Q: Due to my crazy work schedule I only have time to do strength training for about one hour once a week…. is that even worth it?
A: Taking the time to do something good for your body is always worth it! Physical activity in general has enormous health benefits – everything from lowering blood pressure and cholesterol to fat loss and stress reduction. And these benefits won’t just add years to your life, they’ll increase the quality of the years you have by making daily activities easier and work less stressful. Therefore any time you can devote to exercise throughout your week will benefit you.
Ideally your workouts should include a balance of cardiovascular exercise and strength training, but if your schedule is tight that’s not always possible. In this case I suggest incorporating strength training into your workouts first, as this is the most efficient way to burn calories AND boost your metabolism. A higher metabolism means you’ll be burning more calories every minute! If one of your goals is weight loss, then strength training is essential for seeing results.
The good news is that you only need about 30 minutes to perform a good weight training routine – you don’t need to devote an entire hour! And if it’s possible, try to split your one hour per week into two non-consecutive workouts. Significant changes can be seen in both muscle strength and endurance, as well as overall body composition, just by increasing training frequency from one day per week to two… which means you’ll be doubling or tripling your results with no added effort!
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a strength training program of at least eight to ten exercises, hitting all of the major muscle groups: gluts, hamstrings, quadriceps, core, pectorals (chest), back, triceps, biceps, and shoulders. Each exercise should be performed for a minimum of one set of eight to twelve repetitions, bringing the muscle to fatigue (when you can’t perform the exercise any longer). Because you only need to complete one set of each exercise for strength gains, you can fit your workout pretty much anywhere in your day! And if you’re extra short on workout time, just split your strength training routine into 10 or 15 minute segments. You can space the segments throughout one day or perform one segment every day of the week, eventually totaling two sets of each exercise per week.
Although you can strength train more frequently and/or perform additional sets, these practices aren’t necessary to see results. Strength training for 30 minutes just two days per week will produce about 80% of the strength gains seen when training three days per week – not bad when you’re short on time!
Ultimately, your workout routine should be a marriage between your goals and the time you can realistically commit towards reaching those goals. If you’re able to, aim for two days per week – or split a strength training routine into small segments and fit them in throughout the week. Either way, you’ll see greater strength improvements and faster weight loss than with just one day per week. But if you only have one day, make the most of it and try to incorporate some strength training into your routine. Something is always better than nothing!
Looking for some exercise ideas? The three workouts below contain a progressive selection of movements, complete with pictures and how-to instructions. They are grouped into beginner (Fitness Freshman), intermediate (Avid Exerciser) and advanced (Training Pro), so you can progress at your own pace. And of course, every exercise can be performed at home with no equipment. Good luck!
Excellent advice, thanks Nicole!