Welcome to the world of discovering your best feeling self! We all know the physical benefits of exercise, but did you know that regular exercise can also have a powerful impact on your mental health? Exercise can help reduce stress, improve mood and self-esteem, increase focus and productivity, and even provide a sense of euphoria known as the exercise high. Continue reading to find out how to experience it through the mood-boosting 15-minute workout shown below. No equipment required!
In this blog post, we’ll provide you with a 15-minute beginner workout that you can do at home with no equipment. Whether you’re a busy young professional looking for a quick way to boost your mood and energy, or just someone looking for a way to improve your mental health, this workout is for you.
But before we dive into the workout, let’s take a moment to acknowledge your commitment to improving your mental health. Making the decision to prioritize your well-being is an act of self-love and self-care, and it’s something to be celebrated. We’re so excited to be on this journey with you, and we can’t wait to see the amazing things you’ll accomplish. So let’s get started and discover your best feeling self!
The Warm-Up
Before we dive into the workout, you should take a few minutes to warm up the body and mind. A proper warm-up prepares the body for exercise, increases blood flow to the muscles, and reduces the risk of injury. But it also has mental benefits, helping to focus your mind and create a positive mindset for the workout ahead.
Our warm-up consists of five exercises that will get your heart rate up, increase your your blood flow, and activate the muscles you’ll be using during the workout. You can do each exercise for 30 seconds, and repeat the circuit two or three times.
- Jumping Jacks: Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Jump your feet out wide and raise your arms overhead. Jump back to the starting position and repeat. Jumping jacks are a great full-body exercise that gets your heart rate up and increases blood flow. They’re also a fun way to start the workout and get you in the mood to move.
- High Knees: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Bring your right knee up towards your chest and quickly switch to bring your left knee up. Continue alternating knees as fast as you can. High knees are another great way to get your heart rate up and increase blood flow. They also activate your core and leg muscles, getting them ready for the workout ahead.
- Butt Kicks: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Kick your right heel back towards your butt, then quickly switch to kick your left heel back. Continue alternating legs as fast as you can. Butt kicks are a great way to warm up your hamstrings and glutes, two muscle groups that are used in many of the exercises in the workout.
- Arm Circles: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms extended out to the sides. Make small circles with your arms, gradually making the circles larger. Repeat in the opposite direction. Arm circles are a great way to warm up your shoulder joints and upper back, which can help reduce the risk of injury during the workout. They’re also a great way to improve mobility and range of motion.
- Walkouts: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Bend forward at the waist and place your hands on the ground. Walk your hands out until you’re in a plank position, then walk your hands back to your feet and stand up. Walkouts are a great way to warm up your core and activate the muscles of your upper and lower body. They also help improve flexibility and mobility in your hips and hamstrings.
That’s it for the warm-up! By now, you should be feeling energized and ready to tackle the workout. Remember, the warm-up isn’t just about preparing your body for exercise, it’s also about preparing your mind. Use this time to focus on your goals, visualize success, and get in the right mindset for the workout ahead. Let’s keep the positive momentum going!
The Workout
Now that you’re warmed up and feeling energized, it’s time to dive into the workout. The workout consists of four bodyweight exercises that will get your heart rate up, challenge your muscles, and help you achieve the exercise high. The exercises are designed to gradually increase in intensity, reaching around 75% of your maximum effort towards the end of the workout. To learn more about the best exercise intensity to use, check out my blog post on the runner’s high intensity formula. This gradual increase in intensity is the key to achieving the exercise high.
Workout Overview
Here are the four exercises, with the recommended number of repetitions and sets:
- Squats – 10 repetitions, 2 sets
- Push-ups – 8 repetitions, 2 sets
- Lunges – 10 repetitions, 2 sets
- Mountain climbers – 20 repetitions, 2 sets
You can take a 30-second rest between each exercise, and a 60-second rest between sets. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can repeat the entire circuit for a total of four sets.
Let’s take a closer look at each exercise, and why we chose it for the workout:
- Lateral Squats: Lateral squats are a great lower body exercise that target your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. They’re also a functional exercise that can improve your overall strength and balance. By starting with squats, we’re gradually increasing the intensity of the workout while still allowing your body to adjust.
