Should Your Workout Be Shorter?

Should Your Workout Be Shorter?

If, like so many other people, you have been attempting to lose some weight or if you are one of a more select group that aspires to build muscles worthy of a Universe Championships title, you will be aware that achieving either of these goals is not a short-term project. While both of these transformations can benefit if you should choose to adopt a healthier eating plan, diet alone is unlikely to result in rapid weight loss. As for the Arnold Schwarzenegger physique, you can forget all about it unless you are prepared to face hour after hour of gruelling resistance training over a period of several years.

As a general rule, it is pretty safe to say that the harder you are prepared to work and the longer you are willing to spend on your workout, the more impressive your results are likely to be. There is, however, an additional factor that influences this proposition. The extent and the nature of your results can also be determined as much by the content of your workout as by its duration. A typical routine will probably involve lifting weights in various positions, combined with exercises such as sit-ups and press-ups designed to target your core and upper body musculature, and others to work your legs. Rather than a full-body workout, which though saving time tends to be far more strenuous, many trainees choose to work the major muscle groups individually during separate sessions.

If you are among the many South Africans who simply don’t have time to attend three or four weekly gym sessions, it may appear that you have no alternative but to live with your “spare tyre”, shortness of breath, or limited strength. You will, however, no doubt be delighted that there are now studies that show that shorter workout routines that are performed at high intensities can be just as beneficial as longer workouts, if not more. This means that there is hope for people who have busy schedules that cannot accommodate workouts of an hour at a time.