January is a busy time of year at the gym. People who have just made New Year’s resolutions to get fit fill the gym, and your usual 30-minute workout routine can stretch long past an hour if you’re waiting to use cardio equipment or weights.
One solution to this problem is to try a free session with a trainer. This will open new areas of the gym to you, and you’re sure to get an intense workout in a shorter amount of time. You may also get a chance to try some new exercises or have a new program developed for you in just a few sessions. Your trainer can come up with a workout program that isn’t equipment-dependent, so you can get it done at any time of day without waiting in line.
And of course, you can always try a class at Lucille Roberts! You’ll get a full 45-minute workout, and you can burn up to 1,200 calories in just one class!
If you can’t make a class, try doing cardio and strength training without a machine.
Create a circuit of two to four exercises. Try to perform one exercise for 20 seconds, aiming for 1 rep per second. Rest for 20 seconds, and then move to the next exercise. Here are some ideas to get you started.
Pushup: Assume the classic pushup position: legs straight, hands beneath your shoulders. Keeping your body rigid, lower yourself until your chest touches the floor. Push back up until your arms are extended. If this is too hard, try an elevated pushup, with your hands elevated on a step or bench.
Squat Thrust: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. Push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body as deep as you can into a squat. Now kick your legs backward so that you’re in a pushup position, then quickly bring your legs back to a squat. Stand up quickly and repeat the entire move.
Chair Dip: Place your hands behind you on the edge of a bench or chair and your feet on the floor a few feet in front of you. Lower your body until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Pause, then press back to the starting position.
Single-Leg Hip Extension: Lie on your back with your left heel on a bench and your right leg straight up in the air. Raise your hips off the floor by pressing your left heel into the bench; your body should form a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower your body and repeat.
Dumbbell Shoulder Press: Hold a pair of dumbbells just outside your shoulders, with your arms bent and palms facing each other. Set your feet shoulder-width apart, and slightly bend your knees. Press the weights upward until your arms are completely straight. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Bent-Over Row: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, feet hip-width apart. Bend your knees, pushing your hips back until your back is parallel to the floor, arms hanging in line with your shoulders, palms in. Bend your elbows, pulling the dumbbells up to the sides of your torso. Return your arms to hanging, and repeat.
Dumbbell Squat: Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides, palms in. Push your hips back and lower your body by bending your knees. Push back to the starting position.
