Try This 15-Minute Cardio Workout During Your WFH Lunch Break

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by lauren pardee
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Working from home presents undeniable challenges, but it also opens up the opportunity to do things you normally couldn’t from the office – like getting a sweat in during your lunch break.

After hunching over your laptop all morning, exercising come noon will do wonders for your mental health and body. Plus, it’ll give you a boost of energy to finish out the day strong.

Just follow the 15-minute cardio workout ahead, courtesy of Steve Stonehouse, a NASM-certified personal trainer and director of education for Stride. Once your endorphins start flowing and your shoulders loosen up, you’ll be thrilled you did.

Related: 11 No-Sweat Ways to Sneak in a Workout During Your Lunch Break

Warmup: 2.5 Minutes

30 Seconds: Bodyweight Squats

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
  • Sit your hips back and down to about knee height.
  • Driving through your heels, stand back up to your starting position.
  • Repeat.

    • 30 Seconds: Alternating Step-Back Lunges

  • Take a long step back with one foot.
  • Bend both knees to 90 degrees, with your back knee stopping a couple of inches above the floor.
  • Drive through your front heel and stand back up to your starting position.
  • Repeat on the other leg.

    • 30 Seconds: Walkouts

  • Fold forward, reaching for the floor.
  • Walk your hands out until you’re in a plank position.
  • Then, walk them back in and stand up.
  • Repeat.

    • 30 Seconds: Push-Ups

  • Start in a plank position (from your knees or toes) with your hands about shoulder-width apart.
  • Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, bringing your chest closer to the floor, then push yourself back up to your starting position.
  • Repeat.

    • 30 Seconds: Rest and get ready for block one.

    Block One: 3.5 Minutes

    30 Seconds: Alternating Side-Step Lunges

  • Take a wide lateral step with your right foot. Bend at your knee and sit your hips back and down to about knee height, keeping the left leg straight.
  • Stand back up to the center.
  • Repeat on the other side.

    • 30 Seconds: High-Knees Run

  • Run in place, driving the knees up to at least hip height.

    • 30 Seconds: Single-Leg Deadlifts (Right Leg)

  • Hinge forward at the hips, lifting your left leg back and up off the floor, keeping your right heel grounded and reaching down with your hands.
  • Return to your starting position and repeat on the other leg.

    • 30 Seconds: Mountain Climbers

  • Starting in a plank position, drive your right knee toward your left elbow, then repeat with the left knee to your right elbow.
  • Increase speed to increase intensity.

    • 30 Seconds: Single-Leg Deadlifts (Left Leg)

    30 Seconds: High-Knees Run

    30 Seconds: Rest

    Related: You Don’t Need Any Equipment For This At-Home Workout, So Gym Problem Solved

    Block Two: 3.5 Minutes

    30 Seconds: Push-Ups With Shoulder Taps

    30 Seconds: Speed Skaters

  • Hop side to side, sitting your hips back and down and lunging like a skater.

    • 30 Seconds: Crunches

  • Lying on your back, with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, lift your shoulders up, crunching your rib cage toward your pelvis, then reset.

    • 30 Seconds – Plyometric Lunges

    30 Seconds: Push-Ups With Shoulder Taps

    30 Seconds: Speed Skaters

    30 Seconds: Rest

    Repeat Block One: 3.5 Minutes

    Finisher: 60 Seconds

    60 Seconds: Plank

  • Come down on your forearms and your toes, hovering your body above the ground. Keep your abs braced, so your lower back doesn’t cave in.

    • Post-Workout: Take a few minutes to complete your session with a cooldown.

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