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HEALTH AND FITNESS: HIGH INTENSITY MINI-WORKOUTS:
Katharine McCoy
October 9, 2008
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With winter approaching and day light getting shorter it is hard to fit in bike rides before or after work. While you can head to the gym and do a spin class or spend hours on rollers that is not always practical. We all know that our schedules’ during the holiday season are tight enough as it is. At the same time you don’t want to sacrifice the fitness gains that you have made during the simmer months. What is the solution? Unless you are planning on quitting your day job or are content with just your weekend rides you will need something that you can fit into those days when you can’t possible get in a ride or even a trip to the gym. Mini- high intensity workouts are your answer. In fact, even when you are able to get in more than weekend ride it is a good idea to add these short intense workouts to your routine. For many of us who grew up believing that anything less than an hour devoted to exercise was pointless, it is time to think again. You will be surprise at the results.
At least if the results you are looking for are having a stronger heart, stronger muscles and less stress. Studies have shown that short bursts of exercise can improve the condition of your heart, build muscle and increase your overall fitness. The key is to how hard you work out. You can’t work out for twenty minutes at the same pace that you do for 60 and get the same results. No more “I don’t have the time: excuses.
Intervals and variations are the key to making shorter workouts ultra-productive. To make 20 minutes have a body changing effect you have to give it all you got for those 20 minutes. The good news is that each part of the workout is only a few minutes long. One of the essential ideas in a short work out is to do different things for short amount of times so that you body has to keep doing something new and using new muscles. So even if you feel tired you can move on to the next phase quickly and give your self a physiological, but not a physical break.
Just like you know that intervals on your bike can work magic on your cycling fitness intervals in non-bike workouts can go a long way in improving your conditioning. An interval means that you are working out in short bursts at a high intensity followed by an active rest and repeating this over and over. In order to make this workout ultra efficient each cardio segment is followed by a muscle-pumping segment followed by an abdominal workout. This keeps your body working and burning calories through out while allowing your body to recover between each segment. This workout is also great to help you avoid injuries as it works all of your muscle groups and not just the ones that tend to get over-used on your bike.
At typical workout would go something like this:
Minutes 0-1 – Warm-up with jumping jacks, jogging in place or jumping rope.
Minutes 1-2 – Active stretch- Neck rolls, arm circles, toe touches.
Minutes 2-5 – Cardio- jogging or jumping jack or jumping place.
Minutes 5-6 – Strength training -Push-ups
Minutes 6-7 – Abdominals- Crunches
Minutes 7-10 – Cardio- jogging or jumping jack or jumping place.
Minutes 10-11 – Strength –Lunges with arm raises (use hand weights for even better result)
Minutes 11-12 – Strength –Squats with arm curls (with hand weights)
Minutes 13-14 – Abdominals-Crunches with side twist
Minutes 14-17 – Cardio- jogging or jumping jack or jumping place.
Minutes 18-19 – Strength – Squats with Shoulder presses (with hand weights)
Minute 19-20 – Bicycle crunches
Minute 20-25 – Stretching |
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