Everybody seems to be busy. If you are working full-time or you spread your time thinly between family life and work time, think back to a simpler time when you had seemingly no cares in the world and very few responsibilities. Seems like a lifetime ago, doesn’t it? Don’t be disheartened by your lack of time. Hopefully you are doing something you love and using your talents to make the World a better place.

Whether you are a busy bee or you have plenty of time to spare, you need some 5-minute workouts. Having some go-to workouts to use frequently when you are low on time or on vacation can be great for sticking to your plan for achieving goals. It’s also a great way to leave the excuses behind!

Try these 5-minute workouts to target tough areas and get into in awesome shape:

The 5-Minute Total Body Workout

  • 30 seconds Jumping Jacks
  • 30 seconds Body Squats
  • 30 seconds Plank
  • 30 seconds Rest
  • 30 seconds Push-Ups
  • 30 seconds Bicycle Crunches
  • 30 seconds Alternating Leg Lunges
  • 30 seconds Rest
  • 30 seconds Birddogs
  • 30 seconds Mountain Climbers

The 5-Minute Ab Workout

Spend 30 seconds on each exercise to target all areas of the abs. See how many you can do in each 30 second span (except for planks). Continue repeating until the 5 minutes is over. Rest when needed.

  • Crunches (on Stability Ball if available) – works upper and middle abs
  • Reverse Crunches – works lower abs
  • Plank – targets deep core muscles
  • Side Plank – deep core and obliques
  • Low Plank Oblique – works the obliques and deep core muscles
  • Bicycle Crunches – targets lower, middle, and upper abs

The 5-Minute Cardio Workout

  • 1 minute Jog In Place
  • 30 seconds Jumping Jacks
  • 30 seconds Burpees
  • 30 seconds Rest
  • 30 seconds Butt Kicks
  • 30 seconds High Knees
  • 30 seconds Jog In Place
  • 30 seconds rest
  • 30 seconds Squat Jumps

The 5-Minute Dumbbell Workout

Do 12-15 reps then move to the next exercise with no rest. Keep going until 5 minutes is up. Rest then repeat for the next 5 minutes!

  • Plie’ Squat
  • Alternating Curls
  • Flat Bench Chest Press
  • Step-Ups
  • Triceps Kickback

You may sense a pattern with some of these workouts. Try them out, master them, and then get creative with your own favorite exercises. Plug in a replacement where you would like. Always maintain good form. Don’t do an exercise wrong to get extra reps in. Keep breathing and keep working!