I don’t have time to exercise!

I know everyone is busy and I also know you often feel overwhelmed by all that exercise you’re supposed to be doing. Cardio 3-5 times a week for at least 20-30 minutes, plus strength training workouts that work all your muscle groups. How are you supposed to fit it all in with work, family, other sports and friends all wanting your time?

Most people choose to not exercise if they cant do 20 -30min of Cardio thinking it needs to be at least that amount to make a difference. The difference is any exercise is good exercise and if you only have a short period of time then there are number of ways you can work hard in the time you have. The key is to make the workouts intense, If you only have 10 minutes, you want to work as hard as you can in those 10 minutes. If you can find 10 minutes 3 times a day, even better!

Here is an example of a short intense workout on a cross trainer,

Minute 1: Warm up at steady pace – PES – up to 5
Minute 2: Increase the resistance and speed to get your – PES to 6-7
Minute 3: Increase resistance as high as you can – PES 8
Minute 4: Reduce the resistance by half and sprint as fast as you can – PES 8
Minute 5: Back to high resistance, speed will be slower – PES 8
Minute 6: Reduce resistance slightly and sprint as fast as you can – PES 9
Minute 7: Resistance as high as you can, keep going – PES 9
Minute 8: Reduce resistance slightly and sprint as fast as you can – PES 9
Minute 9: Resistance as high as you can, keep push hard it’s the last minute – PES 9
Minute 10: Slow down to an easy pace- PES back down to 3-5

Here is a guide to a, Perceived Exertion Scale, PES.

Level 1: I’m watching TV and eating Chocolate
Level 2: I’m comfortable and could maintain this pace all day long
Level 3: I’m Breathing a bit harder but still comfortable
Level 4: I’m sweating a little, but feel good and can carry on a conversation
Level 5: I’m just above comfortable, am sweating more and can still talk easily
Level 6: I can still talk, but am slightly breathless
Level 7: I can still talk, just, but I don’t really want to. I’m sweating like a pig
Level 8: I can grunt in response to your questions and can only keep this pace for a short time period
Level 9: I feel like I am going to die
Level 10: I am probably going to die and if I don’t, get me a bucket.

You could also do a similar workout on a treadmill or a bike or outside using running/sprinting as the hard stuff and a jog/walk as the slower minute.

So now there are no excuses to not achieve the results you are after, take action today and achieve your goals sooner!!