Fit In 5 Minutes
To stay fit, you don’t have to trudge to the gym day in and day out, jog like crazy through the woods, or climb every peak imaginable. Just a few minutes a day is enough to feel better. With the right exercises, it’s possible to relieve tension, increase concentration and also revitalize one or two muscle groups. For some, it’s even a first step toward finding more joy in movement again.
1 The Office Version
These exercises have the advantage that you can easily incorporate them during the day. And you can do them exactly when you notice that your neck is tense or your concentration is slackening.
Windmill
Stand upright with your arms hanging loosely beside your body. Now circle with the arms in opposite directions. So with one forward and the other backward. And then alternate. Keep the upper body still while doing this. This promotes coordination and a sense of balance and relaxes in between when the head is full.
Tree
Has a relaxing effect on the whole psyche: Stand with closed feet. Inhale and exhale a few times. Shift weight onto one foot and place the other foot as far up as possible against the inner thigh of the other leg. Extend arms up into the air and bend them slightly, palms together.
Whirlwind
In this exercise, the thoracic spine rejoices. Simply remain seated on the office chair, let the arms hang loosely at the side of the body. And now roll your upper body vertebra by vertebra and straighten it up again vertebra by vertebra. If a colleague is watching, you can pretend to pick something up from the floor. Avoid hollow back!
2 The Sportier Variant
Getting fit in 5 minutes is possible if you choose exercises that train as many muscles as possible. If you do the exercises every day, you will soon achieve the desired effect: The muscles become more pronounced and defined, the body shapes positively. Sit-ups, push-ups, squats, pull-ups and pelvic lifts are particularly suitable for this purpose. Sit-ups train the oblique and straight abdominal muscles, push-ups revitalize the chest, arm and back muscles. Squats strengthen the glutes, hamstrings and calf muscles.
For example, the single-leg squat is particularly effective for the thighs and buttocks. And it goes like this: Put your legs hip-width apart in a crotch position, put one leg forward and the other leg back a bit. The back of the foot touches the floor. Hands are on hips. Now bend the standing leg until the back knee touches the floor (inhale), and slowly push back up (exhale). But the pelvic lift is also great. It strengthens the rear thigh muscles. Here’s how: lie on your back and cross your arms behind your head. Place one heel on the floor and bend the other leg. Now lift the pelvis and tense the buttocks and abdomen. Press the heel into the floor and at the same time pull the other foot towards the buttocks.
Torque
This is good for the whole body: stretch your arms upwards and turn your hands inwards and outwards vigorously and quickly – as if you wanted to screw a light bulb in and out again in no time at all. Hold on for 20 seconds!
Back Crawl
A good exercise to stretch shoulder and neck muscles. Tilt your head to the right and pull your left arm down. Hold the position for 3 breaths. Then slowly release and perform on the other side. Repeat the exercise a few times until a beneficial effect is felt in the shoulder and neck area.
Rocking Chair
Now invigorate the cardiovascular system. Stand upright with both legs, roll onto your toes and then back onto your heels, then back onto your toes, etc. Repeat 5 times, then shake out your feet and do it all over again. Be sure to consciously roll the soles of your feet.
3 The Pleasure Variant
What always helps to feel better and more relaxed in a short time is a cup of TEEKANNE “Inner Peace”. The herbal tea blend of Rooibos and Honeybush provides serenity and balance in everyday life. Lemon balm and hops help to calm down. Cinnamon and cardamom are considered internally warming in Ayurveda. Lotus blossom, anise, licorice and sweet blackberry leaves round out this tea.
Further Book Tips and Mobile Apps:
- “Personal Fitness Trainer” by Kelly Thompson, Dorling Kindersley Publishing.
- “The 50 Best Fitness Exercises,” Parragon Books
- “Fit without equipment for women” by Mark Lauren with Joshua Clark, Riva Publishers
- “The little back trainer” by Wolfgang Möhring, Heyne Publishers
Fitness Class
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/fitnessclass/id348715624?mt=8
7-minute work-out
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/7-minute-workout/id650762525?mt=8