10-Minute Workout to Tone & Strengthen Mid-Run

8 Easy Exercises that Tone Booty/Legs, Arms, & Belly…Mid-Run (or Mid-Walk)

I love venturing out with Peapod in the stroller (this stroller — our fave), and we’ve been doing this since Penelope was three days old.

Over the last several months, I’ve worked back up to running about 4 miles (YAY and also SO HARD) and have additionally sought ways to incorporate some simple strength-training into these jogs (or walks…on MANY days it’s a walk).

This 10-minute workout routine features eight exercises and is easy to add into a stroller run (half or three-quarters of the way through), and it targets & tones booty/legs, arms, and belly. Although a bench is not required, it can be really helpful for these exercises. Happy strengthening!

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Penelope AKA best mid-run cheerleader.

10-Minute Workout: Exercises that Tone & Strengthen During a Run (or Walk)

Bench Step Ups = Tone Booty & Legs

• Step up onto bench with right foot, quickly followed by left. Then step down with right foot, quickly followed by left. This (right up, left up, right down, left down) = 1 rep.
• 10 – 15 reps on right, then switch starting foot (the left) & do same number of reps; 2 to 3 sets!
• No bench?
  • High-knee kicks with squats in between! Come to an “active stance,” light on toes, then alternate lifting right knee, then left knee into chest. 10 – 15 reps. Then do 10 squats, slow & controlled. Follow these with another set of high-knee kicks. 2 to 3 sets.

Bench Pushups = STRENGTHEN ARMS & CHEST

• Essentially incline pushups using the back of the bench.
  Make sure back of the neck is long & try to become as flat as possible.
  Pushups are awesome for strength and work many muscles/muscle groups.
• 15 – 20 reps; 2 sets.
• Shoulder & upper back stretch at the end? Hold onto the bench and allow your chest to fall through your arms, toward the earth.
• No bench?
  • Pushups on the ground, knees up or down. Or maybe pushups on a tree if you’re still looking for an incline situation…

Bench Boat Lowers = STRENGTHEN BELLY

• Balance on the end of the bench.
• Inhale extend legs away from you, exhale draw knees toward chest.
  15 – 20 reps; 2 to 3 sets.
• Need some support? Hold onto the side of the bench!
• Want more strength? Hold your legs away from you for longer!
• No bench?
  • Boat lowers in the grass.

All together now!

When done in sequence, the three strength-building exercises above take approximately three minutes of the 10-minute workout.

This is from Monday morning’s stroller run. It’s sped up, but it still gives a good idea of how to put it all together!

More Strength, Please!

What other exercises to incorporate into the 10-minute mid-run workout?

Bench Tricep Dips = TONE ARMS

• Face away from the bench, plant hands facing away from bench and draw elbows toward your sides.
• Walk legs out and exhale lower down to hover above earth.
• Inhale press seat up and away from earth, extending arms.
• 15 – 20 reps; 2 sets.
• Need some support? Bend your knees rather than extending legs.
• Want more strength? Hold yourself to hover just above the ground for 5+ seconds.
• No bench? Tone arms with more pushups with palms close into your sides, elbows draw in (rather than arms wide).

Squats = STRENGTHEN BOOTY/LEGS

• No bench needed for this part of the 10-minute workout (unless you want to do more of a ‘box jump’ type squat onto the bench…go for it!)
• Stand with feet a little wider than hip’s width distance, toes slightly out.
• Inhale, then exhale lower to a squat like you’re going to sit in a chair: butt out, low-back lengthened, and chest lifted — weight BACK. Inhale rise & squeeze your booty. Exhale squat back down.
• 15 – 20 reps; 2 sets.

Squat Jumps = STRENGTHEN BOOTY/LEGS

• Stand with feet a little wider than hip’s width distance, toes slightly out.
• Inhale, then exhale lower to a squat like you’re going to sit in a chair: butt out, low-back lengthened, chest lifted, arms back for balance — weight BACK.
• Inhale jump UP, exhale lower into low squat. Repeat.
• 15 – 20 reps; 2 sets.

Lunges — Stationary = TONE BOOTY/LEGS

• Stand with feet a little wider than hip’s width distance.
• Hands to hips for balance.
• Inhale, then exhale step right foot forward and bend right knee — knee stacks over ankle, knee hovers above earth.
• Inhale step right foot back and stand up.
• Exhale step left foot into lunge; right out then back & left out then back = 1 rep.
• 15 – 20 reps; 2 sets.

Lunges — Walking = TONE BOOTY/LEGS

• Perfect when you’re HOLDING ONTO THE STROLLER!
• Same as above, but take big steps forward, pausing to hover the knee before taking the next forward step.
• 15 – 20 reps; 2 sets.
• P = less than impressed with these…LOL.

All Together Now!

10-Minute Workout for the Win

Again, when done in a sequence, these toning & strength-building exercises take just about 10-minutes. And it’s just enough UMPH — these really make me sweat…i.e. kick my butt.

This too is halfway through Monday’s stroller run. Sped up, it includes almost all of what’s above, using the bench and some open concrete space.

Looking for other ways to build strength at home?

Check out these yoga strengthening drills.

Or wondering how to ease back into exercise postpartum?

Here’s how to exercise during the first six weeks postpartum.

Is this 10-minute workout that tones & strengthens — mid-run or walk — helpful? Please share!

What else do you add into your runs or walks to build some strength? Comment below!