5-Minute Workout Anywhere – Hip Hop!

Hip Hop is a simple yet intense 5-minute workout designed for those who want to strength their hips, legs and improve your overall core muscles. No equipment is needed and you can work out from home or anywhere to get your daily work out fix.

Please read no further if you have any existing health conditions like sustained injuries, back issues etc.

Prerequisites

1. Your favourite tunes
2. Warm up properly
3. Be intense and focused

Here’s how ‘Hip Hop’ works

Kung Fu inspired wall burn – 1 minute

1. Stand in front of a wall and move as close as possible to it.
2. Keep your feet together flat on the floor with you back straight and be as relaxed as possible. Take long deep breaths before you start.
3. Use your calf muscles to slowly bring your body/butt down to your feet into a squat position (like a yoga squat position with your feet together) . Keep your head looking straight ahead at the wall. Your back/spine should be naturally curving around your body and bring your hands around your legs to maintain balance while you bring your body down. If you’re too close to the wall and not flexible enough, you may have fallen over on your butt – never mind, just try again! If you’re too close to the wall, take a small step back and try again. Imagine there is a wall behind you to help you not to fall back.
4. Use your calf muscles again to slowly bring your body back to the upright position. Again your back/spine should be naturally expanding to normal without any jerking movements.

Do as many reps as possible within the 1 minute. You may find this a breeze if you do yoga, gymnastic or just freakishly flexible. If so, get closer to the wall and challenge yourself by increasing the number of reps. The more you do, the more flexible and stronger you will feel. This beats going to the gym and working out how to use those awful leg weights and machines. Going natural is best!

Impact – Feet, calf and thigh muscles. This is will help you improve your lower body flexibility.

Bear crawls – 1 minute

Remember to keep your back as flat as possible (i.e. so it can hold a glass of wine with spilling it) and look down on the floor while you are doing it.

Impact – Arms, shoulders, chest, back, core and legs. Low impact, high intensity work which gets your heart rate up while it tones your muscles.

Frog jumps – 1 minute

Pretend like you are a frog with as many long flat hops that you can do in 1 minute.

Impact – Calves and legs.

Side planks – 1 minute

Give your lower body a break and get your hips toned up with side planks.

Impact – Your hips won’t lie!

Side to side hops – 1 minute

Jump with both feet to the right and then to the left in a quick and repetitive move. Keep your knees soft, back straight and breathe slowly for an effective workout.

Impact – Calves, legs and hips to bring it altogether.

Cool down! 

Cool down does not mean that you lie on the floor because your legs are tired. Make sure you stretch out your impact zone, i.e. wherever you feel it!

Possible application

While watching your favourite sports at half time or on a long ad break. I use this work out to warm up for an upcoming snowboarding trip. It helps with getting all of my core and leg muscles stronger to avoid any injuries.

Combine this with Horse Power, Wings or Stealth for a more intense 10 minute full body workout.