For many moms, juggling children is the closest they get to working out.
That was the case for Andrea Allen, a certified personal trainer, who is also mom to four daughters under the age of six.
Allen started working out at home in order to squeeze in exercise when she could. When someone asked her to share the workouts she was doing at home, Allen started sharing them on Instagram.
She now has more than 310,000 followers and shares workouts daily.
"It was just a way of saying this is fitness for me as a mom, this is what I can manage, this is what works for my kids and this is what works in general to get people in shape," Allen told "Good Morning America." "All they needed was either their own body weight or just a couple of sets of dumbbells."
In addition to sharing workouts that require little to no equipment, Allen's workouts are also short and efficient, which all moms can appreciate.
Allen created a circuit workout below that includes just eight moves and requires just a chair (or bench).
Give it a try!
1. Shoulder taps
Get in a plank position, either on the ground or on an elevated surface, like a chair, if you are a beginner or intermediate.
Make sure your wrist, elbow and shoulders are all in line.
Tap your shoulder with your alternate hand and repeat, making sure to keep your hips stable.
Allen recommends a total of 12 reps.
2. Single leg glute bridges
Lie on your back with both feet on a chair.
Raise one leg straight up and keep the other leg on the chair with your heel pushing in with pressure.
Keep your hands flat on the ground as you rotate your hips up.
Do 12 repetitions on each leg.
3. Sit to jumps
Start by sitting on the edge of a chair.
Keep your ankles and knees in line in front of you at about a 90-degree angle. Keep your arms in front of you.
If you're a beginner, start by lifting yourself to a standing position and then back down and repeat.
To increase the intensity, add one or two hops in the standing position. Then sit back down and repeat.
Do 12 reps.
4. Elevated tricep
Place both hands flat on a chair and come into a plank position.
Do a push-up with your elbows shooting back toward your hips.
Do 12 reps.
5. Stabilizing leg raises
Put your palms flat on a chair and slowly ease your glutes slightly off the chair.
Straighten one leg and slowly lift the leg up and down, keeping your foot flexed.
Do 12 reps each leg.
6. Hop to skaters
Start with just sliding from side to side at a good pace.
For an intermediate move, add a little hop as you slide. To make it advanced, full-out skate and put one foot back.
Do 12 reps total.
7. Reverse plank knee marches
Put your palms flat on a chair, with your fingers pointing toward you.
Come into a reverse elevated plank.
Lift one leg up at a time, as if you are marching. Make sure that your core is engaged.
Do 12 reps each leg.
8. Power lunges
Sit back into a lunge position with your weight in your heels.
Rise up into a standing position and repeat.
To increase the intensity, add a pop up at the top of the lunge.
Do 15 reps each leg.
Editor's note: This was originally published on Jan. 31, 2020.
