Time.  Probably our most precious commodity.  You have committed your time to come to the gym, get in your workout, and get back home.  Here’s the deal…  You don’t have to spend hours or even AN hour at the gym each day to get results!  Let me say that again, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND HOURS AT THE GYM TO GET RESULTS.  Yay!  That is cause for celebration already! The key here is consistency and time-efficient workouts.  If you are making this a new part of your every day, for the average person seeking general health and fitness goals (this means you’re not a professional athlete or training for a bodybuilding competition), then it is possible to get in and out in thirty minutes each day!  But, you must use your time wisely.  Remember, it’s the quality of your time, not just the quantity of time.  Here are some tips to help you make the best use of your time at the gym!

1) Have A Plan

Distractions are inevitable.  Our minds race with endless to-do lists and errands.  There are hundreds of reasons you can think of to talk yourself out of a trip to the gym.  But, because you have resolved to make this year different, those excuses don’t matter.  They aren’t part of your new fitness vision.

Having a plan in place before you even head to the gym will ensure that you don’t spend time wondering around aimlessly trying to think of what type of workout you want to do.  Write it down.  Then, get in and get out!

2) Less Chatting, More Lifting

There are always people at the gym that come more for the social hour than for business.  You aren’t one of those people.  To accomplish your goals, you need to be focused, so consider ways that you will remain focused during your trips to the gym.  Maybe you find that you aren’t interrupted as much if you wear some headphones. If you run into a friend, continue with your workout rather than stopping while you visit.  It can be a huge time drain if you’re not really careful.  Before you know it, your thirty minute trip to the gym has become an hour and you haven’t even gotten past your warm-up!

3) Simplify Your Workouts

Are you, perhaps, spending too much time with isolation exercises rather than those exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time?  Don’t get me wrong.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with isolation exercises, but if you need to get the most bang for your buck, then stick with the exercises that work more than one muscle group at a time.  This means, for example, rather than spending time doing bicep curls, do a back exercise that will not only work your back muscles but will also hit your biceps as well.  Or, maybe while you are doing some lunges, you curl at the same time.

4) Combine Cardio With Weight Training

If you are seeking time-efficiency, then you need to keep your pace going strong throughout your workout.  Since we all need cardiovascular training, including it in the middle of your strength training routine, is brilliant!  Grab a jump rope.  Throw some burpees at the end of a circuit.  Do some mountain climbers and/or jumping jacks.  You may not always have time time to spend thirty minutes on a treadmill and then hit the weights. In fact, since you are reading this, you probably don’t have time for that.  Give this a try to add cardio and variety to your workouts.

 
There are lots of ways to make the best use of your time at the gym.  If you need more help in coming up with a game plan that is specific for you, then certainly seek out a local trainer to help you with this.  My main point in writing this is to encourage you and to help you understand that you don’t have to spend tons of time at the gym to still get results.  In the fast pace of everyday life, your health and fitness needs to be a high priority, so if you are truly dedicating yourself to a healthier you this year, then go into it with a game plan and find ways to make the best possible use of your time during that trip to the gym so you will know that it is time well spent.

***As a bonus, here is a quick workout that will kick up your heart rate and get those muscles burning as well!  (Increase weight, reps, or number of times through the circuit to make this as challenging as you need it.)

(Complete circuit-style 3 times through)
1. Jumping Jacks – 1 minute
2. Pushups – 12-15 reps (modify depending on your fitness level)
3. Lunges w/ bicep curls – 12-15 reps/leg
4. Seated Row – 12-15 reps (Substitute bent over rows if machine isn’t available)
5. Plank – 1 minute
6. Supine Bicycle – 1 minute
7. Glute Bridges – 20 reps

 
Here’s to YOUR health!