Twenty Minutes to a Fitter You

We know you’re busy. Very busy. But you’re still a very health-minded person who wants to be in good shape without a significant time investment. Can it be done? That’s the question that this article will address: what should you do if all you have is 20 minutes, 3 times per week to exercise?

First and foremost, you must warm up. The warm-up should take 5-7 minutes. It is essential to warm up because warming up prevents injuries, prepares you for the workout ahead, and speeds up your recovery following the workout. You might jog on the treadmill for 3-5 minutes (called a “general warm-up”), and perform progressively heavier sets of your upcoming exercises (called a “specific warm-up”).

For the main part of the workout, select 4 exercises that cover the entire body. Examples might be: squats, deadlifts, pushups, overhead presses, bench press, lat pull-down, seated rows, etc.

Next, select a weight that allows you to perform 15 repetitions, but no more than that. If you can do 16 repetitions, the weight is too light. Each exercise will have a different weight that is appropriate for it.

Having selected the appropriate weight, perform the exercise you chose in a circuit format for as many circuits as you can in the remaining 13-15 minutes (after your workout). You would only do it for 8-12 repetitions, even though you’re using a weight that you can handle for 15 repetitions.

You will find that to be a very good workout.

If you are looking to lose weight, this program will be a good starter, simply because 80-90% of the fat loss puzzle is diet. So going from no exercise at all, to 20 minutes 3 times per week will go a long way.

If you are looking to simply maintain your strength and endurance, this program will get the job done.

Make no mistake about it. Is 20 minutes of exercise 3 times per week optimal? Probably not. Is it better than nothing? You bet!