illust. by Ben Wiseman for Fitness May 9, 2013, The Scientific 7-Minute Workout By Gretchen Reynolds
Chair, Wall, & 7 Minutes
by Henry Crossen
It is well known that proper
management of energy is vital to sustaining optimum performance in all phases
of our lives. However, the stresses of modern life can insidiously chip away at
our ability to create, and conserve, energy. The end result is chronic,
pernicious fatigue (physical, but also emotional and mental) which often
manifests in a pervasive dissatisfaction with our lives – work, family,
friends, and self esteem. In time we are liable to end up looking back
forlornly on our past “glory days,” with no impetus to regain our former
go-getting selves.
It is also no mystery that one of
the surest ways to recapture that old “spark” is by a diet and fitness regimen
that helps our bodies physically produce and conserve energy levels. A proper
diet and exercise routine is vital and aids in sleep, the ability to wake and
remain alert throughout the day, and it improves overall mood and disposition.
It also assists in sexual performance, all of which add up to a better feeling
of self.
Exercise has long been broken up
into two general categories: aerobic exercise and resistance (or weight)
training, each of which fulfilling various specific needs for the body in
maintaining overall fitness. Traditionally, resistance training often is
performed separately from aerobic training — typically on two or three
nonconsecutive days each week. The American College of Sports Medicine
recommends 8 to 12 repetitions of a resistance training exercise for each major
muscle group at an intensity of 40% to 80% of a one-repetition maximum. Two to
three minutes of rest is recommended between exercise sets to allow for proper
recovery. Anyone with a modicum of experience with
exercise is likely aware of this. But we all know it’s not the what nor the why that becomes a problem for most of us when it comes to
exercise: it’s the when.
When do we make time for
exercise? Many of us have highly demanding work and personal schedules that
prohibit spending even one hour at the gym four or five times a week. The time
just is not there for us, and hitting the gym just twice a week feels more like
we’re just spinning our wheels. We neither see nor feel and kind of improvement
in our bodies or our energy levels. More often than not we leave the gym
feeling exhausted and wake up sore the next day, wondering why we even bothered
in the first place.
Plus, working out at home feels
at best inadequate or at worst, just plain embarrassing. Many of us have
children or significant others and spending an hour or so grunting away on a
doorway chin bar or ab cruncher while they step over, under, or around us with
looks of vague disdain or impatience does us little favor. Like they say on
those terrible late night TV infomercials, There’s
got to be a better way!
Well, there is and it’s called
HICT – High Intensity Circuit Training. Recent scientific research at the Human
Performance Institute, Division of Wellness and Prevention in Orlando, Florida
suggests it can take the place of prolonged endurance training, reaping
virtually the exact same fitness
benefits. Research even strongly suggests an HICT routine can increase lung
capacity, reduce subcutaneous fat, and even decrease insulin resistance (a
known precursor to Type 2 Diabetes).
The upside? It only takes seven
minutes to get the same workout you would after a long run and a visit to the weight room. The trick, such as it is, is that
those seven minutes are occupied with a nearly nonstop maximum capacity effort.
Of course being interval training
you do get to rest – but just for 10 seconds. Just long enough to catch your
breath and switch to one of the twelve total exercises in the routine. The key
is that each 30 second exercise alternates between the major muscles of the
upper body with those of the lower body; this way, your body gets more rest in its
principle areas between exercises.
Better yet, no special equipment
is required as all the resistance effort is against your own body weight. As such,
the program can be done anywhere – at home, in your office, wherever!
The following is an
example of a 12-station HICT program. The exercise order allows for a total
body exercise to significantly increase the heart rate while the lower, upper,
and core exercises function to maintain the increased heart rate while
developing strength.
Exercises are
performed for 30 seconds, with ten seconds of transition time between. Total
time for the entire circuit workout is approximately seven minutes. The circuit
can be repeated two to three times for maximum results.
1. Jumping Jacks (Total body)
2. Wall Sits (Lower body)
3. Push-ups (Upper body)
4. Ab Crunches (Core)
5. Chair Step-ups (Total body)
6. Squats (Lower body)
7. Chair Triceps Dips (Upper body)
8. Planks (Core)
9. Running in place (Total body)
10. Lunges (Lower body)
11. Push-ups (Upper body)
12. Side Planks (Core)
A workout routine that yields
significant benefits and is easily adapted to a busy schedule? It’s about time!
Brett
Klika, Chris Jordan. High-Intensity Circuit Training Using Body Weight: Maximum
Results with Minimal Investment. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal. May/June
2013 volume17:issue 3. 8-13
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