When it comes to any workout, consistency is key. Of course, there will inevitably days when your schedule just won't allow that. On those days when you just don't have time to get your full routine in, you can lean on efficient combination exercises to do a lot with a little.
The Start TODAY app features best-in-class trainers to help you build up your consistency, and it includes workout plans for a range of experience levels that you can customize for however much time you have available.
There's one exercise move in particular that will allow you to strengthen an impressive amount of muscle groups all at once with just your bodyweight. It's quick and effective — and there's no reason not to do it every day.
Trainer Tip of the Day: If You're Short on Time, Do This 1 Exercise for a Quick Workout
When you don't have a lot of time but would still like to get a workout in your day, give this combination move a try, says fitness trainer Anna Victoria.
That exercise — a pushup into downward dog — manages to work your shoulders, chest, core and upper body all at the same time "because of the tension placed on (these) various muscle groups throughout the movement," Victoria explained previously.
Both components of this exercise, a pushup and downward dog, are challenging on their own and require a good amount of strength and flexibility. Being able to stay balanced while fluidly moving between them adds an additional dimension that will engage, strengthen and help stretch your entire body at once.
Why It Matters
Even if you don't have a good 20, 30 or 45 minutes to spend working out, you can still take a few moments to build strength.
Sometimes, being consistent is the most important component of a workout plan — even if you have to perform a simplified or significantly truncated version of your routine. Doing any physical activity is better than none, and don't underestimate the mental power of being able to check off another day in your workout streak!
Compound exercises, like the downward dog pushup, can help you make the most of the short time you have to do your workout. These are moves that recruit and strengthen multiple muscle groups at once to get a time-efficient session in.
And compound exercises are often quite challenging, which means you'll likely get your heart rate up as well.
How to Get Started
First, know that this isn't exactly a beginner exercise. Before you try a downward dog pushup, you should be able to do both of those moves individually. (And if you're not fan of pushups, there are plenty of alternatives you can do instead.)
Once you've got a pushup and downward dog safely in your repertoire, you can try to move between them while keeping your core strong and engaged.
Here's how to do a downward dog pushup:
- Start in a high plank with core engaged, hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line.
- Lower yourself down into a pushup while keeping your core muscles engaged and your body parallel to the ground.
- Stop right before your chest hits the ground and push yourself up — all the way into a downward dog position. Start by pushing with your arms, but use your core strength and your legs to keep you stable.
- Once you're in a downward dog, pause briefly to enjoy the stretch. Then, slowly and with control, bring yourself down into a high plank again.
Victoria recommends to start by repeating the exercise 10 times, remembering to exhale at the end of every repetition. When you become more comfortable, try pushing yourself to perform this for 20 repetitions, she says.
And when you're really ready for a challenge, "hold the lowered push-up position for three seconds before you transition to the downward dog, and hold the downward dog position for three seconds before you transition back to a high plank," Victoria says. "This power move targets your core, arms and shoulders."
For more fitness inspiration, including simple exercises that you can do daily, check out the Start TODAY app.
TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.
