Sometimes, you just don't have time for a full hour-long workout. Some days, all you have is seven minutes — and that's OK. Anything you can do to get your heart pumping and your body shaking is good for you.
Keep this workout in the back of your mind for those days when want to squeeze in some movement. It's simple, quick and effective! Here's how to get started:
1. Plank
Come to your hands and knees on the floor. Separate your knees and keep feet parallel and hip-width apart. Lower onto your forearms with your elbows underneath your shoulders and your palms facing each other. Remain on your knees, or for the most challenge, come to the balls of your feet with your legs straight.
Raise your hips in line with your shoulders, and tuck your seat by squeezing your glutes and gently rolling your hips forward underneath your spine. Draw your abs in and exhale sharply. Lengthen the crown of your head forward with your neck in line with your spine. Hold for about a minute.
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2. Puppy stretch
From your hands and knees, slide your arms forward as you lower your chest to stretch your pecs. Face your palms to the ceiling and lower your seat onto your heels in a child’s pose to stretch your upper back.
3. Back and shoulder stretch
Shift your weight back and bring your seat to your heels. Flip your palms upward so they face the ceiling, and lift your elbows off the floor as you bring your gaze toward the direction of your feet.
4. Kickstand curl
Come down onto the floor and place your feet in a parallel and hip-width position. Lower down onto your elbows and place them directly underneath your shoulders. Make loose fists with your palms and bring them to face one another. Grip your seat muscles and press your lower back firmly into the floor beneath you.
Exhale sharply, and as you breathe, press your rib cage forward towards your hips and feel your six-pack muscles engage as you do so. To make this more challenging, lift your elbows off the floor so that they’re in line with your shoulders, and continue with this curling forward motion for ten slow breaths. Lower your elbows, speed up your breath and press your rib cage forward more quickly. For more of a challenge, lift your elbows in line with your shoulders again for 20 fast breaths. Repeat this sequence two to three times.
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5. Counter stretch
Press your elbows firmly into the floor beneath you as lift your head and let it fall back gently. You will feel a deep stretch run down the abdominal muscles you just worked.
6. Shoulder walks
Hold one light weight in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart and parallel. Soften your knees, grip your glutes and shift your rib cage forward to engage your abs. Rest the tops of the weights of your thighs with your palms facing each other. Press your shoulders down and straighten your arms. Lift one arm up to shoulder height and cross your arms in the middle of your range of motion. Tap the weight off of your thigh each time and move at your own pace. Continue for two to three minutes.
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7. Biceps pulses
Use the same set of weights, and stand the same way. Straighten your arms and place your weights on your thighs with your palms facing up. Lift your weights one foot forward of your thighs and a bit wider than your shoulders. Bend your elbows until your weights are one inch below your elbows. Keeping your upper arms still, bend and unbend your elbows so your weights come no higher than your elbows. Begin slowly for about eight reps, and speed it up for 20 to finish.
Kiesha Ramey-Presner is an instructor at The Bar Method. For more diet and fitness tips, sign up for our One Small Thing newsletter.