How long does it really take to get a full body workout, with the works? From strength exercises, to balance exercises, from cardiovascular to functional exercises. How long does the average person spend in their workout? In my experience it's well over an hour to do all that in an entire body routine. However, what we all really need is only about thirty minutes. I know, you're thinking how in the world can I finish a whole body workout, with the works, in only thirty minutes?
Start with a simple warm up on the treadmill or elliptical for 3-4 minutes at a pretty fast pace. After, grab a light medicine ball and perform about 8 up and down chopping motions with a big squat, real hard and somewhat fast. Do the same diagonally both ways, then perform 8 front alternating lunges while holding that medicine ball. Now tell me if you are getting that cardio workout you wanted to get.
Next pick a big muscle group like the back. Do a back exercise such as the lat pulldown. Only about 12-15 times. Get right up to do a leg exercise, such as walking lunges across the floor. Then a low back exercise such as superman's, or superwoman's for all you women out there. Of course we must finish that off with an abdominal exercise, like 12-15 crunches on a stability ball.
Of course, those four exercises are done with absolutely no rest. NONE! Now, you've got 30 seconds to get a drink, and start those same four exercises again. After that second go around, and another quick sip of water, find four more exercises. Chest, legs, shoulders, and abs again. Go through those four exercises twice, just like the first set of exercises. After that, finish up with two sets of a tricep exercise, another leg, a bicep and another abdominal exercise.
By this time you should be hunched over on the floor begging for mercy. If not, you took too much time between your exercises and between your sets. Thirty minutes is all you need to get a great strength workout, with lots of cardio. Add stability exercises such as standing on something unbalanced while performing shoulder side raises, or try to combine 2 exercises into one, such as lunges with bicep curls. The more muscle groups being worked at one time is great for weight loss.
So there it is, a VERY effective thirty minute entire body workout, with the works! Cardio, strength, balance, functional, and anything else you want to add to it.
Chad Cannon is a certified personal trainer, weight loss expert, author, speaker, and director of Shaing Concepts in Hilton Head, South Carolina. His website is www.shapingconcepts.com
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