A 10-Minute Workout You Can Do at Home (With No Equipment)

By Jen Cohen, host of “Habits & Hustle” podcast, fitness authority, best-selling author, and Forbes columnist.

As a mom of two… at home without any help, playdates, or schooling for the kids—I empathize with parents out there trying to keep themselves and their families healthy. While the majority of us are under quarantine or self-isolation, it’s important to keep active to stay both physically and mentally fit.

You don’t have to be a fitness junkie to get active. I don’t believe in excuses–we’ve all started at the beginning. In my years as a trainer, I’ve found that progress is better than perfection. Why? Because perfection doesn’t exist, and hard work takes courage. This is the philosophy I use to train, write, and parent. Getting started, getting fit, requires just one thing: willingness.

This HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is perfect for doing at home and will only take you 10 minutes! The only equipment you need is a stopwatch (or the timer on your phone). Perform each move below for 20 seconds, trying to get as many reps in as you can, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Do two full sets (meaning 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, then repeat once) of each exercise before moving on to the next. Let’s HIIT it!

Squat Jumps

Stand tall with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Squat down, keeping the weight in your heels, until you have reached the bottom of a squat. From here, jump straight up into the air as high as you can. Land softly on your toes and repeat.

Push-Ups

Get into a standard plank position, with your arms slightly wider than your shoulders and your feet just a few inches apart. Slowly lower yourself down, getting as close to the ground as possible. From here, push back up through your chest and arms to the starting position. Keep your core tight throughout the entire movement and fight the urge to allow your mid-section to either arch up or sag.

Jumping Lunges

Start in a lunge position with your right foot in front and left foot behind you with your left knee about an inch from the floor. From here, explode straight up out of the lunge, switching your legs mid-air and landing softly on your toes. You will now have your left leg in front and right leg behind you. Remember to keep your front knee at a 90 degree angle and try not to let it go past your toes.

Sit-Ups

Lie on your back with your knees bent and hands behind your head. While keeping your chin angled towards the sky, use your core to sit up until your elbows touch your knees. Lower back down to the ground and repeat.

Burpees

Stand with your legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Squat down to the floor and place your hands on the ground in front of you. From here, jump back into a pushup position. Jump your feet forward until you are at the bottom of a squat again, then jump straight into the air.

Jennifer Cohen is a Tru Niagen® user and an advisor to ChromaDex, the makers of Tru Niagen®. She is a Los Angeles-based trainer, fitness writer, and mother of two. A frequent feature in Cosmopolitan, People, and Women’s Health magazines, she is an established authority in health and wellness. Jennifer works tirelessly to ignite passion for exercise. Her first book No Gym Required— Release Your Inner Rock Star (2019), inspired thousands with a simple, accessible home exercise journey. Jennifer’s immersive approach to fitness urges client integration. In 2018, she released Badass Body Goals: The Booty Building and Waist Slimming Journal, a new approach to fitness writing that allows readers to track their experience as they train.

Jennifer launched her personal brand NGR – No Gym Required, and operated as the President and CEO until its sale in 2011. She also founded The Good Human Foundation, a 501c3 charity dedicated to the support of women’s health non-profits.