If you're like me, you're not particularly fond of working out, and prefer spending as little time and effort as possible doing it, but you really want the benefits. You know that if you work out regularly, you'll feel better and healthier, look better, become stronger, lose weight, increase your energy, improve your mood, sleep better, and much more. But it's sometimes challenging to remember all that when you get home from work, you're exhausted and hungry, and exerting yourself into a sweat is the last thing you want to do. The story might be different though if your workout didn't require you to leave your home, didn't require weights or any machines, and it lasted fifteen minutes or less!
The following is a highly effective workout I've designed based on researching the recommendations of various health and fitness experts. It's a quick and simple workout that maximizes results. I still sometimes feel myself resisting my commitment to workout, but this workout is so fast-paced and brief that I'm finished with it before I have a chance to talk myself out of doing it or cutting it short.
There are four exercises that focus on different muscle groups, providing a full-body workout. The exercises, and the order that I complete them, are push-ups, one legged squats, sit-ups, and calf raises. I will briefly describe these exercises and their benefits, then discuss tips to increase their effectiveness, and shorten the length of the workout.
The push-up is one of the best exercises for the upper body and core muscles. I do sets of ten regular (knees off the floor) push-ups. You can of course vary the style and form of push-up you do.
Legs can be difficult to train without weights. One legged squats are a great leg exercise, and tough. You can vary your squatting motions. I stand with one foot in front of me, and one behind, with about a yard between my feet. Both legs are slightly bent at the knee. I usually keep one hand on the edge of a table for support and balance. I then lower until my front leg is bent so that my thigh is parallel with the floor, and my back knee is almost touching the floor, then raise to the starting position. I do ten, then switch legs.
I do ten sit-ups, keeping my arms across my chest. I never lower to the point where my back is touching the floor.
Calf raises I do on my steps for maximum leg extension. Like the squats, I do these one leg at a time. I stand with one leg off the step, and with just a little more than the toes of my other foot on a step. I hold the handrail for balance, and lower my heel as far as comfortably, then raise up as far as is comfortable. I do this ten times on each foot.
I do this complete workout every other day, at least three times a week. I do three circuits of the exercises. After the first few weeks of this workout, I began wearing a weighted backpack while doing all the exercises except for the sit-ups. I've increased the weight in the backpack as appropriate.
For maximum benefit and to decrease the time required for the workout, don't rest or take breaks between exercises or circuits. Just go from exercise to exercise without a break until you've completed the workout. Also, you want to do the exercises as slowly as possible. The more slowly you do them, the more difficult they'll be and the more benefit. Try to avoid the resting spot in the exercises (this is why I don't go all the way down onto my back during my sit-ups). If you can maintain the tension through all ten repetitions of each exercise, you'll tax your muscles even more. Another tip to increase the difficulty of the exercises as well as results, is to flex or tense all the muscles that you're using while doing your exercise (when doing the push-ups flex your biceps, triceps, pectorals, and shoulders).
Doing ten repetitions per set of some or maybe all of these exercises may not sound challenging, but implementing all of these strategies will make them very challenging and increase the benefits. Just remember certain keywords: slow, tense, constant motion (don't hang out in those resting spots during the exercises or take breaks between sets).
There are other tips to keep you working out. Having an exercise partner, or at least someone who will ask if you've been keeping your promise to workout is important. Being accountable to someone makes it hard to get off the hook. Creating a routine, and habit is helpful too, such as working out at the same time of day. I workout as soon as I get home - I put on music I enjoy listening to to make it more fun, and I know right where my workout clothes are.
Lastly, be sure to always follow the proper exercise forms, and stretch before and after your workout to avoid injuries.
