Time is precious and using each minute allotted for exercise to the fullest extent is the best way to get the most bang-for-your-buck. To make your time working out most effective, follow the tips below!
Switch It Up
Kickboxing, yoga, mat and reformer pilates, cardio barre, resistance training and weight lifting, swimming, cycling, hiking, speed runs, endurance runs, stair runs, rock climbing, and a plethora of activities come to mind when planning my schedule around exercising. Find what is exciting, challenging, and makes you sweat adds variance to your regular exercise regimen. The body will be shocked, resulting in a higher caloric burn.
Intervals
While exercising is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle, if not done to the maximum effort each time, it becomes habit, and the body will refrain from change. Interval training is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories and increase your VO2, therefore increasing muscle tone, cardio-respiratory fitness and aide in weight loss.
What is a VO2? A factor used in measuring the maximum amount of oxygen used by an exerciser while performing at peak intensity, measuring the liters of oxygen consumed per minute.
A VO2 over 40 is typically considered a good fitness level for the average person. Lance Armstrong has a VO2 of approximately 85 ml oxygen/kg/min. This means his body utilizes oxygen at a maximum capacity, burning numerous calories per minute, making his calorie burn per hour of exercise outstanding. The best way to increase your VO2 is by interval training, which raises and lowers the heart rate on numerous instances over a 45-60 minute time span, ultimately training the lungs and body to burn more calories.
This can be done on a treadmill, running outdoors, on any exercise machine, or with weights. For instance, doing a 45-minute workout on a treadmill, adding in sprints every 5 minutes for 30 seconds would be conducive. Or, sprinting for 1 minute, cooling down for 3 minutes, etc, until 45 minutes has been reached.
Incline
Either outdoors or on a treadmill, walking or running up an incline drastically increases heart rate, pushing the body to extremes, scorching calories. Walk up a hill, down, and up again for at least an hour, increasing and decreasing the grade from 5-15% grade each time, holding on as little as possible if on a treadmill.
Full-Body Workouts
Instead of doing curls, try adding in alternating lunges with a curl simultaneously. Or attempt to do squats while holding a weight straight in front, a row while sitting in a squat to name a few variances. The body will have to work harder to maintain balance, building core stability and strength. Working the largest muscle groups of the legs increases calorie burn and lean muscle mass, while challenging the body.
Plyometrics
Add jumping up or sideways, jumping jacks, burpees, or mountain in between weight sets is an excellent way to increase and decrease the heart rate and push all muscles. Back or knee pain, opt for shadow boxing.
Concentrate
Feel the muscles moving while exercising and focus on the muscles contracting and relaxing with each motion. Focus on the breathe, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth with exertion. Once a burning sensation in the muscles occurs and you feel it is impossible to go on, think about the muscles adapting and strengthening and mentally move forward with toning the body. A healthy body makes a healthy mind, and a happy person!
Cardio Interval: 40 minutes high intensity interval training
5 minutes warm-up
8 - 30 second intervals of increased intensity (hold the 8th for 60 seconds)
7- 30 second intervals of decreased intensity, back to baseline
2 minute active recovery at baseline
1 minute strength sprint (incline/resistance high with moderate speed)
1 minute recovery at baseline
1 minute sprint (fast speed)
2 minute recovery at baseline
8 - 30 second intervals of increased intensity (hold the 8th for 60 seconds)
7 - 30 second intervals of decreased intensity at baseline
2 minute active recovery at baseline
1 minute strength sprint (incline/resistance high with moderate speed)
1 minute recovery at baseline
1 minute sprint (fast speed)
2 minute recovery at baseline
5 minute cool down
Mountain: 45 minutes, medium intensity, steady state
Increase your speed and/or incline every 3 minutes 5 times and after that every 5 minutes until you reach the 40 minute marker, where you start a 5 minute cool down.
Treading: 40 minutes of high intensity interval training
5 minute warm up
5 minutes as hard as you can go
5 minute recovery
4 minutes as hard as you can go
4 minute recovery
3 minutes as hard as you can go
3 minute recovery
2 minutes as hard as you can go
2 minute recovery
1 minute as hard as you can go
1 minute recovery
5-7 minute cool down
Circuit Training: 40 minute medium intensity intervals
2 minutes on cardiovascular machine, running/biking outside, or any other cardiovascular exercise
2 minutes on strength training machine, free weights, TRX, resistance bands, abdominal exercises, etc. (45 seconds on, 30 second rest, 45 seconds on)
