The Perfect 5-Minute Exercise Break For Students And Teachers

A short exercise break can relieve boredom, improve thinking, and reverse the negative health effects of sitting.

To be most effective, however, it must be purposeful.

It must be targeted in a way that increases your heart rate yet stimulates every muscle in the body.

Here at SCM, we’ve got you covered.

What follows is the perfect 5-minute workout. Anyone can do it, at just about any age, and just about anywhere.

It’s gentle, low impact, and will leave you and your students feeling refreshed, revived, and ready to tackle the rest of the day.

Note: Instead of counting repetitions, do each exercise for one minute with no break between sets.

Twist

With your feet shoulder-width apart, turn the upper and lower body—shoulders and hips—to the right and to the left. Let your arms hang loose and move centrifugally as you shift your weight from one leg and to the other.

While twisting (to the left, for example), bring your heel up on the opposite (right) leg as your knee points down. As you progress, twist farther and farther around until you’re nearly looking behind you.

The Twist is a great exercise to begin with because it feels good after long sitting. It slowly warms the body and prepares it for the next, more challenging exercise.

Wring

From a shoulder-width stance, lift your left knee as your right elbow crosses and descends to meet it. Set the left leg back down, right arm at your side, and do the same on the opposite side.

Try to touch your elbow to your knee on each rep, going back and forth while keeping your head steady. Each repetition should take between one and two seconds.

The wring is a standing ab exercise that works the lower, middle, and upper sections of the abdominal wall while also increasing your heart rate.

Shove

Starting with your feet together and hands positioned an inch or two in front of your shoulders—like you’re at the bottom of a push-up—take a big step to your left with your left foot and drive your arms straight out in front of you.

Pull your left foot and hands back to starting position and then do the same with your right side. Move smoothly back and forth while driving your arms powerfully to each side.

The exercise involves the larger muscles of the back and legs and thus will push your heart rate to a higher level. To make the exercise more challenging take bigger steps.

Circle

Straddle your legs two shoulders-width apart while placing your hands on your hips. While keeping your back straight, lean over to your left so your head is above your left foot.

Now begin circling toward the front, then over to the right, then around to the back, and then back over to the left where you began. Continue circling at a moderate pace, then reverse and circle in the opposite direction.

This exercise works the core, both stretching and strengthening, but also engages the legs, glutes, and lower back.

Ski

Narrow your feet so they’re 3-4 inches apart and bring both arms straight out in front of you. Ball your fists like you’re holding ski poles.

Now, drive your imaginary poles deep into the snow as you swing your arms down and behind you and then back up again. Simultaneously, pulse the knees up and down with the rhythm of your arms.

To make the exercise more challenging and/or to finish the workout strong, drive the poles harder while bending your knees lower. The exercise works primarily the arms and legs, but also the shoulders, back, and chest.

Note: Click here to watch a demonstration video of the workout.

Technique is Important

Although your students will benefit regardless of how well they perform the exercises, it’s important to focus their attention on proper technique.

This does several things.

First, focused movement is meditative and will clear their mind of unwanted stress and tension. Second, it conditions your students to do everything in your classroom in a certain, very specific way, which is one of the secrets to great classroom management.

And third, focusing on technique makes the workout more effective and will guard against the inclination to cut corners and give less effort.

I’ve used the same rotation of exercises as a warm-up for high school PE, but they’re also simple and gentle enough for kindergarten or even pre-K students.

If you wish, run through the exercises twice for a better, more complete workout and a calmer class.

Thanks for reading.

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