10 One-Minute Workouts That Will Offset All That Sedentary Activity

We’ve all been there, especially during the pandemic: You wake up and immediately go into work mode. Before you know it, it’s 6 p.m. Caught up in the busyness of our day-to-day responsibilities, it’s normal to put exercise on the back burner.

But failing to prioritize physical activity can cause serious long-term health issues. Studies show that living a sedentary lifestyle is linked to obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The good news is that you don’t need to run six miles every day to reap the benefits of exercise as a whole. According to new research, 60 seconds of exercise is all it takes to offset 14 minutes of sedentary activity.

For the week-long study, researchers examined 2,000 participants and changes in fitness levels based on data from fitness wearables and cardiopulmonary exercise tests (CPETs). Results showed the more time participants exercised and less time they spent sitting, the more their overall fitness levels improved.

And perhaps the most interesting discovery is this: Every 60 seconds of the heat rate-boosting exercise was equivalent to approximately three minutes of walking and counteracted about 14 minutes of sitting or standing still.

One-Minute Workouts

We know what you're thinking: What workout only lasts one minute? We came up with 10 for you so you never have to ask that question again.

Wide second

"This position will fire up your quads, challenge your hamstrings and rev up your metabolic rate like no other!" says Kim D'Agnese, founder of The KIM Method LLC.

How-to:

• Place your feet double hip-width apart.

• Turn out both of your legs.

• Lower your hips as low as you can while trying to maintain a neutral spine.

• Pulse one inch down and one inch up for 1 minute.

Related: These Are the 30 Best Cardio Exercises of All Time to Get Your Heart Pumping

Hairpin

"Hairpin will fire up your outer thigh and strengthen the muscles that play a role in stabilizing your pelvis," D'Agnese explains.

How-to:

• Come down to your right forearm.

• Stack your knees and hips.

• Bend your knees to about 90 degrees.

• Stretch your top left leg long and keep it parallel.

• Lift your left leg to hip height.

• Begin to pulse your top left leg up one inch and down. Do this for 30 seconds on each side.

Calf raises

"Calf raises with a ball or block are a great way to improve foot/ankle health, challenge the inner thighs and improve circulation to the lower extremities," says D'Agnese.

How-to:

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and parallel.

• Put a yoga block or pilates ball high between your inner thighs.

• Place your hands on a chair or wall for balance.

• Begin to lift your heels up and then gently lower them back down to the ground. As you do this, try to hug your inner thighs around the ball or block.

• Keep your shoulders over your hips and be sure to zip up your abdominals to reinforce a strong posture.

• Do this for 1 minute.

Pretzel

"This exercise will work your obliques and glutes. It is simply the best for getting a quick burn in a short amount of time," D'Agnese explains.

How-to:

• Come down to all 4's on your hands and knees.

• Bring your left shin forward to about a 90-degree angle and sit your outer left hip on the ground.

• Wrap your right thigh behind you.

• Lean slightly forward into your front hands and lift your back right knee off the ground.

• Begin to wrap your right toe toward your left shoulder, squeezing your glutes every time.

• Do this for 30 seconds on each side.

Lunge

"Lunges work your quads, glutes, and posture. In other words, lots of bang for your buck!" says D'Agnese.

How-to:

• Stand tall with your feet together.

• Place your hands on a chair or sturdy piece of furniture for balance.

• Raise your right heel and slide it back.

• Bend your back right knee toward the ground, or until both knees make a 90-degree angle.

• Keep your chest up and stack shoulders over your hips. Pulse your back knee one inch toward the ground and up again.

• Do this for 30 seconds on each side.

Related: Want to Get in the Best Shape Ever? Try These 17 Prison Workouts

Plank rock

"This exercise works the entire body while building strength and control in the upper body, creating a range of motion in the ankles and stretching the calves," says Portia Page,  PMA, ACE and AFAA certified and Balanced Body Master Instructor.

How-to:

• Come to the floor on all fours with the knees under the hips and the hands under the shoulders.

• Straighten one leg, then the other, keeping the back long and straight.

• Rock forward on the toes and back to bring the heels forward and back while keeping the spine long and straight.

• Repeat the rocking back and forth for 1 minute.

Squat/heel lift

"It strengthens the legs, glutes, hips and ankles as well as tones and shapes the thighs, hamstrings and calves," Page explains.

How-to:

• Stand with the feet outside of the hips and the arms by the sides of the body.

• Sit back and down by bending the knees, hinging at the hips and reaching the arms chest height with the thumbs up.

• Straighten the legs and unhinge the hips, taking the arms to the sides. Once upright, lift the heels and press the arms back behind the hips.

• Repeat as many controlled repetitions as possible for one minute.

Lunge Drop/Forward

"This exercise strengthens the legs and builds control and stability around the hips and glutes while enhancing balance in a split stance," says Page.

How-to:

• Stand with the feet under the hips and toes facing forward, arms by the sides.

• Take a long step behind with one foot and bend both knees while raising the arms to shoulder height with the thumbs up.

• Keep the head over the ribs, over the hips, and over the back knee while keeping the front knee over the ankle.

• Straighten the back leg as the arms move back and while hinging forward over the hips to bring the chest over the front thigh. Keep the back heel up.

• Repeat down and forward for 30 seconds and then switch sides.

Related: How to Use Your Bodyweight to Build Muscle

Bridge/crunch

"This workout strengthens the entire core (abdominals and back) while enhancing the posture muscles for sitting and standing," Page explains.

How-to:

• Lie on the back with the knees bent, feet flat, in line with the sit bones, arms to the sides with the palms up.

• Press into both feet and lift the hips up towards the ceiling making a straight line between the shoulders and the knees (Bridge).

• Keep the arms and back of the head pressing into the floor. Lower the hips down to the floor and then lift the head, chest and shoulders up while bringing both knees about the hips (Crunch).

• Look between the thighs with the eyes while keeping the chin away from the chest.

• Lower the head, arms and feet and repeat the Bridge to the Crunch for one minute.

Single leg deadlift/row

"This workout strengthens the lateral (side) hip, enhances balance on one leg and helps to work to mid and upper-back for better posture," says Page.

How-to:

• Stand with the feet under the hips, arms by the side and all 10 toes facing forward.

• Hinge at the hips while lifting one leg behind the hips. Reach the arms towards the floor while keeping the back straight.

• Keep the head, trunk, and leg being lifted in one long straight line.

• Bend both elbows up and to the sides of the shoulders by squeezing the shoulder blades together and behind the back.

• Keep the lifted leg hip height with the toes pointed down to the floor and bend and straighten the arms 5-10 times.

• Return to a standing position and repeat on the other side. This can be repeated in 1-3 sets.

Next up: Here’s What to Eat for Your Strongest Workout Ever.

Sources

• CDC:“Lack of Physical Activity”

• European Heart Journal: “Physical Activity and Fitness in the Community: The Framingham Heart Study”

• Kim D'Agnese, founder of The KIM Method LLC

• Portia Page, PMA, ACE and AFAA certified and Balanced Body Master Instructor