Getting Started

The seven-minute workout is composed of exercises that use your body weight as resistance. The exercises target different parts of your body to create a full body benefit. Performance coach Brett Klika offers some considerations before beginning the exercise circuit. The exercises in the seven-minute plan can be used for weight loss and will improve cardiovascular health and insulin management. You can do between nine to 12 of the exercises in the plan if you choose, though the seven-minute plan incorporates all 12 exercises with 10 seconds of rest in between each. Do each of the nine exercises for approximately 35 seconds with 10 seconds of rest in between each or do each of the 12 for 25 seconds with 10 seconds of rest in between them.

Exercises 1 to 4

The first part of the circuit combines the following four exercises: jumping jacks, wall sits, push-ups and abdominal crunches. To do jumping jacks, start by jumping and spreading your legs, raising your hands above your head, bringing them down with another jump and repeating. Follow with the wall sit by sitting against a wall like you would in a chair and hold your position. Next, do push-ups with your body aligned from head to toe on the floor, pushing up with your arms and lowering yourself until you almost touch the floor. Last, for abdominal crunches, lie on your back with your knees up and move your torso toward your knees.

Exercises 4 to 8

The next part of the circuit involves the following exercises: chair step-up, squat, chair tricep dip and plank. For chair step-ups, step onto a chair and back down. Alternate your leading leg in subsequent repetitions. For the squat, keep your back straight and lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then return to your original position and repeat. Chair tricep dips require the chair again -- keep your feet on the floor, your body off the seat, your elbows pointing back and your hands grasping the bottom of the seat, then lower yourself and come back up. For the plank, rest your forearms on the floor and raise your body while keeping your toes on the floor and your body aligned from head to foot. Hold your position for the allotted amount of time.

Exercises 9 to 12

The last third of the circuit includes the following exercises: high knees, lunge, push-up with upper body rotation and side plank. For high knees, run in place, raising your knees as high as possible. To do a lunge, step forward with one foot, lowering the other leg to the floor behind you and then repeat with the other leg in the forward position. Next, do a push-up but instead of pausing at a plank position, raise your body on an arm and lift your free arm up from your side to create a flat position. Repeat for the other side. For the side plank, rest on your forearm and align your body from head to toe as though you're trying to fit between two panes of glass and then repeat for the other side.