Best quick workout for busy mums; plus a bonus challenge.

Calling all mums! I know your days are packed with endless tasks and responsibilities, leaving little time for yourself. But what if I told you that you could squeeze in an effective workout, even on the busiest of days?

Say goodbye to the excuse of ‘no time for exercise’ and hello to a quick, routine designed just for you. Just by setting aside a few minutes of your busy schedule you can reach those fitness goals you have always wanted. All it takes is 20 minutes to get your heart pumping, fat-burning and health-improving!

I have handcrafted the perfect workout for busy mums; and it’s all here in this article.

Warm-up exercises.

It is important to make sure you warm up before starting your workouts. If you do not warm up beforehand your muscles will not be ready for the exercises. This can lead to injury as well as decrease your progress.

Time for some stretches!

As we are woking the whole body in this workout we need to stretch both the lower and the upper body.

There are so many great stretches, the important thing is we don’t need to hold them for too long around 5 seconds. Again this is helping blood flow to our muscles to prepare them for the workout ahead.

Choose 2-3 lower body stretches and 1-2 upper body stretches to do.

The best workout for busy mums!

Now its time for the fun part!

Workout Overview.

Keep reading to find details of how to complete each exercise and which part of the core you should feel the burn.

Instructions.

You will have a 30-second working period in which you will repeat each exercise back to back. Once all 5 exercises have been completed take a 2-3 minute rest and repeat through twice more.

If you find that not resting in between exercises isn’t doable for you try doing 40 seconds working and then 20 seconds rest. With the usual 2-3 minute resting period in between sets.

Squat Jumps.

• Start with your legs hip-width apart and toes facing forward
• Bend Your knees into a squat position, keeping your core engaged and eyes facing forwards
• Drive your heels down and jump upwards. Swing your ups up with you for more momentum.
• When you land squat back down immediately and repeat the process for 40 seconds.

Muscles to engage: This exercise will work your quads and calves in particular but you should remember to try to keep your core engaged. This will help your balance.

To make it easier: If jumping isn’t for you do not worry, you can still do this exercise just without the jumping. Instead of the jump drive yourself up onto your tip toes then back into a squat. You still get intense acceleration but slightly less demanding on the knees!

Walking/Standing Lunges.

• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Step forward with one foot and bend down (kinda sinking your hips downwards) towards the floor
• keep your front leg at a right angle and your back leg slightly bent
• For walking: Bring you back leg to where your front leg is and repeat previous steps alternating legs each time
• For standing: Bring your front leg back to where your back leg is and repeat the previous steps alternating legs each time.

Muscles to engage: This will work your quads predominantly, but make sure you are engaging your core as well to help you balance. (If you want to improve your core strength check out this easy 10-minute core workout.)

To make it Harder: Try adding a small pulse before you bring yourself back up from the lunge. (A pulse is when you bring yourself up slightly to dip down again but only a little of the way) This will be sure to an an extra burn!

Burpees.

• Get down into a press-up position
• Jump both feet in towards your elbows, this is your starting position.
• Jump both feet out (extending your legs) then back into your chest.
• Drive your heels into the floor and jump up, swinging your arms to help you get more momentum
• Repeat this process for the 40 seconds (starting from the third step)

Muscles to engage: This one works your hole body, it raises your heart rate and gets the blood pumping. It is great for burning fat.

To make it easier: Burpees are an intense exercise, but there are adjustments you can make to ease the intensity. Like with the squats instead of jumping up, drive your heels in and extend up onto your tiptoes. And if jumping your feet in and out is too intense try doing a single foot at each time, do it as fast as you can though so that you can still raise your heart rate and feel the burn.

Press Ups.

• Get down into a press up position
• Try to keep your core engaged, this will help you to balance and keep your back straight.
• Using your arms push yourself down and back up again.
• Try to only let your elbows go out at a 45-degree angle to your body, as having them at a right angle can increase the risk of a shoulder injury.

Muscles to engage: This one works your chest shoulders and your triceps.

To make it Easier: Try kneeling press-ups. The important thing with kneeling press-ups is that you don’t want your knees right under your hips. Instead, position your knees slightly further back.

Plank.

• Get down into the traditional plank position. Elbows on the floor and feet together.
• Engage your core and lower your bottom to make sure that your back is flat.
• Try to not connect your hands together, have about a fists length in between them.
• Keep your head down and breath (I always forget to breath during planks, half way through I realise and it makes it harder to keep going!)

Muscles to engage: This one predominantly works the whole of your core. But you will feel it in your arms as well.

To make it easier: Dip your knees down every 10-15 seconds not for long but just to give your muscles a slight break. If it’s too hard on your arms try holding the traditional press-up position, it isn’t as effective but I have found it to be easier.

Cooldown.

Just like warming up, you need to cool down your body. You will find simple stretches to suffice to cool down your muscles.

Choose lower and upper body stretches from the warm-up but hold them for 8-10 seconds instead. This helps to prevent your muscles from seizing up.

If you want to take your cool down a step further, try foam rolling out your muscles. If you don’t have a roller you can always use an old tennis ball (I will say the tennis ball may hurt more!)

Bonus: A 28-day workout plan!

I totally understand that doing the same 5 exercises over and over can get very boring and so you lose your motivation and give up.

I don’t want you to give up on your dream fitness lifestyle so I have created a 28-day workout challenge for you to attempt and smash!

I have tried to keep is reasonably flexible and adaptable as i understand everyone has different and busy schedules.

The workout plan for busy mums.

Each week you need to complete 3 workouts which will all be under 25 minutes (including the warm and cool down). These can be on any day that you would like, I would recommend giving a rest day in between each workout but if this is not possible that is totally fine.

Below is how I would plan out the weeks with the workouts, again you do not have to follow this specific schedule if it does not fit your work-life balance.

The ultimate goal is to help you stay consistent by doing the 3 workouts each week and hopefully at the end of the month you will have more confidence and keep going to make it a lifestyle. (if you want help with staying consistent read this article)

Now I know this schedule is very simple, however, I have found that if you get too complicated to start with you are more likely to quit. We do not want to quit, this time we are going to stay consistent.

Feel free to change the schedule, but seriously there is nothing wrong with simple. Keeping it simple will get you results as long as you are consistent.

Also, I would recommend to plan out when you are going to do your workouts each week and try to stick to that as much as you can. I know life can get in the way but it is a great metal and discipline strengthener to stick to your plan.

The Upper body workout for busy mums.

Instructions.

You will have a 30-second working period in which you will repeat each exercise back to back. Once all 5 exercises have been completed take a 2-3 minute rest and repeat through twice more.

If you find that not resting in between exercises isn’t doable for you try doing 40 seconds working and then 20 seconds rest. With the usual 2-3 minute resting period in between sets.

Exercises:

The lower body workout for busy mums.

Instructions.

You will have a 30-second working period in which you will repeat each exercise back to back. Once all 5 exercises have been completed take a 2-3 minute rest and repeat through twice more.

If you find that not resting in between exercises isn’t doable for you try doing 40 seconds working and then 20 seconds rest. With the usual 2-3 minute resting period in between sets.

Exercises:

Extra challenge:

On top of the three workouts aim to get 10,000 steps in each day. Swap out the car for walking, on things like a school run or dog walk or commute to work. Even if you park closer and then walk from there. Every little helps trust me.