My schedule is getting a bit crazy and it seems that lately all i have time or the energy for is 30 minute workouts. So my question is: Can one loose a bit of body fat and maintain the current amount of muscle by working out 5-6 days per week for 30 minutes? If so, how should the workouts be broken up? (3 30 minute full body workouts and 2-3 cardio intervals) How would you all do this?
30 minute workouts
- Thread starter kariev
- Start date
maddiesmum
Cathlete
Since no-one has responded to you yet, I shall put a few thoughts down.
I would break this up according to a cardio *2 per week and weights *3 per week, if looking at 5 workouts per week. But! I don't think you can focus on improving strength on this regimen, as you suggest, probably only maintaining what you already have, until such time as you can do longer weight sessions or splits or whatever.
Also! I would agree that the 3 weights workouts should be total body, but I would try and do them as circuits, or supercircuits using compound moves so that as many moves as possible use the upper and lower body together and with exercises back to back with very little rest so that you both maximize your time and create a "cardio" effect.
Then, as you suggest, you could try and make at least one of your cardio sessions an interval-plyo based one, as these can really ramp up your fitness.
If you haven't already, check out Kelly Coffey-Meyer's website at coffeyfit.com. Her latest series of workouts are entitled "30 mins to fitness" and each DVD features 2 30 min workouts. She has 6 titles in this series so far and they span the range of tough kickboxing, tough bootcamp, weights, step cardio and plyo moves. Each DVD also has abundant premixes so that when your time is yet again freed up for longer workouts, you can indulge. You can read reviews of these DVDs on collage also. They are well liked. Kelly can work you hard in 30 mins, particularly, I think, her bootcamp DVD, which is circuit training after all.
Does this help?
Clare
I would break this up according to a cardio *2 per week and weights *3 per week, if looking at 5 workouts per week. But! I don't think you can focus on improving strength on this regimen, as you suggest, probably only maintaining what you already have, until such time as you can do longer weight sessions or splits or whatever.
Also! I would agree that the 3 weights workouts should be total body, but I would try and do them as circuits, or supercircuits using compound moves so that as many moves as possible use the upper and lower body together and with exercises back to back with very little rest so that you both maximize your time and create a "cardio" effect.
Then, as you suggest, you could try and make at least one of your cardio sessions an interval-plyo based one, as these can really ramp up your fitness.
If you haven't already, check out Kelly Coffey-Meyer's website at coffeyfit.com. Her latest series of workouts are entitled "30 mins to fitness" and each DVD features 2 30 min workouts. She has 6 titles in this series so far and they span the range of tough kickboxing, tough bootcamp, weights, step cardio and plyo moves. Each DVD also has abundant premixes so that when your time is yet again freed up for longer workouts, you can indulge. You can read reviews of these DVDs on collage also. They are well liked. Kelly can work you hard in 30 mins, particularly, I think, her bootcamp DVD, which is circuit training after all.
Does this help?
Clare
I've had this scheduling problem lately, too. I suggest using the Cathe Compendium to choose premixes that are around 30 minutes. It's not the same as working out for an hour, but at least you're still getting regular exercise. I use it not only to help schedule shorter workouts, but also to help me get back into working out after taking a much-too-long break (so I was horribly out of shape). It helped immensely, and I now use it daily to help me plan my workouts.
You can find the compendium at fitfig.com (http://fitfig.com/tools/). It's worth the download and full of absolutely wonderful information. It will help you prepare for your workout ahead of time by letting you know not only how long the workout is, but also what equipment you will need. The ladies that put all this information together have performed a marvelous service for all of us - you won't believe the amount of information that is packed into that document!
You can find the compendium at fitfig.com (http://fitfig.com/tools/). It's worth the download and full of absolutely wonderful information. It will help you prepare for your workout ahead of time by letting you know not only how long the workout is, but also what equipment you will need. The ladies that put all this information together have performed a marvelous service for all of us - you won't believe the amount of information that is packed into that document!
icumom
Cathlete
With a healthy diet, and I mean really healthy, you most certainly can see big results in 1/2 hour...gotta make it work, not daydream and pet the doggie or read your blackberry during it (speaking from my students in group ex classes over the years)...but I've seen dramatic transformations in weeks with 20 minutes to 30 CONSISTENT and 5-7 days a week.
Go for it!
Go for it!
singinggoddess
Cathlete
Kelly coffey-Meyer has some really really good 30 minute workouts. I LOVE her dvd's. She really gets the job done in such little time. I don't usually stray from Cathe too much, but she is great. Diet is definitley key as well.
Susan
Susan
Sunshine1528
Cathlete
If you have Cross Train Express or 4DS you could probably do a rotation with those or alternate them every other week too. They are both designed for shorter workouts.