20-Minute Nap Time Workout
By Dr. Rhianna Wickett, PT, DPT, CSCS
Elevate Performance
Complete each exercise for 30 seconds. Work your way up to 1 minute per exercise.
Single Leg Stance: Stand on one leg near a counter or railing for balance. Attempt for 30 seconds each leg. Challenge yourself: try to close your eyes.
Calf Raises: Stand near a counter or railing for balance. Keep your abs tight and knees straight. Lift both heels off the ground and slowly lower back down for a count of two. Repeat. Challenge yourself: try it on one leg only.
Forward Split Squat: Start with your feet together. Step forward with one leg and bend both knees until they are each bent to 90 degrees. Step back to the starting position and repeat, alternating legs.
Backward Split Squat: Start with your feet together. Step backward and bend both knees until they are each bent to 90 degrees. Step back to the starting position and repeat, alternating legs.
Body Weight Squats: Start with your feet slightly wider than hip width. Place your arms behind your head or straight out in front of you at shoulder height. Squat down, keeping your shoulders back and look straight ahead. Push your butt back so your knees don’t come forward over your toes. Repeat.
Pushups: Start in a pushup position with your wrists directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your hips in line with your shoulders and abs tight. Try to keep your elbows in at your sides when they’re bent. Modify the advanced pushup by completing them on your knees or on an incline with your hands on the wall or counter.
Hip Bridge: Begin by laying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your abs tight and lift your hips until they are in line with your knees and shoulders. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Front Plank: Begin with your forearms flat on the floor. Lift your hips until they are in a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. Focus on pushing your heels away from you and keep your abs tight.
Side Plank: Begin on your side with one forearm flat on the floor; the other arm on your top hip. Lift your hips until they are in a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. Keep your top shoulder back and hips pushed up.
Prone Bent Knee Lift: Begin laying on your stomach. Bend one knee to 90 degrees so your heel is facing the ceiling. Push that heel straight toward the ceiling, lifting your thigh 1-2 inches off the floor. Hold 1-2 seconds, return to the starting position and repeat. Perform another set on the other leg.
Prone Superman: Begin laying on your stomach with your arms stretched straight out in front of you. Lift both arms and both legs toward the ceiling as high as you can. Lower back to the starting position and repeat. Keep your neck in line with your spine by looking a few inches in front of you at the floor. Keep your shoulders away from your ears.
Gut Buster: Begin on your back. Keeping your knees straight, lift both legs 3-6 inches off the floor and hold for the duration of the exercise. Keep your abs tight and avoid arching your back.
Quadruped Fire Hydrants: Begin on your hands and knees. Slowly lift one knee out to the side until you feel the side of your hip engaging. Return to the starting position and repeat for one set on the same leg. Perform another set on the other leg.
Quadruped Bird Dog: Begin on your hands and knees. Keeping your abs tight and back flat, slowly lift one arm overhead and the opposite leg toward the ceiling with your elbow and knee straight. Lower both down to the floor and repeat. Perform a second set with the other arm/leg.
Chair Tricep Dip: Begin sitting in a chair without wheels and hands placed on the edge of the chair next to your legs. Keeping your elbows straight, walk your legs away from you until your knees are straight and hips are off the chair. Slowly lower your body as you bend your elbows (they should point straight behind you) for a count of two, then straighten your arms for a count of two. Repeat.
Complete these exercises at the start and end of the workout for some added cardio!
20 seconds each as fast as you can:
Fast feet: Run in place as fast as you can. Don’t forget to move your arms!
Marching or High knees: Bring one knee at a time to hip level
Forward punching: Stay in a squat and punch straight in front of you, alternating arms
Butt Kicks: Alternate legs, attempting to kick your backside
Diagonal Punching: Stay in a squat and punch diagonally across your body
Multiple health resources suggest drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day, which equals about a half a gallon. No, we aren’t joking! 64 ounces may seem like a lot, but it’s easier than you think.
On two 32-oz water bottles, mark lines in hour increments for morning on one bottle and the afternoon on the next. Fill each water bottle and keep them close! Try to keep up by drinking enough water by the time by each level.