Ahh time always seems to be at a shortage when it comes time to squeeze in exercise. BUT, we are all busy and some weeks are harder than others to ‘fit it in’. So, if you’re wanting to know how to stay fit in minimal time, I always advocate High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).
As per my article from October
I have several examples on my blog, but it is important to keep changing up your workout, to keep your body guessing and your mind from getting bored.
If you are running, think of sprints. All out, maximal effort for
20 seconds to a minute. A couple of examples of workouts you can do on
the treadmill, on the bike, or running outside.
8-10 min OR 1 mile Warm Up
5 to 10, 20 seconds sprints. If you are just starting out, begin with
5 sprints and each week, add 1 sprint to your total count
(20 second sprints should be all out, so push it)
Rest 30 to 90 seconds between each sprint
You can treat the treadmill as a track-
2X 400 (1 lap around a track or .25 on the treadmill(approx 60-90 seconds)
Rest 2 minutes
2X 200 (half a track lap, or .12, or .13 on the treadmill(approx 20-30 seconds)
Rest 1 minute
Try this out, it is a great workout. Yes, if done right it IS hard, but
you will be done your intervals in 15 to 30 minutes.
Happy Sweating!
amanda
I’ve loved running for as long as I can remember. I was a competitive runner in high school and college. I trained hard and my dream of making the Olympic team was within my reach when I suffered what could have been a career ending injury.
But today I’m enjoying the fit lifestyle again. I’m working toward my MBA and hope to have a career in fitness. I've started this blog hoping I can inspire someone else. Whether you’re in a fitness rut, working your way back from an injury, trying to begin an exercise program, or enjoying your fit lifestyle, I would love to hear from you. Send me an email or post a comment and tell me where you are in your fitness journey.
Hey Amanda, you are such an inspiration, I used to run and started getting shin-splints, and decided to stop running. Watching and reading your blog has motivated me to get back on track...Looking to get back to running again, any suggestions?...Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHi There,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your feedback! It makes me so happy that this has helped motivate you!!
As for getting back into running again, there are a couple options that tend to work well at motivating people.
One is to sign up for a local 5km or 10km race - this really gets the fire started in you to get training!
Another option is just to start slowly, I recommend going for 'walk/jogs' - what this means is start out by fast walking for 5-10 min, then alternate between 1 and 2 min of jogging with 1 min of walking. Every week try to increase the frequency and length of the running portion and cut back on the walking. This is a great way to get back into it without being too overwhelmed or risking injuries.
I will also be posting some great running workouts. When I get my website up, I'll make sure to compose some running plans - stay tuned!