Many people use the excuse that they don’t have time to exercise. Between balancing a full-time job, dealing with the demands of parenting, and trying to maintain relationships and friendships, exercise often falls to the bottom of our to-do list. But failing to schedule in time to exercise can have serious impacts on your health. No matter how busy you are, even just 30 minutes of exercise done regularly can keep you healthy and happy, without swallowing too much of your time.
“Short, intense workouts like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), threshold training and fartlek (which means “speed play” in Swedish) offer multiple benefits,” explains Johannesburg-based physiotherapist Diane Teles. “They’re easy to stick to, burn kilojoules for hours afterwards and improve your cardio-respiratory endurance.” If you’ve only got 30 minute to play with, here’s what Diane recommends:
The beginning
“Start with three to five minutes of low to moderate-intensity movement,” says Diane. This might include walking, running, rowing or biking at an easy pace, or doing slow versions of some of the burpees, squats and other exercises described below.
The middle
The main part of your session should be 15 to 20 minutes long and should consist of 20 to 30-second bursts of activity followed by two to four minutes of rest. “The duration of your work versus rest periods will depend on your level of fitness,” says Diane. “Start with shorter work and longer rest periods if you’re a beginner.”
Choose exercises that are easy to repeat and flow naturally between one another. If you’re in a gym, use a bike, rower or treadmill. If your equipment is limited, choose bodyweight movements that are intense, fun and can be used in combinations. These could include the following:
- Burpees: Start with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees, fold at your hips and place your hands on the floor in front of you. Kick both legs out behind you and land on your toes in a plank position. Do a push up before pulling your legs under your body and jumping up, lifting your arms above your head. Repeat immediately.
- Squat jumps: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, drive your hips back and bend your knees as though you’re going to sit. Keep going down until your hip crease is below your knees then drive your weight up through your heels and come out of the squat explosively, finishing with a vertical jump – as high as you can!
- Bear crawls: Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees. Lift your knees off the floor and push your weight onto your toes. Using your opposite arm and leg simultaneously, take a step forward then repeat on the other side. Don’t let your hips roll and keep your shoulders engaged and square to the floor.
The end
Once you’ve finished your workout, move for five minutes at low intensity and then spend another five minutes in sustained stretches that focus on the areas you’ve just worked.
Above all, remember to vary your workouts. It’s the variation that will help to keep your muscles stimulated, allowing you to make the most of your short – but immensely beneficial and worthwhile – exercise sessions.
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