Recommendations for quick, short bursts of excercises

[FngSaiYuk]

I had decided after a long period of inactivity, to begin training again to get to a healthier, fit state. I don't get to dedicate much continuous time to training, however, since I work from home, I find that I get a lot of short breaks throughout the day which I think may be an opportunity to get some physical training in.

I've started filling up my spare time by keeping some dumbells by my desk and every so often, taking the time out to do 12-15 reps of an exercise. I also do sets of 20-40 situps immediately followed by 20-40 pushups immediately followed by 20-40 deep, on balls of feet squats with my feet about 9" apart.

Any suggestions on what I could do to get the most out of these short breaks? I figure I have 5-15minutes every 45-60minutes over a 10-12 hour period (I have a weird job).

[Water Dragon]

Get a jump rope. Do 3 - 3 minute rounds w/ 1 minute rest in between. That's 11 minutes including rest.

Get a kitchen timer and set it to 1 minute do the following in order, no rest in between:

crunches-bicycles-flutterkicks-crunches-bicycles. There's your abs.

For legs do 1 minute lunges, 1 minute squats, 1 minute calf lifts, 1 minute jumping squats.

Do push ups for a minut straight. When you can't do anymore, keep doing them on your knees.

There's tons more, be creative, just move constantly for 3-5 minutes when you do go to keep your heart rate up.

[FngSaiYuk]

Thanks! Those sound great! I'll add those in today, tho' will do pretend jump ropes until I get a chance to go get one in a couple of days (no I don't get out much beyond my backyard).

[Water Dragon]

Instead of pretending to jump rope, do knee slappers for 1 minute rounds. hold your hands at hip level and smack your kneesinto them by jumping. (like running in place)

Do mountain climbers, go to the strength and conditioning board at mma.tv Read anything you can about SCRAPPER's exercises.

Above all, once you set that timer, keep moving. If you can't keep pace at the beginning (and honestly, you wont be able to) just KEEP MOVING, even if it's real slow. Have fun! play some music! exercise naked! (just kidding on that last one :D )

Don't forget to puke on Rubby when you're done!

[FngSaiYuk]

Thanks for the suggestion! I googled SCRAPPER exercise and found trainingforstrength.com (yah, these seemingly 'obvious' domain names aren't always the first thing that come to mind when hunting them down). Lots of good stuff.

So I tried fake jump roping for 10 min (was before I saw your last post) and the continual non-rest sets of crunches-bicycles-flutterkicks-crunches-bicycles, lunges-squats-calflifts (can't do high jumping excercises due to a low ceiling) and pushups. Great stuff! I had to rest for a good few minutes before getting back to work!

I've been in really fit shape before, so I'm capable of a lot of these. I really enjoy variety, though. Again, thanks for the input!

[WinterPalm]

What kind of job do you do?
You can always do stances at your computer, that is if you work at your computer.:D

[FngSaiYuk]

I do remote datacenter operations and management. On call 24/7, so I tend to do my workouts near my computers. So outside of immediate emergencies, everything is deadline based, so I'm able to take many breaks (again, being on call, I have to be near enough to my system to hear the alerts) so long as the work gets done on time and events and requests are responded to reasonably.

So I've added the jogging in place... but it just doesn't give me much in the way of FEELING like I'm getting some challenge (I like the feel of a challenge). Normally when I get a chance to go running I do so with some weights strapped on, but doing the jogging in place thing, I don't think the additional weights help any.

I have tho' added some things that I remember from ways back--- jacknife situps and sprawling and high speed running in place drills. Now I think I'll keep the jacknife situps, however the sprawling just isn't the same w/o the randomness of someone else telling me when to sprawl.

I like these variations of pushups on trainforstrength.com... I'll try a few of them out on my next series of break exercises.

[rubthebuddha]

fsy: take some of the stuff WD (the lousy bastage) then do them in what are called "tabata sprints." the name is unimportant, but the format is: do brief sprints of whatever exercise, followed by even shorter rests, then repeat.

the standard is:

20 seconds sprint / 10 seconds rest

now just do that eight times. in less than four minutes, you should be dead, and wholly ready to puke as WD directs you.

just make sure you're loose before doing this. :)

[KaiKhoon]

Whatever you do make sure you goto absolute exaustion or muscle failure. When you don't think you can do anymore, keep going.

