Working out on a busy schedule can be challenging. But skipping workouts often leads to poor health and fitness outcomes.
Consider these quick workouts to keep you on track and crush your goals even when time is tight. Try high-intensity interval training and circuit training to burn major calories and build muscle.
1. HIIT
Fitness is one of the most important parts of maintaining good health, but it can be a challenge for people with busy schedules to fit in regular exercise. If you’re looking for a workout that fits into your busy lifestyle, try HIIT. This type of workout involves short bursts of intense cardio exercises. These workouts can be done anywhere and they’re perfect for busy people who need to get in and out of the gym quickly.
HIIT workouts are typically 10-30 minutes long and consist of periods of high-intensity exercise alternating with lower-intensity recovery periods. They burn calories more efficiently than traditional workouts, so you can achieve the same results in less time. For example, four 30-second sprints can burn as many calories as 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity.
To make HIIT even more effective, consider using super-sets, which involve performing two exercises back-to-back with little to no rest in between. Examples of this include push-ups and air squats or lunges and crunches. Also, be sure to include a dynamic warm-up and cool-down before and after your workout.
2. Cardio Circuits
Circuits are a great option for busy fitness seekers who want to fit in cardio and strength training sessions. A typical circuit workout consists of several different exercises (for example, an overhead press station, a squat station, and a row station) that target different muscle groups. You move from one exercise to the next with little to no rest in between.
Some circuits are timed, meaning you complete a certain number of repetitions or sets of each exercise before moving to the next. This type of workout is effective for developing cardiovascular endurance, building muscle mass, and boosting your metabolism.
Other circuits are untimed, allowing you to create your own workout by picking and choosing the exercises that work best for you. These workouts can be done at a lower intensity and don’t require as much space or equipment. Regardless of the format you choose, you should incorporate proper stretching and flexibility training to protect your muscles and joints from injury. If you prefer a more structured workout, try a pre-planned circuit class at your local gym or fitness studio.
3. High-Intensity Interval Training
High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a popular workout style that has a lot of study-proven benefits. It’s also a great option for busy people who have limited time to exercise.
These quick, fast-paced workouts can be done at home, in a gym, or on cardio equipment like a treadmill or stationary bike. They last about 30 minutes and can be performed before work, on your lunch break, or first thing in the morning.
To perform a HIIT workout, warm up for 5-10 minutes with dynamic stretching and light movement in your exercise of choice (if you plan to do sprints, jog a bit before amping up the intensity). Once you’re warmed up, transition into short, high-intensity intervals that last one minute of intense activity followed by a one-minute rest.
Repeat this circuit three times, then finish with a cooldown stretch. You can adjust the duration of your intervals and the weight of your exercises to increase the challenge over time. You can also add in other types of workouts, like strength training and bodyweight exercises, to increase your calorie burn and total exercise time.
4. Strength Circuits
If you struggle to find time for a full workout at the gym, try this quick and effective strength circuit at home. This full body fat burning workout will stimulate your muscles and leave you breathless in just 20 minutes.
Circuits are easy to make more challenging or less challenging simply by manipulating the order of exercises and/or rest time between them. Beginners may want to start with alternating upper and lower body exercises, or even just one exercise, and reduce the amount of time between sets. More advanced exercisers might choose to eliminate the rest and up the challenge level by doing multiple upper body or lower body exercises back-to-back. Learn here the best middle back exercises for your body!
Be sure to include stretching and flexibility training in your routine after each strength circuit. This will help prevent muscle tightness and increase your range of motion. It’s also important to stay hydrated, especially when exercising outside or in hot weather. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and avoid sugary drinks like soda. Having a fitness partner can be helpful to keep you accountable and to encourage you to stick with your exercise routine.
5. Low-Intensity Interval Training
HIIT workouts are all the rage right now — but it’s important to remember that low-intensity training, or LIIT, is also good for you. And no, we’re not talking about a Long Island Iced Tea (though that would be nice). LIIT is a calmer take on interval training, and consists of periods of higher and lower intensity exercise — but the hard intervals aren’t as intense. It’s more like a slow jog versus a sprint. You’ll know you’re in the right zone if you can talk without too much effort.
Low-intensity workouts are great for people who struggle to keep up with a high-intensity program or have injuries or other health issues that prevent them from working out at a high level. It’s also a good way to incorporate some cardio into your regular workouts, and you can do it from the comfort of your home or at a gym or community center. A long walk, bike ride, swimming, yoga, or elliptical workout are all examples of low-intensity exercise.
6. Bodyweight Circuits
While most experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, it’s not always feasible to fit that into your schedule. That’s why bodyweight circuits can be a great option for busy exercisers. This workout uses only your own bodyweight to burn calories, build muscle, and improve strength.
Pairing strength and cardio together in a bodyweight circuit workout is an effective way to get a seriously challenging, full-body exercise. It’s also a great workout for people with limited access to equipment. However, she notes that you should modify the workout if necessary to accommodate any physical limitations or health issues you might have. For example, if you can’t perform plyometric exercises such as skater hops and no-jump burpees, you can do side lunges and regular push-ups instead.
You can do these workouts anywhere you have a minute or two to spare, such as before work in the morning, during your lunch break, or during your nightly Netflix binge. In fact, recent studies have shown that exercising in short 10-minute increments throughout the day can be just as effective as one longer session.
7. Bodyweight Strength Training
Rather than equipment like barbells and dumbbells, bodyweight strength training uses your own weight against gravity as resistance. Common bodyweight exercises include push ups, squats, lunges, crunches, and pull ups. These exercises can be performed in a variety of ways, and there are hundreds of combinations of bodyweight workouts available that challenge you in unique ways.
Many bodyweight strength exercises, such as push-ups and squats, engage multiple muscle groups at once, which helps to improve overall strength. They also help increase your flexibility, which is important for avoiding injuries and keeping your joints supple and healthy.
Since bodyweight exercises are simple and require little equipment, they’re perfect for busy schedules. You can perform bodyweight exercises at home, in a hotel room or even on the go, making them easy to stick with. If you want to increase the difficulty of your bodyweight workout, try adding in high-intensity interval training or circuit training. Alternating the number of circuits or reps and the length of the workout can also make your bodyweight exercise session more challenging.
8. Yoga
Yoga is a great way to keep the muscles flexible and also burns a lot of calories. It is a good choice for people who have back problems, or who suffer from neck and shoulder stiffness. Practicing yoga 2-3 times a week can help reduce the pain and discomfort from those conditions. In addition, yoga increases energy and boosts cognitive function. This makes it a good option for busy employees. Stress can be a big problem in the workplace, and can lead to health issues such as fatigue, depression, or physical ailments. This can lead to lost productivity and cost the company billions of dollars in absenteeism, turnover and medical fees.
These workouts are designed to be done in the shortest amount of time possible, so that they can fit seamlessly into your schedule. They are full body routines that will give you the best return on your investment of time and will help to speed up your metabolism. They can be done in the brief moments you have throughout the day, like from your bed as you wake up, while sitting at your desk, or even during your nightly Netflix binge.
