5 Most Effective Exercises to Do at the Gym When You’re Short on Time

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The most overly-used excuse for not going to the gym to exercise is a perceived lack of time.

And while most of us usually can find the time if we really want to, there can be unexpected things popping up occasionally right before a workout that can shorten up the amount of time available.

Keep in mind with shorter workouts, you are trading time for intensity; because you have less time to exercise, you must do it at a higher level of work.

When something unexpectedly does come up, here are some ideas to get the most out of the time you have.

1) Rowing Machine

One of the best machines to use when pressed for time is a rowing machine.

Why? Because it works both the upper and lower body at the same time thus maximizing your time on the machine.

To kick up the intensity of your cardio workout, crank up the resistance and speed up the pace.

2) Treadmill

Treadmills are very versatile as machines that work the lower body.

To make up for the shortened amount of time, increase the intensity by upping the incline and increasing the speed.

To add some upper body in the mix, pick up a pair of dumbbells in an appropriate weight and do lateral and forward raises, or bicep curls while walking.

3) Elliptical Machine

Some people prefer using an elliptical trainer over a treadmill, because it has a lower impact on the lower body joints, especially the knees.

If using the stationary handles, it just works the lower body, but most ellipticals also have a pair of handles that oscillate back and forth making it a full body workout.

To increase the intensity, increase the angle of the footpads and crank up the intensity.

And because it is powered by the user, the speed can be increased by moving the footpads back and forth quicker.

With the increased intensity of any cardio-type exercises, be sure to keep track on your heart rate and keep it in your Target Range (220-age x70% to 80%).

4) Compound Exercise – Upper Body

With the short amount of time you have available, strength training should focus on exercises that work more than one muscle group at a time.

For instance, to target the upper body – shoulders, upper back, neck and triceps – do shoulder presses with either a pair of dumbbells or weighted barbell.

5) Compound Exercise – Lower Body

For the lower body, do dumbbell or kettlebells squats and weighted lunges that target the quadriceps, glutes and calves.

To do a combined compound exercise, do weighted lunges and when in the down position (foot forward/knee bent at 90-degree angle), raise the dumbbells up in a bicep curl (or two).

Return back to the lunge position, push back off your forward foot returning back to the starting position.

Getting in a workout in a shortened amount of time is not difficult if you have a plan going in and minimize the time spent not exercising.

Anything is possible if you want to do it!

Is It Possible to Lose Weight if You Have a Busy Life and No Time?

Fitness coaches every where roll their eyes at the question: “Can I lose weight with a busy schedule?” It’s something most people struggle with on a regular basis.

You want to get fit, but you struggle to find time within your schedule to fit in a workout–much less an entire fitness routine. In fact, lack of time is the number one reason why people say they don’t have the healthy lifestyle they want.

Fortunately, no matter how busy your schedule may seem, you can find time to fit in a workout.

In today’s world, you don’t have to go to the gym either. You also don’t have to buy into expensive workout equipment, and you definitely don’t need a personal trainer.

All you need to do is find literally 10 minutes in your day where you can take out your smartphone and fire up an at-home bodyweight workout.

In just 10 minutes a day, you can begin to see a difference in the way you look and, even more importantly, the way you feel.

As you get used to this little bit of physical activity, you’ll find yourself having even more energy and even more desire to workout a little bit more.

You’ll be moving more quickly through your daily routine and you’ll begin to realize that finding a bit more time to workout isn’t that hard at all.

That’s why many people are ditching their 30-minute routines and option for three short 10-minute workouts instead.

After all, it can be hard to set aside a solid 30-minute block and commit to such a workout during the day, but a shorter workout can easily be fit into your morning routine, your lunch hour, or during the evening while you’re watching television.

There’s no excuse for not finding at least one 10 minute block where you can fit in a little workout.

And, these short workouts can be very effective.

Anything is better than nothing, but even when faced with the choice between a single 30-minute workout or three 10-minute workouts, you’ll find the latter is often easier to commit to and–with all things consider (like your endurance)–just as effective, if not more so, than a longer routine that you could easily miss, cut short, or put off.