You know those days that you know you need to workout but you're having a hard time actually getting started? This feel good cardio workout is a great way to sneakily warm yourself up to a sweat session; by the time you reach the end of the 5 minutes, muscles will likely feel a lot less stiff and even that early in, a bit of an energy boost may be felt.

Rest days are important, and there should be at least 1-2 days each week without any intense training. But when a few days off starts to turn into a few more days off or when you find that your 5x/week workout habit has turned to 2x/week, it's time to start thinking about ways to reboost your resolve. 

When you're really struggling with motivation to do your workout, one of the best things that you can do is to actually start moving. Forget about "how" to boost your motivation and just literally start moving - maybe with something as simple and short as what you see in this video. A lot of times I think people overthink motivation or expect it to be something that's always burning bright at the center of reasoning for working out. The truth is that everyone's motivation varies a great deal, and no one's motivation is always high. Sometimes, you have to just jump right in and fake it until you make it. Don't over think it; you're not always going to love your workout sessions (sometimes even with habits and hobbies that you love, you'll have bad days and weeks where you're not as energetic about your cause).

Audience Q&A Time: How much does your motivation fluctuate? How do you get yourself out of a low motivation slump? Is there anything that you've found that helps keep your motivation consistently high? Related: My Motivation to Workout; The Real Reason I Eat Healthily & Exercise + How to Get Motivated

This quick, super light bodyweight cardio workout can be done anywhere and you don't need any equipment at all. Try sneaking this 5 minute workout in at your desk or office throughout the day in order to keep your energy and focus high and your body happy.

Workout Structure
5 Minutes of feel good warm up cardio
Focus: Total body
Uses: Great warm up, or a quick workout for an energy boost
30 Seconds per interval
No equipment
High & low impact modifications provided 

Printable Cardio Warm Up Workout
Butt Kicker Arm Swings
High Knee Pulls
Reach & Chest Opener Steps
Up & Over Lateral Steps
Jab Cross Knee Pull
Step Back Reach + Front Kick
Walkdowns
Squat Side Step Squat
Reverse Lunge Side Leg Raise
Jumping Jack + Knee Up (arms up in front)

These cardio exercises warm up both the upper and lower body; as long as you're feeling ready to push yourself hard, you're free to move onto a more intense workout. However, there's never anything wrong with wanting to do a longer, or more thorough warm up, so if you've been sitting for an extended period of time, feel free to add in an extra 5-10 minutes before jumping into a more intense routine. Some conditions and scenarios may be improved by a longer warm up. For instance, people with asthma may greatly benefit from an extended warm up period (versus no warm up or a short duration warm up). 

How will you use this workout? Did you feel more energetic by the end of the warm up exercises?