How to Add Strength Training into a Busy Schedule

The importance of strength training has been explained in the previous post. Now the question is – how do you add strength training to your busy week?

To build your muscles and become well-toned, you need to “strength train” 2-3 times a week. To maintain your strength gains, research says to overload your muscles or perform maximum contractions every 14 days.

When I do my strength training for the week, it takes about 10 minutes to go through 6 exercises. The optimal program for strength training is to do 3 sets of a specific exercise and to rest no more than 90 seconds between sets. During the rest time, you do another exercise for a different muscle group. This is the best way to save time. Choose a weight that allows you to strenuously do about 10-15 repetitions.

Try to strengthen a large muscle group from each major area of the body: arms, legs, back, and abs. There are many different exercises for each muscle group. You can choose to either buy some weights or to do body resistance exercises (such as push-ups and sit-ups).

To get the best outcomes remember not to rush your repetitions. Keep your resistance slow and sustained. Another good reminder is to breathe while you are exercising. It sounds funny, but a lot of people do forget to breathe when they are concentrating. Therefore, a good rule of thumb is to always have your mouth open while doing your exercises.

Now the trick is to find the time. Try to make room for at least 10 minutes in your day 2-3 times a week. If you can’t find at least 10 minutes, you can try to find 3-5 minutes to alternate between two exercises. Do your best and enjoy taking care of your body.