14 Time
Saving Tips
For most people, it seems like seconds count in their personal and
professional lives. Catching a plane for a sales trip. Critical
appointments with clients. Running around with your kids, making sure they
get to school, to practice, to games, or whatever other hundred things
they're involved with each day. We live in a fast paced society whether you
embrace it or not.
But YOU don't have to leave that philosophy in the locker room
when you hit the gym. Although there's never an excuse for sloppy exercise
technique, there are dozens of safe ways to shave time from your workout
routine - and still train like a champion. Here are some of the most
effective time-saving strategies in this free weight lifting program. Even though you desire to speed up your
weight lifting workout, just don’t allow your workout to suffer for it. Resting in between
sets is still needed for your muscles to give peak output.
1. Rev up your fat-burning furnace
Treadmills are great for walking, jogging, or running, but doing a
little of each is called INTERVAL TRAINING and can help kick your body's
fat-burning ability into high-gear. Walk for 5 minutes to start. Then jog
for 3 minutes, then run at a higher level for 2 minutes, alternating back
and forth until you've reached anywhere from 15-30 minutes of total time.
If that's too difficult, start at 30 seconds of jog, 30 seconds of run, and
increase gradually by 15 seconds until you can do 2 minutes jog, 2 minutes
run.
2. Super
sets for super gains
Train opposing muscle groups
together in the same gym workout. For
example, after you get done doing a set of bench press to work your chest,
IMMEDIATELY go to the lat pulldown machine to do a set of pulldowns for your
middle back.
3. Stay
focused
You've heard it before
"he who fails to plan plans to fail." Said
in fitness jargon, "he who walks into the gym and wanders around wastes
massive amounts of time." Plan your weight training routine before you walk into the gym.
And STICK WITH IT.
4. Learn your weight room geography
It may take some searching, but you'll save all kinds of travel time if
you can find a fitness center that is either on your route to work or on your way
home. Plus, learn every area in your gym so you have a mental picture of
where each piece of equipment is.
5. Cross-train aerobically
If your gym enforces a 20 minute rule for occupying an aerobic
exercise machine, just switch from the treadmill to the bike and get a great 40 minute
cardio workout without leaving the area. Besides, this will add a little variety
to your very repetitive cardio workouts.
6. Quit the B.S.ing and chit chat
Yes, you look forward to chatting with your friends at the gym.
But when time is on the line and you have to zip through your workout, TELL
THEM. That way you get your weight lifting workouts in without making them feel ignored.
7.
Change your foot placement
Doing something as simple as this from exercise to exercise can
turn a simple leg press into a total leg workout. Placing your feet a
couple of inches apart hits your quadriceps in the middle a bit more. Move
them further apart, about hip width, will stress the outer portion of your
quads. Place them at the corners of the leg press platform (with toes
pointed at 45 degrees) will work your hamstrings the most.
8. Train with your partner
Sometimes weight
lifting can seem like it's stealing time away from your spouse or
significant other. Why not do your weight training workouts together? You don't
actually have to workout together - your weight lifting workout routines will be very different.
Better than feeling guilty about not spending time together.
9. Grab
a bench and hold onto it for your workout
A single, adjustable
bench allows you to do a multitude of exercises amongst a weight room full of chaos. You can do bench presses, shoulder
presses, crunches, curls, triceps extensions, upright rows, etc. Your
workout goes smoothest when you have all the barbells and dumbbells nearby,
so the only time you have to move is to grab different weights.
10.
Avoid the peak time at the gym
If you want a peak performance workout, avoid working out during
your gym's peak hours - typically 5:30 pm
- 8:30 pm.
You'll wind up wasting time waiting in line for workout equipment. And have
a wasted weight training workout.
11. Get a permanent locker
Here's where you can stash extra clothes, extra workout clothes,
towel and toiletries to help you out when you need to train in a pinch. It
also makes you feel more at home when you have a small place to call your
own.
12. Early bird gets the worm and the bench
Most gyms have a lot fewer members in the early-morning hours. Plus,
you'll often find they're less talkative - maybe because they're trying to
wake up. This works for most people but not for everyone.
13.
Prepare for your next exercise
Prepare for your next exercise between sets will save you time.
If you're going to use dumbbells, for instance, pull them from the rack and
place them at the bench you're going to use. This also alerts others that
you are using the equipment.
14. Going down the rack
Your fellow gym-goers
may not like this, but you can cut training time significantly by spending
your time in front of the dumbbell rack instead of going from one machine to
another. Think of the range of exercises you can do in a dumbbell
workout: rows, bench presses, all kinds of
curls, shoulder presses, lunges, etc. Just leave enough space in front of
you so others can get to the rack too.
All the best,
Jeff Bedeaux, Dr.
Natural Bodybuilding
dr-natural-bodybuilding.com
Natural Fitness Concepts
11310 Melody Dr. Suite #10-302
Denver, CO 80234
Email support
© 2004-2005 Jeffrey Bedeaux
All Rights Reserved
Home • Articles • About Me • Fitness FAQ
|
