If holiday stress is likely about to be on your horizon, beat it with a quick, high-energy workout to release some of that pent-up energy. Exercise has already been shown to boost mental health [1] and relieve stress in tense times [2], and it's one of my favorite ways to defuse a situation or cool off when I find myself getting a little too heated.
Although a run is typically my go-to form of stress relief, during winter months, I've been finding solace in getting decked out in my best sweat-ready gear like the UA Vanish Seamless Mid Sports Bra [3] ($40) and opting for some high-energy, at-home cardio workouts.
To give me a brand-new series to add to my decompress and de-stress routine, I turned to the experts at Crunch [4]. Below are five moves that work the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core. What's more, these five moves can be sequenced in two ways to get two amazing workouts.
The exercises:
Bodyweight lunge to twist
- Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart and your arms lifted in front.
- Take a step forward with your right leg. Bend both knees and rotate your torso to the right.
- Return to the starting position, and repeat the movement on your left side.
- Alternate sides until the set is complete.
Bodyweight "prisoner" squat
- Stand with your legs slightly wider than hip-width apart and your feet parallel with your palms at the back of your head so your elbows are opened wide.
- Making sure your elbows are pulled back and your chest is lifted, bend slightly at your hips while also bending your knees and lowering down to a sitting position.
- Straighten back up, and repeat.
Bodyweight good-mornings
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your palms at the back of your head so your elbows are opened wide.
- Pull your abs to your spine, and keep your back neutral while pressing your butt backward.
- Hinge at your hips until your back is almost parallel to the floor. (This is a more pronounced forward bend than the first exercise.)
- Straighten back up, and repeat.
Spread-eagle sit-up
- Lie on the ground, and spread your feet as wide as you can, anchoring your feet to the ground.
- Keeping your arms straight above your chest, sit up until your body forms a 90-degree angle.
- Reverse the movement to return to the starting position with control.
Toe touch
- Lie on your back holding a dumbbell, and lift your legs until they're perpendicular to the floor.
- Extend your arms, lift your shoulders off the floor, and try touching your feet with your hands.
- Return to the starting position, and repeat.
The sequences:
HIIT format:
- Perform five sets total.
- Perform each exercise for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of rest.
- Perform each exercise back to back.
- Rest for 60-90 seconds between each round.
Circuit format:
- Perform three to five sets.
- Perform each exercise for 12-15 reps.
- Perform each exercise back to back.
- Rest for eight to 10 seconds between each exercise.
- Rest for 60-90 seconds between each set.