- Push-ups: Push-ups are a classic exercise that target your chest, shoulders, and triceps. They’re also a great core exercise that can improve your overall stability and posture. By adding push-ups to the circuit, we’re increasing the intensity and engaging more muscles. Perform push-ups from your knees if it becomes to difficult!
- Goblet Lunges: Goblet lunges are another lower body exercise that target your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. They’re also a great way to improve your balance and coordination. By including lunges in the circuit, we’re keeping the intensity high and working on multiple muscle groups. You can add a weight to make this exercise more challenging but it is not necessary.
- Mountain climbers: Mountain climbers are a full-body exercise that target your core, shoulders, and legs. They’re also a great way to get your heart rate up and increase the intensity of the workout. By ending with mountain climbers, we’re reaching around 75% of our maximum effort and achieving the exercise high.
Workout Demonstration
1. Lateral Squats
2. Push-Ups
3. Goblet Lunges
4. Mountain Climbers
Remember, the key to achieving the exercise high is to gradually increase the intensity of the workout. By starting with squats and gradually increasing the intensity with each exercise, we’re allowing your body to adjust and work up to that euphoric feeling.
That’s it for the workout! If you’re feeling up to it, repeat the circuit for a total of four sets. If you’re short on time, just one or two sets can still provide a great mental and physical workout. Let’s keep the positive momentum going! Always keep in mind that the intensity of your exercise high experience is also dependent of how well you can take care of your four pillars of health – small changes can make a huge difference!
The Benefits of the Exercise High
Now that you’ve completed the workout and hopefully experienced the exercise high, let’s talk about the benefits of this unique sensation. The exercise high is a natural high that is achieved through physical activity and is characterized by feelings of euphoria, increased energy, and decreased stress and anxiety.
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are chemicals that interact with receptors in your brain to reduce pain and trigger positive feelings. Endorphins are often referred to as the “feel-good” chemicals in your brain, and they can help you feel happier, more relaxed, and more confident.
The exercise high can also have a positive impact on your mental health. Exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, and can also help improve your overall mood and self-esteem. When you’re feeling down or stressed, getting up and moving your body can be a powerful way to improve your mental state.
In addition to the mental benefits, the exercise high can also improve your physical health. Regular exercise can help improve your cardiovascular health, build muscle and bone density, and improve your overall fitness level. By incorporating regular exercise and achieving the exercise high, you can help improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Practical Advice
So, what can you do to continue experiencing the exercise high? One of the keys is to find a type of exercise that you enjoy and can stick with. Whether it’s running, swimming, dancing, or hiking, finding an activity that you enjoy and look forward to can help you stay motivated and committed to your exercise routine.
It’s also important to challenge yourself and gradually increase the intensity of your workouts, as we did in the workout we just completed. By pushing yourself to new levels and achieving that sense of accomplishment, you can experience the exercise high and reap the physical and mental benefits that come along with it.
In conclusion, the exercise high is a powerful sensation that can help improve your mental and physical health. By incorporating regular exercise and gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts, you can achieve this natural high and improve your overall wellbeing. Let’s continue to strive towards our best feeling selves through the exercise high!
Final Thoughts
In this post, we explored a beginner’s workout designed to help you achieve the exercise high. By incorporating basic bodyweight exercises and gradually increasing the intensity of your workout, as well as taking care of your four pillars of health, you too can experience the natural high that comes along with physical activity and improve your mental and physical wellbeing.
Remember, the exercise high is not just about improving your fitness level. It’s about finding joy and fulfillment in physical activity and using that to boost your overall mood and outlook on life. By focusing on the mental benefits of exercise, we can approach our workouts with a more positive and uplifting attitude, and reap the rewards of a healthier mind and body.
So, the next time you’re feeling stressed, down, or just in need of a pick-me-up, remember the power of the exercise high. Get up, move your body, and push yourself to new heights. Your mind and body will thank you for it.
Thank you for joining me in this post, and I hope it inspired you to continue exploring the mental benefits of exercise. If you want to read more, you can check out my book (Amazon link) below. Until next time, keep striving towards your best feeling self through the exercise high!