The Power Half-Hour Workout Routine
Only have 30 minutes for the gym? Make the most of it. Trying to squeeze in a workout during your lunch break can be tough. But you get an intense workout in just 30 minutes believe it or not. The key? Keep your game plan flexible.
Start with the right machine. Any (and all) of them will do. You need to do what’s known as an indoor fartlek. Rotating among the equipment with no rest periods keeps your body challenged and your interest high. You don’t have enough time to get bored.
Take Five. Spend five minutes each on the bike, the elliptical machine, the treadmill, and the Stairmaster—or any four pieces of cardio equipment your gym happens to offer. The particular order doesn’t matter. So start with your least favorite apparatus. You’ll be at your freshest, and there’s something invigorating about having tackled something you hate.
Work up a sweat. Do a two-minute warm-up on the first machine, then you’re your first five minute set. The intensity will depend on your own fitness level, but I recommends using a scale: If 10 is the absolute hardest you can work, aim for a 7 or 8. Then jump to another available apparatus for a full five minutes, then another. On your foruth and final machine, perform your full, intense 5 minutes, then a 2 to 3 minute cool down.
Have a plan B. Don’t let a crowded gym wreck your workout. Come prepared for occupied equipment. Your best bet is to search out for a jump rope. That way, if the apparatus you had your eye on is being used, you can spend the next five minutes jumping. Most gyms will have some open space that you can use. And jumping rope is a great calorie burner.
