Super Charge Your Workout
Looking for Fast Results? Try this and Watch the Fat Melt Away
Think you don't have time to exercise? Think again! Get the most out of doing the least in the gym by incorporating a few quick moves.
Let's face it, we live in a busy world. Who has time to be a slave to the treadmill? The old excuse of "not having enough time" has run its course, especially when there is convincing evidence that short bursts of activity at very high intensity has enormous benefits. And the best part is, these workouts can be accomplished in 30 minutes or less.
Shorter, more intense workouts. The evidence continues to mount that shorter bursts of activity with rest periods in between is one of the most effective ways to exercise. This alternating technique, known as Interval Trainingor high-intensity interval training, has been around for decades but is experiencing newfound popularity as its benefits are publicized.
A recent study showed that interval training enhances the body's ability to burn fat. Eight women in their early 20s were told to cycle for 10 sets of four minutes of hard riding, followed by two minutes of rest. After two weeks, the amount of fat burned in an hour of continuous moderate cycling increased by 36 percent, and their cardiovascular fitness improved by 13 percent.
In his article 10 Minute Exercise Schedule ,Good for Your Heart, Dr. Joseph Mercola says that " Most people are clueless about the exercise intensity and just don't understand that walking for 90 minutes isn't a sufficiently intense exercise. I explain to my patients that they need to go hard enough so that they are having a difficult time talking to someone and then drop back half a notch"
"To see this in action, look at any group of athletes whose predominant exercise consists of resistance training, or short, high intensity sprint work. Sprinters are some of the leanest athletes in the world". says Paul Chek, HHP,NMT and founder of the CHEK Institute in San Diego.
Start Circuit Training. Circuit training makes a great total body workout and can be done with anything from Swiss balls, medicine balls, free weights or machines. With circuit training, you move from exercise to exercise without rest. After completing the circuit, you stop and rest for at least 90 seconds and do it again. Remember to listen to your body! If you are tired, stop.
According to Tom Holland, author of The 12 Week Triathlete, "Circuit training burns 25 percent more calories than traditional resistance workouts by keeping your heart rate elevated the entire time"
It's well known among fitness professionals and researchers that resistance training elevates the metabolism and keeps it elevated for up to four hours after the workout. That's something to consider when you are short on time.
Those Who Pump -"In 1996 when visiting New Zealand, I filmed a special on the PUMP program at Les Mills World of Fitness for a video magazine I was producing. The incredibly lean, fit looking bodies in the room amazed me," says Paul Chek.
Find the Right Mix- So remember, along with some endurance cardio training, be sure you are also incorporating interval-type training and strength training into your exercise routine. As with many things in life, when it comes to exercise, having some variety built in will help you to get the most comprehensive results for your mind and body.
Chek, Paul, Get off Your Fat and Get the Fat Off 2004
Mercola, Joseph, Ten Minute Exercise Schedule, Good for Your Heart 2007
The Ledger, May 3, 2007
Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol. 102, No. 4, April 2007: 1439-1447
