I’ve seen multiple studies lately showing that high intensity exercise (sprints, etc) and weight training are twice as effective as running, jogging or cardio not only for weight loss and muscle tone but also for bossting metabolism and healthy hormone production.
In fact, more and more olympic and professional athletes use high intensity interval training as part of their regimen.
For me, the appeal of High Intensity Training is that you can’t do it for very long (and don’t need to) so by its nature it is a fast workout that I can squeeze into my day. For me, this means sprints, weights and kettlebells in a weekly rotation. I also don’t have time to go to a gym everyday, so I focus on ways to incorporate these exercises at home. From a recent guest post I wrote at Breaking Muscle:
To qualify for my at-home training regimen, an activity had to meet the following criteria:
- It must require minimal equipment and space
- It must be doable without leaving the home/neighborhood
- It couldn’t require a partner
- It couldn’t take more than 20-30 minutes a day.
- There most be some version of it that my kids could do also (this part was semi-optional, but still important)
From this list, I developed a list of possible activities and have refined them to meet my needs. My favorite fitness activities based on those criteria are:
- Kettlebells- meet all the criteria perfectly. They take up very little space (under my bed), I can do a workout quickly at home, and the kids can dead-lift the smaller size kettlebells.
- Pushups, pull-ups, chinups, planks, burpees, goblet squats and other body-related exercises.
- Occasional high intensity sprints - when weather allows and I have the time. I use a jogging stroller for this one.
My at home “gym” consists of various size kettlebells, a door mount pull-up bar, 25 and 35 pound dumbbells for squats and lunges, and various children (weighing 20-45 pounds) who are happy to assist in weighted pullups and pushups!
An average workout program with these elements would consist of two days of high intensity kettlebell training per week, two to three days of weight related exercises, and one day of high intensity sprints if weather allowed.
I’ve recently added deadlifts at a neighbor’s home gym, though I only do these once a week.
A weekly workout schedule would look like this:
Monday:
- Deadlifts: 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps
- Chin-ups: 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps (started these with assisted or negatives to work up and now working up to weighted)- I love this pull-up bar.
- Turkish Get Ups with kettlebells: 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps
Tuesday:
- Kettlebell swings 75-200 swings without rest using maximum weight kettlebell that allows maintained form.
Wednesday:
- Pushups: 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps (starting with wall pushups if needed and working up to handstand or negative incline)
- Dumbbell press: 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps
- Burpees: 20-50
Thursday:
- Kettlebell swings 75-200 swings without rest using maximum weight kettlebell that allows maintained form.
Friday:
- Goblet Squats: 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps of maximum weight with maintained form
- Weighted lunges: 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps with maximum weight with maintained form
- Pull-ups: 2-3 sets of 5-7 reps (starting with negatives or assisted and working up to body weight or weighted pullups)
Saturday:
- Hike with family or high intensity sprints if weather allows, or rest day if needed.
Sunday:
- Rest day
How do you squeeze fitness into your day? Do you involve your kids? Share below!
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