Time Is On Your Side

 

When I first started working out I felt like the longer I worked out, the better my workout was.  

Then I fell into the time trap and wouldn't workout if I didn't have an hour to an hour and a half to my workouts.  Well, here's the deal; you don't NEED an hour or more to workout.  In fact some of my best, body shaking, sweat dripping workouts are done in fifteen to twenty minutes.  That's right, you heard me.  

I know that we have all heard that thirty minutes is optimal and I will agree with that but an occasional short workout here and there are fine.  

Let's be real for a minute.  If you are working out for an hour; unless you are a machine like Lynette, there are times that you are not truly focused on your workout.  There are probably even minutes here and there that you have stopped and are getting a drink, checking the time, standing still to catch your breathe, and whatever else you can do to make time pass faster.  We all do it and that's fine.

Now, let's take a crazy day.  You oversleep and only have twenty minutes.  That is too short of a time to pop in a dvd.  You can run around the block but it's raining.  Well great, you might as well just skip your workout today or try to get it in tonight.  NO!  Crank up the stereo and let's get to work.  

You will need your HEAVIEST weights for this. You might need to double up your weights to really push yourself, the end of each move should be a struggle.

Start off with some light jumping jacks to warm you up.  

Once your heart starts to pump do one minute of  fast jumping jacks.

20 push ups (do not modify if at all possible, push yourself)

30 sit ups (not crunches)

30 dumbbell curls (get on your knees and do each arm separately, really focus and use control)

1 minute of mountain climbers

30 squats (go as low as you can, stick your bottom as far out as it can go.  Make sure your knees don't go past your toes!)

30 chest presses

30 toe touches (lie on your back and take your arms above your head with a weight in each hand.  Put your feet in the air and try to touch your toes with the weights.  Keep your hips on the floor!)

30 walking lunges 

30 tricep extensions

30 plie squats

15 forward arm circles with weights (make sure there is a slight bend in your elbows)

15 backward arm circles with weights

GOOD WORK!  Now stretch it all out.