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Strength Training: The Best Exercise Routine For Busy People

Lets face it. With the economy as it is and the busy lifestyle that our society lives, when it comes down to exercising, people want the fastest and most efficient program possible. So this brings about two questions. One, how much time is required to get actual results from a fitness program? Two, what needs to be done in this time set aside for exercising?

The first question can be answered many different ways but for the simplicity of this article, lets say that we are designing a program for people who are simply looking to lose a little weight in the form of body fat and looking to tone up and increase strength. In other words, they are not high level athletes or bodybuilders looking to develop a perfect physique for a competition. With these guidelines, we can properly establish a routine that addresses these particular goals in mind. For an individual with these goals, three hours of exercise per week should be performed to reach these goals.

In answer to the second question as to what needs to be done in these three hours of time set aside for exercise, there are two basic forms of exercise that need to be addressed here. The first is cardiovascular training and the second is weigh training or resistance training. The first; cardiovascular training is best modified for the individual by first measuring what the individual can do in terms of intensity and then measuring the heart rate. The second; resistance training is best accomplished by doing primarily compound multi joint movements that work multiple muscle groups in a single exercise.

So how are these 3 hours of exercise split up between these two forms of exercise? In general, an individual with these goals can see incredible goals with three bouts of interval cardiovascular training for only 20min. This leaves three bouts of resistance training for only 40min. When you add it up, it only comes out to three hours of exercise per week and still reaping astonishingly admirable results.

The 20min of cardiovascular training should be monitored and measured initially to measure the fitness level of the individual involved. Much of the recent research on cardiovascular training has shown that shorted bouts of cardiovascular training can be more beneficial then longer bouts of low intensity exercise. For example an individual can jog 400 meters very slowly and reap very little benefit from this. However, if the same individual sprints 400 meters, the benefits of the intensity and the exertion of the muscles involved will create a substantial after burn that will cause a spike in the metabolism resulting in more fat burn and recovery expenditure from the body. With this principle in mind, it is the up to the discernment of the exercise prescriber to recommend proper intensity of interval training.

The 40min of resistance training should be comprised mainly of compound exercises. A compound exercise is a exercise that involves multi jointed movement and also works multiple muscles. The advantage of these exercises is that it works many muscles and thus increases strength and energy expenditure. For example, when designing a exercise program for a busy professional, it would be a much better use of the individuals time to have them do a bench press movement rather then an isolated triceps movement such as a rope pushdown. The reason for this is because the bench press will work other muscles other then the triceps including the pectoral muscles and the shoulder muscles. The tricep rope pushdown will only isolate the tricep muscle and will produce minimal results.

I've written some other articles to help you with your workout results. You can read more and join in the discussion of these workout articles in our Forums.

• Nutrition: Before you even start thinking about exercising.
• Nutrition: What is the best nutritional program?
• Nutrition: Alcohol (The good and the bad)
• Nutrition: Milk - "It does a body bad, real bad"
• Strength Training: "Just do it" Why Nike has it right...
• Strength Training: It's called Intensity!!
• Strength Training: Toning and Building the Arms
• Strength Training: The Best Exercise Routine For Busy People
• Strength Training: Ladies! Toning your Thighs and Butt.
• Strength Training: How can I be Consistent with my Workouts and get Results with my busy schedule?
• Strength Training: How to get a Sexy Flat Stomach
• Strength Training: Getting Bulky
• Cardiovascular Training: It is crucial to know your why...
• Cardiovascular Training: Why you should be exercising less
• Cardiovascular Training: Cardio the right way, intensity.
• Commitment: It takes six weeks
• Commitment: How I went from cute pretty boy to hot stud in 5 seconds flat
• Commitment: Train for your potential

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Please Note

The articles are only simple guidelines. They do not stand alone in your success. Workout 4 Results specializes in providing results and forming your body into a balanced, athletic, and aesthetic shape. In every case, this requires individualized programming in every area of each dimension. Your diet, your resistance program, and your cardiovascular program, and even your committed approach will all be unique in order to reap the biggest results.