30 Ways to Exercise in 2 Minutes or Less

We all know that exercise is essential, yet sometimes it can seem like a huge time commitment. The good news is that mini workouts are as effective as longer sessions! Think of exercise as a piggy bank where every minute of exercise is equivalent to a penny. Each one counts. Now, skipping a warm-up and cool-down can increase your risk of injury, so choose an appropriate exercise for your current physical abilities. Here are 30 creative ways to move your body when you only have small increments of time. You can spend two minutes on one movement or alternate between 2-4 exercises. Try these out!

Cardiovascular exercises

Higher-intensity movement has more cardiovascular benefits and can wake you up in the middle of a drowsy day:

1. March in place, swinging your arms high
2. Jump rope
3. Burpees
4. Jog in place
5. Stair sprints
6. Mountain climbers
7. Step ups (80s aerobics style)
8. Side jumps over an object/line drawn on the floor
9. Jump squats
10. Dance break!

Gentle movement

Low-intensity movement can be great to warm up or be gentle if you’re body feels stiff from one position:

1. Walking
2. Shoulder movement: rolls, tricep stretch, why stretch
3. Hand mobility exercises
4. Spinal movements: cat/cow, side stretches, twists
5. Hip stretches: figure 4, butterfly, wide-legged forward fold
6. Leg stretches: quad stretch, forward fold, calf stretch
7. Foot strengthening (toe scrunches)
8. Neck stretches
9. Side steps (grounded jumping jacks)
10. Heel raises

Resistance training

Strengthening exercises provide various benefits, such as blood sugar management and bone health. Try adding some weights to these* when you can:

1. Squats*
2. Push-ups
3. Wall sits*
4. Plank
5. Flutter kicks, lying down
6. Scissor kicks, lying down
7. Bicycle crunches, lying down
8. Lunges in one spot or walking*
9. Tricep dips using chairs/desks/benches
10. Deadlifts*

There you have it—30 ways to move your body in 2 minutes. If you are someone who struggles to find time to exercise, I hope that this comes as a relief to you! These short bursts of exercise will add up over time if done consistently throughout the day—so why not try them? You can make these fun by adding music, doing them with a partner, or challenging yourself to a certain number of repetitions in two minutes. As always, consult your doctor before starting any new physical activity routine to be safe!

Stay mindful, 

Emily