10-minute cardio workouts

Source: Best Health Magazine, December 2011

With these 10-minute cardio workouts, you exercise at a moderate to intense pace, but only for short bursts. We have also provided easier, low-impact options. Though the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada suggests that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise four days of the week, it says this amount can be accrued in 10-minute chunks throughout the day. And even if you can’t squeeze in all three chunks, something is better than nothing. So use these three cardio workouts’with bonus leg and butt toning’when time seems especially tight, or as a terrific jump-start to regular cardio exercise for the coming year. (Since these can increase your heart rate, check in with your doctor before starting out.)

How it works:

Warm up
Do the following four exercises for 30 seconds each (for a total of two minutes):
‘ Squats: With feet hip-width apart, bend your knees into a squat; raise arms in front of you to shoulder height.
‘ Step touches: Step your right foot to the right, then bring your left foot in to touch it, and vice versa; add large arm circles.
‘ Reverse lunges: Step right foot back, bending left knee; add biceps curl. Alternate the leg that steps back.
‘ Knee lifts: Lift legs till thighs are parallel with floor, and raise arms straight overhead.

Choose your routine
Complete at least one 10-minute workout every day. For best results, do two or three over the course of the day, four times per week.

Gauge intensity
Use a stopwatch, the timer on your phone or a clock with a second hand to keep track of timed intervals. Intensity bursts should feel challenging’after 30 seconds, you should have to catch your breath. At the end of the recovery interval, you should be breathing normally.

Cool down and stretch
The last, ‘recovery’ interval in each workout begins your cool-down. Continue another two minutes by marching in place and stretching all major muscles.

Workout #1: 10 minutes

1. Warm up 2 minutes

2. High-Knee Run Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Run in place with knees lifted high. (Low-impact: Do a high-knee march.)
Recovery (30 seconds): Hamstring curls: Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart and bend your right leg, bringing the heel behind you to your butt; repeat on left side, moving continuously.
Do this sequence twice.

3. Jumping Jack Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Do jumping jacks with arm lifts. (Low impact: Step right leg out to right side; lift arms up from sides to shoulder height. Then return to centre, and repeat on left.)
Recovery (30 seconds): Alternate reverse lunges: Step right leg behind you, lowering back knee to floor, heel up; return to starting position and repeat on left side.
Do this sequence twice.

4. Side Squats with Hop Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Begin with feet hip-width apart and arms at sides. Take wide step to right with right foot, then squat, bending arms to 90 degrees. Step right foot toward left so feet are hip-width apart and knees are slightly bent. Do a straight-leg hop into the air, reaching arms overhead. Return to starting position. (Low impact: Omit hop.)
Recovery (30 seconds): March or jog in place.
Repeat sequence, stepping and squatting to left.

5. Cool down and stretch for final 2 minutes

Workout #2: 10 minutes

1. Warm up 2 minutes

2. Hopping Side Step-Touch Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Hop with right foot to the right, then move left foot to meet it, and vice versa. (Low impact: Step rather than hop.)
Recovery (30 seconds): Do gentle step touches.
Do this sequence twice.

3. Diagonal Tire Run Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Jog in place with feet hip-width apart. Step your right foot diagonally to the right and forward as if stepping into a large tire. Lift left foot off ground so you are balanced for an instant on right foot. Push off right foot to return to starting position. Shift weight to left foot for a quick run on the spot before right foot steps diagonally forward again. Keep movement continuous. (Low impact: March instead of jogging.)
Recovery (30 seconds): March or jog in place.
Repeat sequence with left leg leading.

4. Squat Jump Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Squat in place. As you come up, jump into the air, reaching arms overhead. (Low impact: Keep heels on floor as you squat down; then raise heels as you come up out of squat.)
Recovery (30 seconds): Tap right foot behind you, raising straight left arm into air in front of you; repeat on opposite side, as if cross-country skiing.
Do this sequence twice.

5. Cool down and stretch for final 2 minutes.

Workout #3: 10 minutes

1. Warm up 2 minutes

2. Side Shuffle and Jog Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Get into a partial squat with arms slightly bent and in front of you, and feet a little wider than hip-width apart. Keep knees bent and feet low to the ground as you shuffle sideways to the right for four counts by stepping sideways with your right foot, then bringing your left foot to meet it. Keep body centred. Jog in place for four counts, lifting knees high; repeat in the opposite direction. (Low impact: Shuffle, then follow with high-knee marches.)
Recovery (30 seconds): Do alternating side squats.
Do this sequence twice.

3. Repeater Knee Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Balance on right leg, repeatedly raising your left foot off the floor, lifting left knee to hip height in front of you.
Recovery (30 seconds): March or jog in place.
Repeat sequence, balancing on left leg.

4. Alternating Leaping Lunges Sequence
Intensity burst (30 seconds): Do a reverse lunge, stepping right leg behind you with heel up and raising arms to chest height in front of you. Immediately switch legs with a jump, and pull arms from chest height down to your sides. (Low impact: Omit jump.)
Recovery (30 seconds): Do low-impact jumping jacks by stepping right leg out to side while lifting arms out to shoulder height. Return to centre and repeat on left side.
Do this sequence twice.

5. Cool down and stretch for final 2 minutes.

This article was originally titled "Your daily cardio" in the December 2011 issue of Best Health. Subscribe today to get the full Best Health experience’and never miss an issue!