Exercise Time and Intensity plus The Workout

OK ladies it is the New Year and I am sure you all have seen the new TV infomercials.  The 10-minute workout,  20-minute workout, 30-minute workout.  What is up?  Well, people just assume that you need to work out for at least an hour or more to get good results.  This has been the norm since the 80’s!  Think about it when was the last time you took a class or worked out yourself less than an hour?    You are hearing a lot about these shorter workouts because new evidence suggests that workouts with high intensity followed by short recovery can dramatically improve cardiovascular fitness and raise the body’s potential to burn fat.  Trainers in the fitness industry realize this and have adjusted workout programs accordingly for their clients and for purchase.  It is now time for you to realize fitness is not time dependent but rather intensity dependent so you don't have  spend an entire hour in the gym for every workout!

 So let’s talk about interval training.  Interval training alternates short bursts of high-intensity exercise with a short recovery period.  Interval training has been around for decades, it is what serious athletes use to improve performance.  Although it works for everyone and the benefits become evident in a matter of weeks.  It also fits in everyone’s busy lifestyle.  So if you have 10 minutes go for it.  If you have 20-30 minutes just repeat the circuit additional times.

But some guidelines apply. The high-intensity phase should be long and strenuous enough that you are  out of breath — typically 30 seconds  to three minutes.  Recovery periods should not last long enough for your pulse to return to its resting rate. Keep your workouts short, preferably less than 30 minutes.  I like doing compound movements like squats, lunges, pushups, pull ups, etc. because the more muscles you can stimulate at one time the more calories and fat you'll burn!

So let’s put it together.  Here is a total body program to try at home: 

30 seconds is your work interval and you will be pushing the whole 30 seconds at your absolute max effort. Recovery is 15 seconds use the 15 seconds to get set and into position for the next exercise.       Repeat circuit up to 3X

Warm-up:   30 seconds each jumping jacks and jog in place   Repeat 2X

Circuit:

1.      

1.       Push ups

2.       Lunges alternating w/dumbbells

3.       Rows w/dumbbells

4.       Plank

5.       Squats w/dumbbells

6.       Woodchops high to low 20X each side

7.       Curtsy squats w/dumbbell bicep curls

8.       Squat jumps w/dumbbells –lift knees to chest

9.       Tricep dips – hands on dumbbells or bench or chair

10.    Bicycle crunches

Good luck, have fun and commit to get fit,

Debra