In our fast-paced world, many people refrain from working out due to the painstakingly long duration of fitness regimes. This is especially true for those who hold a 9 to 5 job, wherein they are unable to devote an additional two hours every day for working out. For you busybodies, there is a ray of hope though. With the ultra-modern and innovative 7-minute workout plan, you will get your daily dose of fitness in less than the time you need to eat a burger.

What is a 7-Minute Workout?

The 7-minute workout session consists of 12 high-intensity exercises that are designed specifically to use only body weight as resistance. A great way to improve muscular and cardiovascular strength alongside losing body fat, the 7-minute workout is the latest rage in the world of fitness. To put it simply, they target your core, upper body, and lower body.

How to Do 7-Minute Workout?

There are 72 different types of exercises in this regime that ranges from a push-up to a jumping jack and everything in between, with a ten-second rest period between each type of exercise. 12 of these exercises don’t need anything but a chair and a wall.

The idea is to perform each exercise for a total of 30 seconds, in which you can easily perform up to 15-20 repetitions. Don’t forget to rest for ten seconds in between each exercise. The 12 exercises in this fitness regime are as follows.

1. Jumping Jacks

Target Area – Whole Body

A classic fitness exercise, you have to stand up with your legs hip-width apart. Then, you have to jump with your feet open as you lift your arm up to shape your arms like the alphabet ‘X’. As you lower your arms to the sides, you need to jump feet back together.

2. Wall Sit

Target Area – Lower Body

Position yourself by standing with your back against the wall. Walk away from the wall as you slide down the wall, lowering your body until your ankles, knees, and hips are at a 90° angle.

3. Push-ups

Target Area – Upper Body

Begin with a high plank with your core engaged and with your wrists below the shoulders. Proceed to lower down the chest to the ground, while keeping your back, hips, and legs aligned with one another. In order to lift yourself back up, press into your palms.

4. Abdominal Crunch

Target Area – Core

Start by lying with your face up on the floor with bent knees and hands extending straight out. After this, press down the ground and engage your core to raise the shoulder blades off the ground a bit forward.

5. Step-up onto Chair

Target Area – Total Body

While facing the chair, lift your right leg onto the seat. Press into the heel of your right foot to lift up your entire body weight on it while balancing on your right feet. Proceed to put down your back to the floor slowly and steadily. Switch legs and repeat.

6. Squat

Target Area – Lower Body

Stand up with your legs wider than the width of your hip with your knees above your ankles and your hips stacked over your knees. Hinge at your hip and lower your body down by bending knees. The chest should stay lifted and then lowered to a 90° angle. Rise and repeat. This is probably the most beneficial exercise in this regime.

7. Triceps Dip on Chair

Target Area – Upper Body

Grab a chair, sit on it, and keep your hands on its edge just outside your hips. Walk a couple of steps and slide your butt off the chair while straightening your arms. Follow this up by bending the elbows and lower body until your hands are bent at a 90° angle.  After this, press your chair down in order to return to the position you started from.

8. Plank

Target Area – Core

Start by placing your arms directly under your shoulders. In order to stabilize your body, squeeze the glutes and engage the core, all while keeping your spine and neck neutral. The back should be aligned with the head.

9. High Knees/ Running in Place

Target Area – Total Body

Strand straight up with your legs hip-width apart.  Lift and lower one knee at a time by engaging the core and using your lower abs. It should resemble a scenario of you running in a single spot.  While keeping your thighs parallel to the floor, bring your knees to the same height as your hips and try not to lean back. Alternate between your legs in a pace preferred by you.

10. Lunge

Target Area – Lower Body

Stand straight and take a step forward with your right leg. Lower your body until your right thigh is parallel to the floor and your right shin is vertical. Make sure that your knee doesn’t go past the right toe. Press the right heel to resume the starting position. Repeat on both sides and continue alternating between your feet.

11. Push-up and Rotation

Target Area – Upper Body

Begin in a high plank position and lower your body. Follow this by pressing the back up to perform a push-up. From the high plank position, shift your body weight to the left hand and rotate your body to the left side. Keep the hips high and hold the side plank for one count. Go back to your starting position, do a push-up, and repeat on the right side.

12. Side Plank

Target Area – Core

Keep both of your feet stacked on top of each while lying on one side. Balance your body on your elbow as you lift up the hips. Keep hips and torso aligned with each other by pressing your forearm to the ground.

Is the 7-Minute Workout Safe for Everyone?

You just can’t show up to a gym and expect that you can start doing this fitness regime abruptly. The best gyms in Kolkata will always warn you against it. Proper orientation is a must for this vigorous routine.

Since it is a high-intensity face-paced workout routine, we don’t recommend it for elderly and overweight people. In addition, those who have a history of old injuries, hypertension, and/or heart ailments should stay away from this workout.

Even a beginner whose body is not well-suited for a high-intensity workout should not jump into performing this because it would send a shock to their metabolism and their body wouldn’t know how to adapt to the sudden changes.

The truth of the matter is that the entire duration of this regime is filled with moments of extreme discomfort, which can’t be handled by a newbie. So, don’t overestimate the abilities of your body.

With that being said, for people with experience, this is a wholesome fitness routine that would take care of your entire body and would give them the boost that they need for tackling their tasks in a day.