Quick Workout Fixes for a Busy Day

Posted May 9, 2008 at 04:00 PM by Denise Musumeci

Section: His Fitness, Alt. Therapies, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health

Experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise each day. While that may not seem like a lot to most people, sometimes you may be so busy that you can barely find the time to eat, much less exercise even a little bit. Your lifestyle and the location of your home may be another factor into your lack of exercise.

For example, if you live in a suburban area far away from where you work, you would have to drive to the office instead of walk. Not to mention, working at a desk job will keep you seated all day, but working at a busy restaurant will have you moving on your feet all day. The stress of the job and other factors in your life may leave you too exhausted to want to do any sort of exercises after work.

How can you fit a short but effective workout into your busy day? Thatsfit.com lists a few blogs about 30-minute workouts or less that stand out from the rest. Enter the 15-minute workout. Doing such exercises intensely for 15 minutes a day will be able to work your core, upper and lower body muscles in a short time. Try doing as many pushups as you can in 60 seconds.

Then try the sitting monkey. Lie on your back with your hands at your sides and life your upper body and legs. Position your legs parallel to the floor. After that, do some squats, handstands, burpees, the high step run, than an inchworm, each for a minute or two. This variety of exercises will work your entire body in just minutes. One way to get your intense workout can be to race yourself. Set a goal, and then see how many push-ups or sit-ups you can do in one or two minutes. It may not be easy, but it will help you squeeze some exercise time into your busy day.

Now, if you travel for work often, it may be harder to exercise, especially when you have meetings, company-paid meals, or no gym. You could incorporate an upper and lower body workout in the morning or evening. Lifestyletherapy.com suggests the following upper and lower body circuits when you’re traveling:

Upper Body Circuit 1) Push-ups (regular or modified) - 10 2) Crunches- 12-15 3) Wide push -ups (regular or modified) -10 4) Reverse crunches -12-15 5) Tricep push ups (regular or modified) -10 6) Abdominal Bicycles -12-15/side

Lower Body Circuit 1) Squats - 10 (holding each for 5s at the bottom) 2) Crunches- 12-15 3) Lunges-10/leg 4) Side bridge/plank (dynamic) or bicycle crunches -12-15/side 5) Single Heel raises-10/leg 6) Reverse crunches- 12-15

Performing both circuits each day should accommodate for the lack of exercise you will be getting during your busy days on vacation. Just remember, whichever quick exercises you choose, they should not substitute for a regular routine workout on a daily basis and should only be used on days that you can’t fit your normal exercise regimen into your day.

Research sources and for more information: [That’s Fit]; [Marks Daily Apple]; [The Soko]; [Lifestyle Therapy]