The Best Way to Work Out With Limited Time
Reviewed & Approved by Dr. Larry
It’s a common problem to have: You want to work out, but you don’t have much free time. Steve Lombardi, a personal trainer and bodybuilder, has been there before, and he has a few strategies for those who want to lift weights on a limited schedule.
There are two main strategies to choose from in this scenario:
- Do a total body workout, which involves starting with smaller numbers and eventually working up to six sets per body part.
- Alternate which part of your body you work out. Maybe do half of your body one day, the other half the next day, and the entire body the third day you go to the gym — provided, of course, that you have three days to work out.
Which strategy you choose depends entirely on personal preference; either can be equally effective.
Target Multiple Muscle Groups with Compound Movements
It can also be helpful, when time is of the essence, to focus on compound movements, or exercises that work out more than one muscle group. Good examples of compound movements are:
- Clean and press: Works shoulders, arms, legs. For an instructional video that shows how to properly complete a clean and press, click here.
- Rowing: Works legs, midsection, upper back, arms, hips. For an instructional video that shows how to practice proper rowing form, click here.
- Bench press: Works chest, shoulders, arms, back. To learn how to properly bench press, click here.
- Squats: Work the entire lower body, including quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves. To see how to do a squat correctly, click here.
The more muscles you can work out at once, the more efficient your workout will be.
