A quicky total-body workout – how to piece one together.

I feel like I am always short on time, so I am the Queen of quick workouts!

 

If not having enough time to workout is your excuse for not doing one at all, I am here to blow that up!

 

In general, these are the guidelines:

 

Super-Duper Short On Time:

 

A Two-Body “Part” Workout. (It’s not really a part of your body, but it is a two movement pattern workout.)

 

At a minimum, pick an exercise the uses your hips to hinge (hits your butt and hamstrings) and back (a pulling motion). This is the super-fast workout template!

 

Deadlifts, bridges, hip thrusts – variations of these get your gluts and hamstrings, and we tend to need more work here vs. the quads or front thighs.

 

Bent over rows, pulling rows, pull-downs, pull-ups – these are all back and pulling motions. Again, we tend to need more work along the back side of our body versus the front.

 

Short On Time (but not super-duper short)

 

Let’s say you have a little more time to add in two more exercises, so you’ll do a four-exercise workout.

 

Here’s where you’ll add knee-dominant and pushing motions.

 

Knee-dominant are quad-dominant (but don’t be fooled, the entire body is connected, so you’ll get all the muscles of the legs). These are squats. Oh, so many ways to do squats! Goblet, split, drop, stepping.

 

Okay, now time for pushing. Think of push-ups and shoulder pressing.

 

I’ve done full body workouts in a space of about 5′ x 5′ and so can you!

 

Make set-up and break-down easy so you don’t have “one more thing” to do.

 

No matter what….get some movement prep in BEFORE you begin. Your body NEEDS it. Your muscles, tendons, joints, central nervous system, and state of mind need to get the juices flowing BEFORE you jump right into a hard core workout.

 

Review:

 

• Pick exercises that use both arms or legs at the same time. This saves time in your reps and sets.
• Prioritize hip hinging and pulling (your core will get some work, but make sure that on the other days, you do some more focused core work.)
• Then squat and push motions.
• Always do movement prep.