As a new entrepreneur just starting your online business, you already have more than enough to deal with. Running a successful online business is quite a challenge. One thing that many entrepreneurs might not consider is their own health.
The fact of the matter is that all of those countless hours spent sitting down at your computer definitely aren't good for you.
We want to take you through some exercise routines and workouts for entrepreneurs, including evening workouts and morning workouts that can keep you healthy, fit, and ready for more business.
Recommended Exercise Guidelines for Adults
Before we get into talking about the various physical activity routines that you can do in your spare time, it is worth noting what the minimum recommended amount of physical activity for adults is.
In order to achieve the most health benefits, adults should engage in at least 150 to 350 minutes of moderate intensity workout per week, or about 2 hours and 30 minutes of very intensive physical aerobic activity per week. This means that if you are exercising moderately, you should be getting about five hours per week.
Therefore, if we are talking about a normal five-day business week, if you can manage to get an hour of exercise per day, then you are in the clear. So, in terms of timing, if we're talking about morning routines and nighttime routines, you could do half an hour in the morning and half an hour at night.
Quick Workouts for Entrepreneurs
Running an online business is already hard enough without you having to worry about your health. So, as a busy entrepreneur, you need to make things as easy as possible, and that's what we're here to help you do right now.
Let's talk about some of the quickest and easiest workouts that you can do in your spare time. Remember folks, the right morning workout can boost your energy levels so you can get to making that online business as big a success as humanly possible.
1. Push-ups
One of the easiest exercises you can do to get some physical activity and to strengthen those muscles are push-ups. If you want to workout that upper body, particularly your triceps, your shoulders, and your chest, then push-ups make for a great option.
The genius of push-ups is that they require absolutely no equipment and minimal space. If you have a flat floor that you can lay on, you can do push-ups. Start by doing sets of ten and then slowly work your way up. On the first day, you might only be able to do a few push-ups, but that will quickly change.
The cool thing about push-ups is that you can choose to do very small sets, so you could exercise for two minutes and work for another hour, then exercise for another two minutes, and so on and so forth.
2. Squats and Lunges
If you're worried about your legs getting out of shape because you're sitting at a desk all day, then you might want to try doing some squats. Squats are another one of these exercises that are very convenient because you can do them absolutely anywhere. You can literally just get up from your desk, stand beside it, and start doing squats.
This is a great exercise for your legs as it targets your quads and hamstrings, your obliques, glutes, abs, and the muscles on your lower back. This is a great way to keep the blood in your legs flowing so they don't cramp up from a long day of sitting at a desk. If normal squads get too easy for you, you can always try doing weighted squats.
Yes, lunges are a different exercise from squads, but technically speaking they mostly work the same muscles. Now for lunges, you will need a bit more space than for squats, but that said, they do get you moving a whole lot more. The combination of these two exercises will definitely have your legs feeling the burn.
3. Crunches, Leg Lifts, and Planks
In terms of getting exercise for the various parts of your body, we have covered arms, at least partially as well as your legs. Another area of your body that is going to need some work is your midsection.
If you only have a few minutes to spend doing a workout routine, you could choose to do a combination of crunches, leg lifts, and plank exercises. All of these are designed to strengthen your abdominal muscles, both in the front and on the sides. For instance, you could do 10 crunches and leg lifts and then plank for 30 seconds.
This may not sound like that much, but it will have your abs feeling that burn, no doubt. If it's getting too easy for you, you can always increase the number of reps of each exercise, or you can increase the number of sets, or both.
The cool thing about all of these exercises is the fact that you don't need any equipment or any space to do them. You can literally get up from your desk and do them right beside it. As a busy entrepreneur, being able to work out from anywhere is a big-time benefit.
Remember folks, getting a quick workout means not having to go to a gym to do so. Keep in mind that if things get too easy for you, you can always add some side planks to your workout.
4. Jumping Jacks
All of the exercises we have looked at so far are fantastic in terms of strength training, but that said, they won't do much for your cardio. If you would like to engage in some easy cardiovascular exercise, but you don't want to leave your home, and you don't want to have to use any equipment, then jumping jacks are a great way to go.
Jumping jacks will train your legs and your arms, plus they're fantastic for your cardio. If you want a really quick workout and you want to feel that burn, then doing jumping jacks is a great option to keep in mind. Simply try doing as many jumping jacks as you can for as long as you can. However, if you plan on doing a lot of jumping jacks, you might want to consider investing in some gym mats or even 20mm jigsaw mats. These mats will help absorb some of the shock and impact that comes with jumping, which can help prevent injury and protect your joints.
