Read any fitness magazine or website these days, and you'll likely find information about quick, time-efficient workouts. You'll read that the days of endless hours on the treadmill are over, and that you can reach your goals with 20- to 30-minute routines. It may sound too good to be true, but there's plenty of research to support this approach.
It's possible to build muscle, burn fat and reach your fitness goals by spending less time in the gym.
No Equipment Needed
Not only can you see results with shorter workouts, you also don't need equipment.
Though most facilities carry the latest and greatest in fitness equipment, it isn't always in your best interest to use it, especially since these machines can cause muscle imbalance and injury if used incorrectly. Many of us need to get away from these machines and learn to use our bodies properly again.
Ideally this should be done with a qualified fitness professional, but if hiring a trainer is not an option, bodyweight movements are a good place to start.
Bodyweight training is also extremely affordable (it's free), it's easy to transport, there is no assembly required and it's so versatile that you can do it anywhere.
On The Minute (OTM) Session
A challenging interval workout is an "OTM" or On The Minute set-up. These commonly involve two to three different exercises completed for anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. For this sample workout, you will complete three different movements for 24 minutes.
Here's how it works. Set a timer for 24 minutes, hit start and complete the first exercise. Let's say it takes you 25 seconds to do all the reps. You will now get the remainder of that minute, so 35 seconds, to rest. At the top of the next minute, you will begin the second exercise. If that one takes 20 seconds, you get the remaining 40 seconds to recover. For the next minute, you complete the third exercise in the same format. At the top of the fourth minute, you return to the first exercise and start again.
With this set-up you will complete eight total sets of the three movements.
This is a great way to efficiently fit a good amount of work in a short amount of time. When you monitor your rest periods, it really changes the game. Too many of us waste time in the gym, especially between sets. With this on-the-minute routine, you have to stay focused on the task at hand, ultimately working hard and get results.
See the next page for how to do each exercise.