Maximizing Your Time in the Gym

by Adam Toffan, M.Sc, NSCA-CSCS, CSEP-CPT Assistant Fitness Training and Assessment Coordinator, Recreation Services at the University of Manitoba

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The most common excuse for not exercising is time. We all know the benefits of exercise, but when life gets busy our workouts can suffer. These five tips will help you maximize your time in the gym and help you stay on track even when you need to shorten your workout.

1. Lifting heavy for muscle building and fat loss

Many people think lifting weights is strictly for building strength, but it also contributes to fat loss. Building lean muscle helps burn more calories through the day. An analogy I like to use is that a car with a bigger engine burns more fuel. The best way to utilize this strategy is to incorporate compound movements such as squats, bench press, deadlifts, and pull-ups. These exercises use multiple muscle groups, so you get the most work done in the least amount of time. Isolated exercises such as bicep curls are great at targeting a specific muscle, but they’re much less time efficient and require significantly less energy.

2. Utilize pre and post workout nutrition

Whether you are looking to add lean mass or burn fat, results from your exercise program depend on diet. Supplements are an option but should be used as just that – a supplement. You should still be eating whole foods as much as possible, but supplements are useful in a pinch when timing and quantity is an issue. Regardless of whether you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle, you need to fuel your workouts. Sometimes fasted aerobic exercise is an option, but for higher intensity work you need to make sure you have plenty of energy available. Post-exercise nutrition is vital in the recovery process, particularly in rebuilding muscle and replenishing lost nutrients.

3. Focus on each movement

When in a hurry people will often sacrifice quality of movement. This could mean breakdowns in technique or using momentum to power through an action. Slow, controlled eccentric and concentric movements ensure you’re activating the desired muscle groups instead of recruiting other muscles to reduce some of the load. One way to maximize the mind-muscle connection is to focus on, and even visualize, the contraction/elongation of the desired muscles. This will ensure you are recruiting the proper muscles entirely and in a controlled manner to maximize the exercise.

4. Use HIIT in your aerobic workouts

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) cardio is a fantastic way to breeze through your cardio session and benefit from less time spent in the gym.  So many people think low-intensity cardio is the way to go, but research has shown that HIIT is the way of the future. You can complete a workout in 15-30 minutes and get similar benefits to 60 minutes of low-intensity cardio. Additionally, HIIT cardio allows you to continue burning calories and fat hours after you’ve completed your workout.  With so many variations available for HIIT workouts, there’s bound to be something you’ll enjoy and benefit from while maximizing your time in the gym. Just make sure to take a progressive approach if you are new to this style of training to avoid injury.

5. Super-setting strength exercises

If you want to cut down the time of your strength workout, consider using a technique called super-setting.  A superset is a group of two or more exercises that you complete back-to-back similar to a circuit.  For instance, in an upper-body workout, you might start with a chest press followed immediately by a dumbbell row. Working opposing muscle groups allows you to work one set of muscles while the other recovers. It’s also a great way to keep your heart rate up and burn more energy. Though if the gym is busy, super-setting might be difficult due to the number of people using the equipment. However, using supersets during slower times can be a great way to get in and out quickly. You can also plan supersets to use similar spaces or equipment, so you don’t need to leave a piece of equipment and hope someone doesn’t take it. It’s also worth noting that supersets may not be a good option for everyone as rest intervals will vary depending on your training focus.

A variety of these strategies can help you squeeze a quality workout into even the busiest day. This comes in handy around exam time or any other period where we find our lives getting hectic.

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U of M Recreation Services offers personal training and nutrition services! Stop by the Active Living Centre for tailored advice and training from a certified personal trainer or registered dietitian. Visit uofmactiveliving.ca to learn more.