Time Saving Techniques

Are you looking to save time in the gym? Here are a few ways you can.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

HIIT allows you to burn more calories in the same amount of time as steady paced training. Not only that but you continue to burn calories after you've finished unlike steady paced training where the calorie burning stops when the training stops. To perform HIIT you just vary your speed between fast paced and slower paced. You can any piece of cardio equipment to train and the intervals are usually 1:1 or 1:2. That means that if you go fast for a minute you'll then go slow for one or two minutes before speeding up again. As little as 10 minutes of HIIT can provide a great training effect, definitely a time saver considering you probably spend at least double that doing steady paced training.

Compound Exercises

Multi joint exercises give you the biggest bang for your buck when training with weights. If you tried to isolate each specific muscle you'd spend all day in the gym. By using compound exercises you can target 3 or 4 different muscles groups in one exercise. Not only that but you can use heavier weights as well which will increase your total strength and help promote muscle growth. Co-ordination is also enhanced by compound exercises, your muscles and joints have to work together to perform the exercise properly.

Alternating Sets

Alternating back and forth between exercises allows you to perform more sets in a shorter period of time. The best way to alternate your sets is between upper and lower body exercises like pull ups and squats or between opposing muscle groups like your chest and back. If your program calls for 60 second rest periods between straight sets and you alternate between exercises while only resting for 30 seconds it's easy to see that you'll save quite a bit of time. You are able to do this because while you are working one muscles group the other is recovering.

Manage your rest periods

If rest periods are specified in your program then make sure you stick to them. Usually they are specified because you are trying to achieve a certain response from the program. If rest period aren't specified then take the time you need to recover and perform the next set in full. Don't rest more than you need and you won't waste as much time.

Focus on what you are doing

Do you spend too much time socializing in the gym, or too much time walking to the water fountain getting and getting a drink that you don't really need? Focus on the reasons you are training, to get fitter, healthier, stronger. Stick to the basics and you will not only save time, you will make better progress as well.