Let’s be honest: brushing your teeth and working out are both things that most people would rather put off for later. But trust us, they’re both very important for your overall health. Especially those two minutes a day, twice a day, that you should be spending brushing your teeth.

In this era, multitasking is what makes us human. When it comes to brushing your teeth, you can definitely be more productive with that time and get a quick workout in too!

We have compiled a few 2-minute exercises that you can do while you brush your teeth. When you do these, make sure you keep track of your time and do them for at least two minutes – otherwise, you won’t be getting a good workout, and your teeth won’t be getting clean!

Wall Sits

This will be great for your quads, and it’s easy to hold your toothbrush while you’re at it.
Wall sits are simple: stand against the bathroom wall with your feet about two feet away from it. Your head, shoulders, and upper back should be pressed against the wall the whole time. Slowly slide your back down the wall until your knees bend at a 90-degree angle.

Stay in this position for two minutes while you brush those pearly-whites.

For bonus points: do another round of wall sits while you’re doing your mouthwash routine. The slight tingle of the mouthwash will distract you from any potential burning you might be feeling in your thighs! Make sure to hold the position for two minutes, and be extra careful not to choke or accidentally swallow your mouthwash.

One-Armed Bicep Curls

We say “one-armed” because you’ll need the other one to hold up your toothbrush. Obviously!

With your back straight and chest up, hold a 5-pound dumbbell with your palms facing up. While keeping your upper arms still, bend your elbow and slowly curl the weight towards your shoulder. Return to starting position by slowly lowering your weight, until your arm is completely straight.

Side Bends

Get a quick and efficient ab workout in by doing a few repetitions of side bends. This exercise is best done slowly, for maximum waist-toning.

To start, stand with your feet hip-width apart, and hold a 5- or 10-pound weight in your left hand. Bend sideways to the left, while squeezing your waist on the left side while looking forward (keeping your neck in a neutral position). Use your right hand to hold up your toothbrush, and then switch after a minute.

Standing Calf Raises

Simple, but effective. This is probably one of the best exercises to do while you’re brushing your teeth since it’s minimally distracting from your tooth-brushing routine.

Start off by standing tall and holding your abs in, with your weight on the balls of your feet. Raise your heels a few inches, so that you are standing on your tiptoes for 5-10 seconds. Then, lower your heels back into the original position. In the two minutes it takes to brush your teeth, you should be able to do 20-30 repetitions.

For bonus points, do this workout with a step-aerobic platform. That way, when you lower your heels, you can lower them slightly past the original position and get into a calf-stretch position.

If you have any questions on how you can improve your at-home oral care routine, book an appointment at New Generation Dentistry in Mission Viejo. But if you’re looking for more work-out tips… we can probably refer you to a personal trainer.