Quick Workouts That Really Work
Finding time to exercise poses a great problem for most people. Work, family life and other duties lay so much claim to our waking moments, that the thought of going to a gym or engaging in some form of workout can be daunting. However, with a little creativity, you can achieve a great workout in a short space of time that will eventually produce the fitness results you desire. Following are some quick workouts that any average person can do:
1. Walking – This is the ultimate producer of all round fitness. Walking recruits the major muscle groups of the body and tones and strengthens them. When done twenty minutes a day, five days a week, walking will trim and tone muscles, help you lose weight, reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure and improve cardiac condition. You may walk outdoors or on the treadmill.
2. Step workout – For this you may need the kind of step that is sold in sports goods stores, or you may use a block or the step of your house. Climb up and down the step while swinging your arms for a total body workout. To burn more calories and tone upper body muscle, you may use a pair of two- or five-pound dumbbells, depending on your fitness level and what you are trying to achieve. This is a good way to burn calories in just ten minutes once or twice a day.
3. Jump rope – This is a simple, but often overlooked cardio workout that burns calories, speeds up your metabolism and gives you a total body workout. And all you need is ten minutes a day.
4. Total body workout – You may do push ups lying on the floor or standing and pushing against the wall to tone and strengthen the upper body. This can be followed by abdominal exercises such as crunches or leg raises. Finally, you can work your legs and thighs with squats and lunges, all within ten minutes. If you find that you don't have time for a total body workout each time, you can work your upper body one day and the lower body the next.
5. Use exercise bands – There are many varieties on the market and they come with instructions to help you achieve a total body workout in as little as ten minutes a day.
The key to getting the most out of your workout is not the length of each session, but the consistency. Research has shown that exercising just ten minutes a day, five days a week can produce the same level of fitness as someone who exercises for an hour 3 or 4 days a week. So lack of time is no longer an excuse for not working out. By taking 10 minutes of your lunch hour each day, you can improve your fitness level and be on your way to optimum health.