Mike Ryan

Shrink Your Gym Time: The 15-Minute Beach Body Workout!

By Mike Ryan, B.Sc., Strength & Conditioning Coach

Q: I just changed jobs, and my time is seriously limited, but I don't want to give up my workouts. Any recommendations for how to get out of the gym faster?

A: First, try training with a stopwatch! Next, time your rest periods for 30 seconds. You're guaranteed to break a sweat and achieve an awesome pump. You might end up sacrificing some strength, but it is very efficient.

You can also incorporate super sets into your training program! Supersets are an efficient way of training two muscle groups with little rest time. They're done by performing an alternate exercise for body parts immediately after you finish the first exercise. Then start over again. For example, perform a set of triceps pushdowns for a set of ten and then immediately do biceps curls for another set of ten, which should be immediately followed by another set of pushdowns and another of curls.

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

If you're really swamped, you can try full body workouts two to three times a week. When designed properly, these can be very effective workouts in a short amount of time. Here's an example day:

First two exercises, A1) upper body push and superset A2) lower body pull, alternate with 30 to 60 seconds rest in between each set. Take a two- to three-minute break, and proceed to B1) upper body pull and superset B2) lower body push, 30 to 60 seconds rest between each set, and likewise for C1 and C2. The "C" exercises should be minor, complementary exercises to the main lifts and should include arm, shoulder, calf, and ab exercises:

A1) Incline dumbbell bench press 4 sets x 7 reps

A2) Hamstring curl 4x7

B1) Seated cable row 4x7

B2) Alternate leg lunge 4x7

C1) Abdominal crunch 3x12

C2) Seated calf raises 3x12

These not only act as great supersets, but the short rest time and constant movement can count for cardio as well, thus freeing up more time in your day!

With these three methods, you're sure to shrink your gym time and get on with your day in record time. Oh, and good luck in your new job!

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