Short and sweet

Do more of a workout in less time
2007-11-27
Sometimes you just have to go the extra mile to counteract that extra 12-pack, but who has extra time to put in a longer workout during the work week?

If you’re feeling guilty, but the job, the kids and the wife are calling, try these tips to make your workout more worthwhile without needing to rearrange your schedule.

• Try heavier weights and less reps and reap the benefits of getting home sooner.
• Combine muscle groups — do biceps curls with your lunges and shoulder presses with your squats.
• Throw in some cardio bursts — running in place, jumping rope — in between lifting reps.
• Take your standard cardio routine and add some two-minute high-speed intervals. You’ll feel like you were on the treadmill for twice the time.
• Break up your cardio into short segments — three or five minutes — and do squats, lunges or push-ups in between. You’ll work more muscle groups and really feel the burn.