From Fitness Trainer Lori Forrester.

Short on time these days? I know I am! With my daughters’ volleyball season starting up and basketball season winding down, I’m finding myself running in all directions after my workday. Some days I really do not have an hour to spend at the gym for myself.It’s so easy to just put it on hold until things settle down. Now I know that won’t work because there is NEVER a good time to workout. I mean really, why do we say, “I didn’t get a chance to workout.” Do our workouts EVER happen by chance? Who has free time anymore (whatever that means)?

So…we all know that exercise is a necessity, not a luxury. This is a whole topic by itself, but I’ll assume you all agree with me on that.

What do you do if you absolutely can’t get to the gym today? Not a problem, you can get a fabulous sweat going right in the middle of your living room or bedroom! I am a huge fan of heavy weight training but on days that I can’t do that, I do a short metabolic workout at home. Usually it is much harder than what I would have done at the gym.

I learned the value in this through doing CrossFit, although they didn’t invent this strategy. Do you have 10-20 minutes? Don’t lie to yourself… of course you do! You may not feel like doing it, but I assure you when it’s over, you will feel better and have more energy to do other things.

Here are a few workouts you can do that should take you no time at all. Give these a shot. You may just find that you actually do have time to workout AND get all your chores and obligations done.

Workout #1:

Set your timer for 10 minutes. Do as many rounds as possible (AMAP) of:

  • 20 bodyweight squats
  • 10 pushups
  • 20 sit-ups

Workout #2:

Do 3 rounds for time. Set a stopwatch.

  • 20 walking lunges
  • 20 skaters
  • 15 v pushups (hands on floor, up on toes in a v, like downward dog pose)
  • 20 mountain climbers

Workout #3:

Set your timer for a 12 minute running clock:

  • Box jumps (on a step, box, or bench…. whatever you have at home)
  • 5 burpees every minute on the minute (EMOM)

Workout #4:

Set timer for 3 minutes:

How many burpees can you do in this time?  Try to beat it next time.

Workout #5:

5 rounds for time:  set your stopwatch

  • 10 vertical jumps
  • 10 pushups

Read more ideas at Lori’s blog Love, Sweat, and Fears.

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