A Seven Minute Investment

Life is demanding and our ability to meet these demands can be impaired if we are exhausted and out of shape. High intensity circuit training or HICT can provide a convenient way to maximize the benefits of exercise without expensive equipment and an extensive time commitment. The program can be performed anywhere with only an office chair or step stool for assistance, making HICT an effective way to maintain physical fitness when time and money are short.

HICT is an efficient way to lose excess body fat because resistance training generates metabolic benefits that can last up to 72 hours after the workout has been completed. In other words the body burns its fuel more efficiently for up to three days and a seven-minute investment is all it takes. This seven-minute HICT workout is efficient and effective because it combines aerobic and resistance training. Depending on how intense the training is the workout can be repeated in seven-minute increments in any location. Historically, resistance and aerobic training are performed separately. While this is an effective way to maintain physical fitness, someone working more than a forty-hour week may struggle with scheduling a traditional exercise regimen. HICT is a great option for people who are busy.

The exercise circuit of your choice should promote muscle development by using large muscle groups to create resistance and aerobic intensity. It can be modified for each person’s fitness level, environment and safety. Each of the individual exercises last for 30 seconds with 10 seconds of rest between exercises, making the workout seven minutes. Here is an example of an HICT workout: 1. Jumping Jacks 2. Wall sit 3. Push-ups 4. Abdominal crunches 5. Chair Step-ups 6. Squats 7. Triceps chair dips 8. Plank 9. High knees 10. Lunges 11. Rotate up 12. Side plank. The exercises in HICT should be ordered so that opposing muscle groups alternate between rest and work, for example; an upper body exercise such as push-ups would be followed by a lower body exercise such as squats. Alternating different muscle groups allows sufficient time for the muscles to rest between exercises meaning performance and form are not sacrificed for speed and efficiency.

If you struggle to maintain physical fitness because life gets in the way, HICT may be the perfect option for you. After all, it only takes seven minutes to find out.

Written by: Ariel Beaird, Wellness Workdays Dietetic Intern

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