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Now that the calendar has flipped over to December, it’s often harder than ever to fit in a workout. Your schedule between Thanksgiving and Christmas may be packed with work, social events and family get-togethers, so what you need is a quick, no-equipment routine that’ll raise your heart rate when you’re in a pinch.
And since you don’t need anything but a bit of space, 20 minutes to spare and a set of workout headphones, it’s ideal when you’re tight on time at home or while traveling. The session, developed by personal training duo Juice & Toya, is low-impact too, so it’s easy on your joints; perfect if you have sore knees or want to keep the noise down.
I know a lot of people see “low-impact” and think that means it’s an “easy” option, but that’s not necessarily the case. These routines can still be intense, especially since Juice & Toya programmed a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, where you can adjust the intensity by increasing the amount you do in the interval.
There are nine exercises in the session (although two variations, so it’s more like 18 moves). You’ll do two sets in total, working for 25 seconds on variation one, a five-second pause, 25 seconds on variation two, and then a 15-second rest between moves. The aim is to train as intensely as you can for those 25 seconds of work.
If you’re just easing back into an exercise routine before the New Year rush, or it’d be useful for a refresher, the duo demonstrates each move before the timer starts, so you can practice your technique as you go. And it’s important to do each move with good form and not just speed through if you want to get the best results and avoid injury.
Watch Juice & Toya’s 20-minute low-impact workout
HIIT workouts are a great option if you’re pushed for time; they’re efficient, work multiple areas of your body simultaneously and keeping breaks to a minimum raises your heart rate. This burns more energy during the routine, but also helps boost your metabolism, the amount of energy you burn throughout the day.
But their strength is also that they’re customizable — need to take things a little easier, then slow it down a bit and aim for fewer reps. If you’re full of energy and want to release some steam, keep focus on your form but speed up the movements.
In some HIIT workouts, I’d even suggest you could adjust the rest periods, but Juice & Toya have been pretty minimal with the amount of breaks you get, so I wouldn’t recommend cutting down the five-second pause or 15-second rest between exercises.
Plus, this session specifically is low-impact, so you won’t be pushing a lot of force through your joints or make a lot of noise by jumping. So if you need to be quiet while training at someone else’s home, it’s perfect. And if you’re after a routine that can keep your cardio fitness topped up without running, it’s also ideal.
As much as I love an intense workout, it’s worth remembering that not all movement means changing into fitness apparel and breaking a sweat. Walking is also a low-impact exercise that is good for your body and mind.
I take a 90-minute walk every morning, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. I try to get to some green space, but even walking in the city is a great chance to develop a mindfulness practice, move your body and enjoy yourself. After all, if you can’t do it at Christmas, when can you?
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