Nowadays, our lives are so busy and hectic that often we only have 15 to 30 minutes to work out. The mentality that surrounds the fitness industry is that a good workout should take you at least 60 to 90 minutes to complete. Contrary to that belief, sometimes you can get a more efficient workout in less time.
A few things everybody wants coming out of a good workout are a sense of accomplishment, a feeling of strength and the inspiration to come back and do it all again tomorrow. Well, I am here to help broaden your horizons and give you some fun and unique workout variations so you can get efficient movement and tailor your workout time to your schedule. Your workout routine should evolve with you — not the other way around — and that’s why HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) is one of my favorite training tools.
What are HIIT workouts? They are brief exercises in time intervals at maximum pace with short breaks in between. Benefits include increased anaerobic and aerobic threshold, increased metabolic rate after workout, reduced heart rate and blood pressure and increased weight loss.
There are many variations of HIIT workouts that you can do to keep things fresh over time, but here are some of my absolute favorites:
AMRAP: AMRAP stands for “As Many Rounds As Possible.” This means you will choose anywhere from two to 10 exercises and go through them as quickly as possible before your time runs out and rest when needed. I love this variation of HIIT because it is so versatile and anyone at any fitness level can complete it.
EMOM: EMOM stands for “Every Minute on the Minute.” With EMOM workouts, you have one minute to complete a specific number of reps of a particular exercise. The key to this type of workout is to finish your repetitions before the minute is over so you can rest longer. In this case, the amount of rest is dependent on when you finish your set number of repetitions.
Here’s what you need to do to customize your workout:
First, you need to pick your workout variation: AMRAP, EMOM, Tabata, Circuit, Interval, etc. Next, you need to decide what length you want your workout to be. If you are only going for 10-15 minutes, then you should make your intensity about 88-95 percent of your max effort. If you are going anywhere between 20-35 minutes, decrease your intensity to 78-85 percent.
Once you decide your workout length, this will help you decide how much rest you need. If you are only going for 10-15 minutes, then I recommend a short rest period and a longer rest for 20-35 minutes.
Lastly, pick your exercises. I recommend exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time. This will help increase your heart rate and efficiency to make the most of the time you have given yourself. For example, instead of just doing a dumbbell shoulder press, add in a squat to work your legs simultaneously.
Try this AMRAP out. Set your timer for 15 minutes and complete as many rounds as possible.
- Eight Dumbbell Squat to Shoulder Press
- Eight Push-ups
- Eight Crunches
- Eight Burpees
- Run 100-200 meters
The holiday season is upon us and these are some great alternatives to start incorporating exercise into your busy routine. Do not let the seasons determine your success.
Hannah Franklin is a Wellness Director at the Plant City Family YMCA.