20 Minute Workouts

In my last post, I talked about finding time to workout... You can still get something in even if you only have 20 minutes. Today, I thought I’d continue on that theme. So what exactly can you do in 20 minutes?

If we divide an hour workout into 3 sections - upper body, lower body (legs) and core - we can mix and match our workouts creating 20, 40 and 60 minute workouts based on our available time. So you found twenty minutes in your day, what now? Here are two examples of 20 minute workouts:

Beginning

1 (legs): plie or sumo squats, step back lunges and heel lifts

2 (upper-body): chest press, bent-over row and biceps to overhead press to triceps to side raise combo

3 (core): ball crunches, ball bridges, planks and side planks

Intermediate

1 (leg emphasis with core and upper body): 2 sets hack squats, 2 sets squat with overhead press, 3 sets step-back lunges with biceps curls

2 (core emphasis with upper body): chest press on the ball, planks with shoulder rotation, 4 direction diagonals on the ball or bosu

3 (upper body with core): ball push-ups to knees to chest planks, standing cable rows with a 1 leg squat , TYI’s on the ball alternating with back extensions, planks with alternate arm and leg extensions

As always, ensure that you are getting enough recovery time. You should have 48 hours rest between working the same muscle groups. Generally you should not work upper body on Monday and then repeat it on Tuesday. Instead take 20 minutes to do cardiovascular exercise on Tuesday. Do things such as swimming, running, yoga, hiking, biking.

As you progress, increase your intensity by combining exercises. You can also piggy-back exercises by working the antagonist (opposite) muscle groups during your rest period between sets. Both ways you cover more ground in a limited amount of time and burn more calories.

Now that you’ve seen that you can get a workout in 20 minutes, you have no excuses. Get out there!

No time? Break it up!

So many times we think, “ I have to get in an hour of exercise for it to count.” Obviously, an hour of exercise each day is great but it isn't always practical when you are on the go. In fact, research has shown that small bouts of exercise throughout the day increase your metabolism. Simply put, something is always better than nothing. You aren't always missing out.

One easy way to break up your workout is to divide it into thirds - upper-body, lower body and core. I prefer to break up workouts this way as opposed to back and bi's, chest and tri's and legs because my focus is to come back to function. How do each of these exercises translate into your daily life? Often times exercises can overlap each designation. As you increase the intensity of your workout you can combine exercises to hit two areas or more at once and amp it up.

So, if I have a limited time, I can break up my workout into 20 minute increments: 20 min for my legs, 20 min for my core and 20 for my arms. Lets say I am tight on time Mon, Tues and Wed but I have Friday off. I can complete a full body workout in 20 minutes a day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, take Thursday off for recovery and am set for an hour full-body workout on Friday. Worse, I am booked tight all week I can fit in 20 min Mon, Tues, Wed, take Thursday off and get in another full body over Fri, Sat and Sun. You can really mix and match for whatever serves you. I can find 40 min Tuesday and Thursday and can fit in 20 Sat and Sun. Get the picture?

Further, by changing up my training schedule, I continue to add variety to my workouts. Wollf's law is simple, the body will adapt to imposed demands. Keep changing the demands and the body will continue to adapt. Simple techniques such as changing up your workout schedule may get you out of difficult plateaus when you body just doesn't seem to progress.

So no matter how hectic my schedule appears, I usually can find twenty minutes in my day and I always feel better when I do. You can too, can’t you?