Health

How to become lean and mean in less than 30 minutes

The pressures of work, family and life can leave us with less free time than we would like; something has to give. And, for most of us, that something is our commitment to a regular exercise regime instead of staying away from those online slots or online gambling. We want the benefits of a fitter body, lower blood pressure and the release of endorphins, but we seemingly just can’t create the time. It’s not an uncommon problem and it’s one that affects us all at some point in our lives.

The reality, however, is that if you’ve done your homework, and you train in the right way, thirty minutes of time, three times per week can be all you need to get yourself in shape. Circuit training is a proven means of toning up your muscles, as well as burning calories and giving you an all around cardio workout. It’s the perfect regime for those with little time to spare and those who don’t want to waste money on fancy gym memberships. It’s the no frills way of staying in shape.

A sample workout might look like this:

3 sets X

1 minute              Bodyweight push up (Nose to floor)

situps1 minute              Bodyweight push up, with wide arms (Hands wider than shoulder width apart)

1 minute              Bodyweight sit up (Legs at 90 degrees, touch your knees with your elbows)

1 minute              Bodyweight bicycle crunch (Legs at 90 degrees, but raised and parallel to the floor, hands behind your ears, move the left elbow to the right knee, simultaneously straighten left leg, repeat on other side.)

1 minute              Bodyweight squat (Bum as close to the floor as possible)

1 minute              Bodyweight split squat (One foot in front of the other, bend from the knees until your back knee almost touches the floor)

Total exercise time: 27 minutes, assuming a 30 second rest between exercises.

The options for circuit training are endless and the benefits are real. Just thirty minutes, three times each week could transform your health and wellbeing.