This should be more than enough to get that blood flowing. Doing jumping jacks for more than two or three minutes consecutively is extremely challenging. Jumping jacks might sound like fun and games, but they are quite serious business.
5. Burpees
This is another great combination of cardiovascular and strength training exercises you could add to your morning routine or your evening routine. Burpees involve doing a push-up and then standing up, jumping up into the air with your arms outstretched upwards, squatting down, and then repeating the exercise as many times as you can.
It's another great exercise that trains both your legs and your arms, as well as your midsection. Not to mention your cardiovascular stamina. It's another one of these exercises that barely requires any space, and it doesn't require any equipment either.
Do burpees for 10 minutes straight and you probably won't be able to breathe anymore. Just like jumping jacks, it's another one of these exercises that may seem extremely simple but is very taxing on your cardiovascular system.
6. Resistance Band Workouts
If you have not noticed, all of the exercises we have talked about so far are bodyweight exercises, or in other words, exercises that use only your own bodyweight to provide resistance. However, there are of course many other types of exercise out there. Speaking of resistance, one thing you could try doing is getting yourself a set of resistance bands.
Resistance bands are fantastic because they have the ability to work virtually every single muscle in your body. Given the right equipment, you can work your legs, your midsection, your arms, and everything in between.
With most resistance band sets, all you need is a door to hook the anchor into. As an online business owner, something you should hopefully have in your home is a door, thus making this a perfect type of exercise for anybody working from home.
Now there are of course tons of different resistance band workouts out there, dozens if not hundreds of them, so we aren't going to go into exact ones. We recommend going on YouTube to look for some quick 10 or 20 minute resistance band workouts.
7. Some Basic Cardio
If building muscle isn't exactly what you're into, and you would rather shed some pounds and just stay active, then doing some basic cardio is what you should look into. The great thing about cardio is that you can change the intensity to match your pace. If you have plenty of time to spare, you can do some lower moderate-intensity cardio for an hour or even two hours each day.
However, as a busy entrepreneur with limited time to spare, you probably want to limit your workouts to 20 or 30 minutes per day, which means that you can do very high-intensity cardio and achieve the same results. In terms of the type of cardio you can do, the world is truly your oyster.
You could get yourself a home workout machine such as a stair climber, a rowing machine, a treadmill, or an elliptical machine. If you would rather get some fresh air, you could always go for a jog, a run, or a bike ride. Cardio is a great type of exercise because it's something that you can do with or without equipment, and it's something that has dozens of health benefits for your body.
FAQ
Can you get fit in 20 minutes a day?
Yes, you can get fit in just 20 minutes of exercise per day, but it must be high-intensity exercise and it must be combined with a healthy diet.
How can I exercise when I haven't done so in a long time?
It’s all about starting slow. Remember, daily exercise is a marathon, not a sprint, so start with just 15 or 20 minutes per day and work your way up from there. Try swimming as a low impact form of exercise.
Why is exercise important for life?
Exercise is extremely important in so many different ways, enough ways to write a whole book about. Whether it is your mental wellbeing, stress level, heart and bone health, muscle health, energy level, or anything in between, exercise has way more benefits than we could possibly talk about today.
Recommendations
Fitness apps are designed for a wide variety of people who need to track their progress. These are great for online business owners who are cardio enthusiasts and cross-trainers or just for simply tracking workouts for entrepreneurs.
Runkeeper
This is a fitness running app from ASICs, the company that makes running shoes. Unlike the other fitness app we looked at, which is for all sorts of exercises, this one is just for running. Runkeeper is explicitly designed for running and nothing else.
30 Day Fitness at Home
If you are just getting into fitness and you have no idea where to start, the 30 Day Fitness at Home app is a great one to consider. It will provide various 30-day challenges or workout routines designed for specific parts of your body.
Fitness Buddy
One of the most popular fitness apps is Fitness Buddy, which is essentially a virtual personal trainer. At the same time, it's also a virtual nutritionist. The main feature is the personal trainer that guides you through hundreds of different exercise routines.
This app is designed more for strength training and weightlifting than it is for cardio. There are hundreds of tutorial videos that guide you through various exercises, ideal for beginners and more advanced weightlifters.
Conclusion
Remember, the right exercise routines can make all of the difference in terms of your health. Whether you prefer a morning workout or evening workout, or anything in between, all of the types of physical activity that we discussed today can be a part of a quick workout in your spare time to help boost those energy levels, your creativity, and your overall quality of life.
