
In this article, Kate Meier, CPT, a certified personal trainer with Gym Garage Reviews, breaks down her super-effective 10-minute daily workout that will torch calories and shed body fat, assuming you're sticking to a healthy diet. "The following 10-minute workout covers every major muscle group and includes some intense movements to promote calorie-burning hours after you're done with your workout," says Meier.
If you're up for it, set a 10-minute timer, and do each of the following exercises for one minute straight before moving on to the next movement. After every third exercise, rest for 30 seconds. And if you're feeling extra ambitious, perform the entire workout twice and see if you can do it in under 20 minutes. When you're done, read up on these 7 Strength-Building Exercises To Get Back Into Shape Before Spring Break.
Jog in Place
This 10-minute workout begins with a solid cardio exercise to get your heart rate elevated and your blood flowing.
First, stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart. Then, jog on the spot with high knees and arms pumping. As you jog in place, make sure your shoulders don't hunch forward and your spine remains neutral.
Jump Squats
Another heart rate-boosting exercise, jump squats are an effective way to promote weight loss.
Stand up straight with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width distance apart. Squat down until your thighs are roughly parallel. Jump up explosively, making sure your feet leave the ground. Land into a squat position with your knees bent.
"When you lower into a squat, keep your posture upright and avoid letting your knees cave inward. Simply sit down into the exercise, and lower down until your thighs are about parallel with the floor," says Meier.
Alternating Side Lunges
This movement is straightforward but may take some getting used to until you feel it in the target muscles—mainly your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
"Adjust the width of your side lunge and find your most effective stance throughout the set. As you step out to the side and lower into the lunge, make sure your shoulders stay back," says Meier.
Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are a fantastic exercise for torching calories while engaging your core.
Get into a plank position and rapidly drive your knees up one at a time to the opposite elbow for the entire minute. "The most common mistake people make during mountain climbers is raising their hips very high or letting them sag low," states Meier. "Keep your torso as parallel to the floor as you can and get your knees up to your chest with your shoulders, elbows, and hands stacked."
Pushups
No high-intensity full-body workout would be complete without the classic pushup. Pushups are an effective upper-body exercise that strengthens your chest, triceps, and shoulders. Plus, you can't do them anywhere and they require no equipment.
"To do this simple yet difficult movement effectively, ensure your hands are on the floor close to your body and not too far out to the sides," says Meier. "Keep your elbows from flaring out as you complete the reps, and stay as tight in the core as you would throughout a plank."
Plank Jacks
This plank variation will surely raise your heart rate for some serious calorie-burning.
To perform this high-intensity bodyweight exercise, Meier says, "Start in a perfect plank position then jump your feet outward and back in repeatedly. Your hips, shoulders, and ankles should be aligned. Check in throughout the reps to ensure they stay aligned as you perform the jacks."
High Knees
Hold your hands out in front of you at roughly abdomen height with palms facing down and elbows bent. Alternate raising your knees quickly, one at a time, while hitting your palms with your knees.
"Focus on keeping your posture good and only getting your knees as high as you're comfortable with as you complete high knees. Over time or even throughout a single workout, you may find that your range of motion improves as you get warmed up," says Meier.
Jump Squats with Pause
You may be surprised by how much adding a pause at the bottom of a jump squat can amplify the intensity of this movement.
"Adding a pause to the bottom of a jump squat is good practice in muscle control and stops your momentum, making your legs work hard to get you up off the floor as you jump," explains Meier. "Pause for one to two seconds with your thighs parallel to the floor, then jump back up from the squat."
Wall Sit
Remember the agonizing seconds of doing wall sits back in high school gym class? Well, wall sits have stood the test of time for a reason. For example, according to MIDSS, wall sits can boost your flexibility, strength, and joint stability.
"Finding your ideal setup for a wall sit might take some adjusting, but make sure your back is fully against the wall and your thighs are either parallel to the floor or just above parallel. Keep your hands together in front of you, or gently rest them on your quads," Meier instructs.
And that wraps up this 10-minute workout that'll help you lose 10 pounds fast!
