Finding time to exercise as a busy mom can feel exhausting. This is why it’s so crucial to find workouts that fit INTO your schedule while still giving you the best results! This quick workout takes only fifteen minutes from start to finish and hits all major muscle groups.
It uses only your bodyweight to get the job done (though you can definitely step it up with a dumbbell!) and focuses on moves that will improve posture, reduce pain, and strengthen the muscles you need every day as a mom.
There are a few truths to motherhood that every mom knows: you have zero free time, you have little space, and making an exercise routine work with littles is HARD.
But hard isn’t a good enough reason to quit!
As a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist, I have worked with many moms to help them find a system that works (even when they’re super busy moms).
And though rocking a high-intensity interval training session is great. The first step is often shifting your mindset from thinking you need a structured, forty-five minute workout to get the job done.
You don’t.
Mom life is all about doing what you can when you can, it's why quick workouts for busy moms are so effective.
So, work out in the messy room. Let the kids play around you.
And know that showing up for a couple of sets (even when you wanted to do more) is always better than nothing.
Benefits Of The Mom Workout
The reason this is a great workout is that it’s so versatile!
Need to do it at the park? On the bathroom floor? In the kitchen? No problem!
Want to make it harder and push yourself further? Add a dumbbell (or a baby like in this mommy and me workout haha).
And of course, fuel up with these healthy snacks for busy moms afterward!
This home workout is:
- Beginner-friendly (no jumping)
- Scalable
- Only 15 minutes long
- No gym membership needed
- Focused on muscles that will actually move the needle in terms of results
Making A Workout Schedule
One thing you may want to do is write up a workout schedule for yourself so that you know what you're doing when.
A good workout schedule for a beginner looks something like this:
Monday: Full Body Workout
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: Full body workout
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Full body workout
Saturday & Sunday: rest/kid time
That said, everyone's workout schedule is different. Figure out what may work for your household and write it down!
No Equipment Mom Workout
Perform exercises A1-A5 back to back for the repetitions prescribed. Then, take a rest and repeat those for a total of three rounds.
After you’re done that, perform the final exercise as a Tabata. This means you’ll do the exercise for 20 seconds, rest for ten seconds, and repeat for four rounds.
Finally… wipe the sweat off and get back to momming!
| A1. Squat With Pause | x10 |
| A2. Push Up To Superman | x6 |
| A3. Walking Lunges | x 40 seconds |
| A4. Plank Rotations | x 30 seconds |
| A5. Glute Walkout | x 30 sexonds |
| Rest | 60 seconds x 3 rounds |
| B1. Bear Crawls | 20s work: 10s rest x4 rounds |
Workout PDF Printable
Below is a PDF of the workouts for you to download (click the image). Here, you can record your weights and any notes.
Mark down the workouts and then as you go through them week by week strive to progress them by upping your weight, improving your form, or getting through the sets faster.
Want over 20 printable home workouts without any ads? Check out these Printable Power Workouts. All kinds of workouts to help you kick off your fitness journey right in one spot.
How To Perform The Mom Workout Exercises
Remember, when it comes to home workouts, engagement is crucial. Meaning, don’t just go through the motions.
This workout isn't geared towards a specific fitness level (same as this workout for moms). So long as you focus on each and every rep with control, you'll get the biggest bang for your buck.
Squat With Pause
- Begin by standing with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart.
- Sink the hips back and down while keeping your heels on the floor as you lower your hips toward the floor.
- Bring your elbows to your knees and pause for three full seconds.
- While pausing drive the knees out.
- Squeeze the glutes, push through the feet and return to the starting position.
Push Up To Superman
- Begin in high plank position.
- Slowly lower down until your chest rests on the ground.
- Squeeze the glutes and raise your chest and feet off the ground.
- Re-plant your hands on the ground and push up back into full plank position
Can't do a push up yet? Learn how to do push ups as a beginner?
Modification: focus on the lowering portion (an eccentric push up), perform the superman and then use your hands and knees to just get back to the starting position.
Walking Lunges
- Stand upright and take a big step forward with your right leg.
- Get your balance, hinge forward slightly and drop the back knee toward the floor.
- Pause briefly and pull up through the front foot as you move the back leg forward into the next step.
Plank Rotations
- Begin in high plank position.
- Twist to the right and lift the right arm into the air.
- Return to a regular plank position and perform the same movement on the left side.
- Aim to open up the chest and use the side muscles to hold you up.
Glute Walkout
- Begin by laying on your back with your knees bent and heels close to your bum.
- Perform a glute bridge and lift your hips into the ait making sure to squeeze the glutes and not overly arch the back.
- Maintain square, high hips as you start walking your feet one by one away from your bum.
- When you can no longer maintain form, reverse the movement and walk the feet back toward the heels.
Bear Crawls
- Begin in table top position on your hands and knees.
- Use your core muscles to lift your knees off the floor so that they hover about an inch above it.
- Begin to crawl by moving your right hand and left knee forward. Try not to shoot your hips into the air.
- Keep crawling by moving your left hand and right knee forward.
- repeat.
Ditch the All-or-Nothing Trap
The Kickstart & Thrive Bundle is where busy moms keep things simple with quick, strength-building workouts you can actually fit into your day, plus protein-packed snacks that give you energy and taste like dessert but don't add extra time in the kitchen.
Other Fitness Tips For Moms
- How to entertain toddlers in the gym so you can work out
- Pelvic floor tips for moms
- Crucial pillars to lose weight
- Busy Moms Ultimate Guide To Home Workouts
- The best home workout equipment for small spaces
- Benefits of strength training
- Fitness goals other than weight loss
- How to make home workouts harder (without adding weight)
- Beginner-friendly, easy workouts
- Fitness tips for busy moms
Frequently Asked Questions About Mom Workouts
The trick to fitting in exercise as a busy mom is to make what you’re doing COUNT and squeeze movement into even the most random times. Start making use of quick five-minute workouts over the day, opt for bodyweight exercises so that you can do them anywhere, and overcome the mindset that workouts need to be very structured and at least 45 minutes long- they don’t!
Sandi says
OMG, thank you for the graphics that help us see the correct form. Now I know that I was doing my planks wrong. No wonder I had lower back pain. Thank you!
fitasamamabear says
Happy to help!! I personally need the visual for everything.