Quick and Effective Workouts - Valerie Fitzgerald Group

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Quick and Effective Workouts

Finding time for workouts can be complicated. It’s easy to make excuses for yourself when you come home late and all you want to do is curl up on a couch and watch Netflix. Although tuning in to “Westworld” or “Stranger Things” sounds very tempting after a long day, you should remember – the only bad workouts are the ones that you didn’t do. For those who are trying to get fit for summer holidays but have a busy schedule - quick high-intensity workouts is the solution! That way you can easily fit a workout in your schedule every day. Check out some of our ideas for effective workouts:

  1. HIIT Cardio – treadmill, stair master, or elliptical
    If your gym is easily accessible to you, or you own one of the aforementioned exercise machines, it’s simple to work a 20-minute high-intensity cardio workout in your schedule before work. Follow these steps to complete the workout successfully:

    • - Low Intensity warmup for 5 minutes
    • - 8 sets of 1-minute high intensity/ 1-minute rest
    • - 2 minutes cool down

    This plan works well for either one of the aforementioned exercise machines, so if you prefer an elliptical to a treadmill, the workout will be just as effective.

  2. Plyometrics
    Plyometrics workout includes a set of exercises in which muscles exert maximum force in short intervals of time, with the goal of increasing power. It is a perfect alternative to HIIT Cardio! It also benefits you if you don’t have time or access to a gym, because you easily do these workouts from home. Here is a sample 25-minute workout for you to start with:

    • - Warm up: jogging, butt-kicks, high knees, jumping jacks, 1 Minute each/2x
    • - Three circuits:
      • 20 jump squats, 40 walking lunges (3x)
      • 10 burpees, 20 push-ups (3x)
      • 50 mountain climbers, 20 supermans (3x)
    • - Cool down: light stretching for 3 minutes
  3. 20-25 min weight lifting
    If you are looking to build muscles, a good plan for you would be three workouts a week, alternating upper body, abs, and legs workouts. Here are three sample 15-20-minute workouts for each day of your plan:

    • - Upper body: inclined dumbbell shoulder press – 3 sets of 12; alternating bicep curls – 3 sets of 16; lateral + front raises – 3 sets of 10 + 10; tricep kickbacks – 3 sets of 12; plank – 3 sets of 60 sec.
    • - Abs: v sits – 3 sets of 25; Russian twist - 3 sets of 30; side plank 3 sets of 30 sec, each side; stability ball crunches – 3 sets of 15; leg lifts – 3 sets of 15.
    • - Legs: dumbbell squats – 3 sets of 12; squat with front kick - 3 sets of 12, walking lunges – 3 sets of 20; deadlifts – 3 sets of 12.

Check out more quick weight lifting workouts here: https://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/15-minute-workouts-0

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