Time-One of the most important factors when it comes to your workouts.
- Do I have enough time to get in my workout?
- How long does it take to get to the gym?
- Do I have enough time for a workout and cardio?
- I only have 30 minutes, is this enough time to do what I need to do?
We all have the time in our day, in order to achieve we must have the motivation behind the task that needs to be done. In the words of one of my clients, Martha Weaver, “We will only make time for what we feel is necessary or important to us”.
If you find yourself strapped for time, I have a few suggestions that might make a bit of a difference when it comes to fitting in your time at the gym.
Combine Exercises
Multiple body parts such as this “Lunge/Bicep” movement can really cut down time, if you workout in a circuit style, in 30 minutes you can easily fit over an hours worth of exercises.
Don’t take extended rest breaks
Over a minute rest and your heart rate begins to reduce to the point of where you are lifting for power, strength, which is a whole different blog all together! If you have only 30 minutes to workout, why are you wasting 2-3 minutes in between resting?
The gym is not social hour
Quit talking to your buddies, the front desk, or on your cell phone! Just get in there and work, your friends will understand that you are on a time crunch and will let you be, but even if that pesky person comes around trying to derail you, just throw in your headphones until they take the hint….hopefully…
Circuit training
Circuit training is a great way to keep motivated, keep burning the calories, keep working continuously and a way to add multiple body parts into the workout while under the pressure of the clock.
Come prepared
Be in your gym ready to work at whatever it is your are trying to accomplish, don’t play on your phone or music device to find what you are wanting to listen to, be ready to train! Don’t take your time getting changed, or better, have your gym clothes on! Be mentally prepared to get the best workout you can for the time that you are there.
1 Body part
Try this out next time you are in a rush, even at 3 sets you’ll be feeling the exercise.
Pec Deck x 15
Chest Press x 15
Incline Dumbbell Fly x 10
Incline Dumbbell Press x 10
Push Up x 10 (3 second pause at the bottom of the exercise)
Interval Training with Plyometrics
This is one of my favorite ways to do cardio, I am not one who generally likes to be doing an extended duration on a treadmill, so I try to add in what I can to make it more interesting as well as get the most out of the workout.
Example: Treadmill
After warm up
1.5 minute walk on incline
30 seconds sprint
1.5 minute walk on incline
30 squat jumps
1.5 minute walk on incline
30 seconds sprint
1.5 minute walk on incline
30 medicine ball throw downs
Repeat for as long as you have time.
Home exercises
There are so many ways to bring the gym straight to your house! All of these programs that Beach Body has to offer (P90X, Insanity), TRX, Home videos or even YouTube has wonderful home exercises that you can do easily IN YOUR OWN HOME. I always suggest the TRX for people who are travelling, home, or who want an easy structure to keep themselves in shape. The TRX hooks up to a doorway easily and is also easily transported.
So there we go, just some ways in order to get the full effect out of your workouts while on a restriction of time, remember if there is a will to workout and a will to improve, you will make the time, you will prioritize, you will exclude things out of your life in order to include a better healthier life.
You have to SHOW UP to the gym, to SHOW OFF that body!
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