There are times in life when it seems like we’re expected to be everywhere all at once. While this can be a sign of productivity, it can also be a great source of stress. If you’re like me, you recognize that sometimes missing a workout or two over the course of a week is bound to happen. You still don’t like, but you know about the inevitabilities in life. Well, then what do we do when these patterns start to become a bit more prevalent in our lives? How do we stay fit when the world seems to want to get in the way of our exercise time? I don’t have all the answers here, yet there are a few go-to methods that can produce some positive gains when done for shorter amounts of time. Every suggestion here can be done in less than a half an hour of time and should suit your needs until things ease up a bit for you
Tabattle Your Way Through It
No, I’m not recommending a two or four-minute workout. That’s a common misconception of Tabata. These workouts are easy to structure and can run for as long or as short as you have available. Chunk exercises or moves into groups of four. Each move is performed for 20 seconds of work time, and you rest for 10 seconds. Upon completion of the “chunk”, either repeat it as many times as you’d like, or swap out the moves within the same frame of time. As you progress, try to limit the rest times that you allow for yourself between each set of moves, and monitor your heart rate to ensure that you’re being challenged. I’ve added two examples of a series that I use for Tabata can be found below:
This one is done with no added weight.
Jump Squat, Clap Push-up (or regular), Flutter Kicks, High-Knee Run
And one with weights…
Dumbbell Deadlift to High Pull, Dumbbell Plyometric Lunges, Janda Sit-Ups, See-Saw Press
I hope it doesn’t need to be said that we aren’t using weights that will create new lifting PR’s here, but one never knows how things can be taken in Internetland.
Kettlebells Are Calling You
I’m a big fan of integrating kettlebells into your overall fitness plan. There is an element of being able to blur the lines between cardio and resistance training when you set things up properly with these valuable tools. To spike your heartrate right out of the gate, I recommend the American Swing. This very large range of motion hits quite a few muscles on its way towards wearing you out. I enjoy starting with my biggest bell and working my way down the line as I get more fatigued. For those of you who are stuck with just one or two kettlebells, try very brief rest periods before getting back in on the action, as opposed to swapping weights down the line.
You will eventually (probably rapidly) tire from this motion and that’s perfectly fine. Now, take a minute or two to gather yourself. You’re going to do the same exact thing with the Russian Swing this time. The decrease in distance that the kb travels will allow you to keep the workout going for a while longer. You may need to take a few seconds throughout all of this to give your grip a rest too. Listen to your body. I once performed 144 straight snatches (more on that in a second) in this format but tore all my callouses so badly that I could’ve bought stock in “Nu-Skin”. Be reasonable with yourselves, and don’t be like me.
This process is not bound to just hand swinging the kettlebells. You can do this with more advanced moves like the snatch, clean and jerk, or figure eights. For quick destruction, kettlebells work!
Go Sledding… Or Just Run Up Hills
This won’t be as fun as the sledding you did as a kid. However, it’s a hell of a lot more productive. Invest in a cheap weight sled. It doesn’t have to be a prowler or anything advanced, just something that glides and holds some plates will do. Next, find a field, a hill, or both. If you have a harness that comes with your sled, even better. Pull that thing everywhere possible, as efficiently as possible. Good luck to you because this is no small task. Don’t forget to face both forward and backward. Stop when you can’t decide if it’s harder to breathe or walk.
Let’s say you don’t have access to a sled. Use the hill and field anyway! Pick a starting spot. Then, figure out where you want to stop. Sprint from one marker to the other, only resting to walk back to the initial starting point. It sounds simple… brutally simple. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Heart Beat Down
Kickboxing is an awesome workout. You can shadowbox for rounds, hit mitts with a buddy, or lay the smackdown on a punching bag. Just saying…
Final Thoughts
I get it. Time is at a premium in today’s world. There are things to do and places awaiting. This doesn’t mean that we can’t sneak in a decent workout, or minimally avoid a dreaded “unwanted rest day” for the third time in a week. Another item of note is that barbell complexes are also great in this short workout category, but I have them pegged for their own article soon. Stay tuned for that, and everything else fitness/health right here. It’s great to be back!
1footinfit 