How to Work Out in Half an Hour
It's difficult keeping your priorities straight, but exercise is key to reducing stress and maintaining health. Carve out 30 minutes a day, and make it count.
Up next in How to Get Fit Fast (50 videos)
Need to shape up? Get fit fast with the workout tips in this Howcast video series.
You Will Need
- Warm-ups
- Cardio machine
- Concentration
- Jump rope
- Patience
Steps
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Step 1
Warm up
Warm up your muscles quickly by walking or performing slow stretches for about two minutes before starting your workout. Cover your limbs to keep the heat in.
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"No pain, no gain," is not necessarily true. Don't force your muscles to do too much -- if you feel pain, stop.
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Step 2
Choose the right machine
Choose a machine that challenges you and keeps your attention. Confronting something you don't like and overcoming it gets your adrenaline pumping.
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Step 3
Rotate quickly
Rotate from one cardio machine to another in random order -- bike, elliptical machine, treadmill, and Stairmaster -- spending 5 minutes on each.
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Burn fat around the house if you can't get to a gym by vacuuming, standing while you read, walking up and down stairs, or using basic resistance techniques while you're on the phone, cooking, washing, or dusting.
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Step 4
Substitute activities
Substitute running or jumping rope to keep your rhythm and heart rate up if someone is using a machine you wanted to use.
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Step 5
Limit warm up progressively
Limit your warm ups as you go from one exercise to the next until, on the last one, you give it all you've got.
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Step 6
Reserve time for cool down
Reserve time for a 2- to 3-minute cool down. Don't waste the workout and pull a muscle because you rushed the critical minutes after.
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A 1999 study of older adults found that those who walked about 45 minutes 3 times per week for 6 months performed better on cognitive tasks than those who did stretching or strengthening exercises.
