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Writer's pictureGuest Contributor
3 days ago4 min read

Effortless Fitness: Plans for the On-the-Go Professional

by Kathleen Nialla

 

If you were to think about the reasons people give for never working out, the one that likely tops the list is a lack of time. In today’s fast-paced world, time is a precious commodity, but even the smallest window is enough to get your heart rate up when utilized correctly.


Whether you have a membership to your local gym and access to a wide range of machines, attend a specialized workout class, or simply have your favorite women’s running shoes, workout clothes, and some weights tucked away in your office desk drawer, squeezing in a short but effective workout is possible in even the busiest of schedules.


HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT)

HIIT training is a form of workout that involves intense, maximum-effort movements followed by short moments of rest. These quick bursts of exercise essentially turn your body into a furnace, burning calories fairly quickly for an extended period after the workout is finished.


HIIT is ideal for those with only 10-20 minutes a day to get their movement in. Tabata workouts, which consist of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off for a span of eight rounds of movements, give you the flexibility to select exercises to target the entire body. Use your small rest periods to focus on breathing and lowering your heart rate to perform at your best during the work period.


YOGA

We have all heard about the endless benefits of yoga about a thousand times. It is an effective way to lower stress, reduce anxiety, and help stretch and rehabilitate tired and sore muscles. However, multiple studies have revealed that regularly including yoga in your routine can contribute to improved strength gains.


Yoga doesn’t need to be a slow flow of movements. Many short and quick yoga routines exist online that can be completed in just 20 minutes. These routines utilize the most appropriate movements to maximize the overall impact in minimal time.


WEIGHTLIFTING

If you only have 30 minutes to spare and access to a gym, completing a well-rounded weighted exercise session will quickly become your go-to workout option. Incorporating weightlifting into your routine will not only increase bone density and help lower your injury risk, but it can also significantly improve your mood.


Research shows that you can effectively build muscle using lighter weights as long as you use proper technique and work your whole body through each movement. Just half an hour of serious and intentional lifting can elevate your heart rate and make you break a sweat.


PILATES

These days, everyone from professional athletes to the guy standing next to you in your local Target is entering the world of Pilates, particularly Reformer Pilates. This intimidating machine, which might more closely resemble a torture device than an exercise machine, is equipped with various straps, platforms, and springs to offer users a range of resistance levels and intensity.


Unlike many other forms of exercise, Pilates focuses on time under tension. Transitions are kept to a minimum to ensure that your muscles are always working and your heart rate remains elevated. If you are used to explosive movements, you will need to learn to slow down to get the full effect of Pilates.


RUNNING INTERVALS

If time is limited but you want to ensure you get your heart beating and break a sweat, it’s time to channel your inner Usain Bolt and do running intervals. Completing quick bursts of running over an extended period of time, roughly an hour, ensures you repeatedly hit high energy levels as you progress through your workout.


Interval training is ideal for burning off large amounts of calories while giving your body momentary periods of rest before using it again, helping you avoid workout burnouts. Over the span of 50 minutes, aim to complete ten 400-meter sprints with a two-minute walking cooldown between each sprint. Follow this with ten 200-meter sprints with a one-minute cooldown to finish off.


AN EXTENDED RUN

Running may not be your idea of an exciting time, but including at least one hour of running in your weekly workout schedule can provide a plethora of health benefits. Not only does it promote a longer life, but it is also a fantastic tool for maintaining good mental health.


The goal for any 60-minute run should be finding a pace that is comfortable and sustainable, without making it difficult to take deep breaths. As the miles pass, take time to reassess how your body feels and determine if you are holding any tension in your shoulders, arms, or hands. Tension can negatively impact your form and lead to unwanted injury.


CIRCUIT TRAINING

Circuit training may not be the most inspiring form of exercise, but it guarantees an efficient full-body workout. It incorporates a range of different machines and movements to target all muscle groups with minimal rest in between. This approach to fitness can do wonders for improving general strength, endurance, cardiovascular health, and muscle toning in a time-saving manner.


The style of movement and exercise you choose to include can either follow the specifications of your gym or be customized to suit your fitness goals. Options like dumbbell lunges with bicep curls combine lower-body strength with upper-body strength and stability, while plank rows with renegade rows target a wide range of muscle groups, including the back, shoulders, arms, and core.

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