[FngSaiYuk]

Hmm, I'll try the sprints tomorrow and see how it feels.

As far as to exhaustion goes, I'm going to have to hunt down more difficult exercises. I'm actually rather fit, and so I'm probably going to figure out some exercises I can add weights to for additional resistance.

I'll have a better idea tomorrow when I try the sprints though, I maintain stamina by regulating my movements and breathing... if I go all out, that could probably wind me... we'll see...

[Water Dragon]

If you want harder drills, let me know. My coach delights in finding new ways to torture us constantly. I'll post some for you tomorrow while i'm at work.

[Ka]

Originally posted by FngSaiYuk
Any suggestions on what I could do to get the most out of these short breaks? I figure I have 5-15minutes every 45-60minutes over a 10-12 hour period (I have a weird job).
I would suggest just doing a ladder style training of one exercise per 15 minute beak based around what equipment you have available.
eg: first break = Push Ups 1-X-1 with short breaks(15 secs)
Next break a type of Ab exercise. Squats, Dips,Static Holds whatever

Tabata Protocols and HIIT are great, but are best suited to People with a good foundation of fittness to begin with and time to warm up comprehensively.(I am not suggesting you don't have a good foundation merely that studies show the best results are from lads with form and fittness already down)
I suggest this also for pragmatic reasons.
Tabata and HIIT will leave you like a Sweaty Dog,the intensity is high,I don't know what sort of job you are doing but its worth thinking about the possible impact of fatigue,etc on your job requirments.


As usual it also comes down to the goals you want to achieve.Maybe there is some sport specific agility based exercies that may suit such a short period.

Just another Veiw,hope its of use

[rubthebuddha]

My coach delights in finding new ways to torture us constantly. i'm thinking your coach and my laundromat have some sort of conspiracy going together. :mad:

[KaiKhoon]

Ka, you seem to be suggesting several exercises which I don't believe he can do, unless his office is in the center of a gym.

Burpee's, One handed push-ups, Skipping(as someone suggested), should all work on exausting you in short time.

I'm not sure what else you can really do in such short breaks, sort of an odd position you are in :|.

[blooming lotus]

Originally posted by FngSaiYuk
I do remote datacenter operations and management. On call 24/7, so I tend to do my workouts near my computers. So outside of immediate emergencies, everything is deadline based, so I'm able to take many breaks (again, being on call, I have to be near enough to my system to hear the alerts) so long as the work gets done on time and events and requests are responded to reasonably.

So I've added the jogging in place... but it just doesn't give me much in the way of FEELING like I'm getting some challenge (I like the feel of a challenge). Normally when I get a chance to go running I do so with some weights strapped on, but doing the jogging in place thing, I don't think the additional weights help any.

I have tho' added some things that I remember from ways back--- jacknife situps and sprawling and high speed running in place drills. Now I think I'll keep the jacknife situps, however the sprawling just isn't the same w/o the randomness of someone else telling me when to sprawl.

I like these variations of pushups on trainforstrength.com... I'll try a few of them out on my next series of break exercises.


sounds like an awesome plan, but a jacknife sit up is what??

[Ka]

Originally posted by KaiKhoon
Ka, you seem to be suggesting several exercises which I don't believe he can do, unless his office is in the center of a gym.
Push Up and variations = don't need a gym
Abs don't need a Gym
Squats BW = don't need a Gym
Static Holds(talking about L sits or Handstands 4 corner drills) don't need a Gym
Dips, couple of Chairs = don't need a Gym
I'm guessing you don't understand the reference to Ladders ethier.
So... do 1 rep rest do 2 reps rest etc up to X and back down.
Hope thats clear

[Bak Kuei]

What you refer to as "ladders" is also sometimes known as "pyramid sets". :)

[Ka]

Yep

[Water Dragon]

Originally posted by rubthebuddha
i'm thinking your coach and my laundromat have some sort of conspiracy going together. :mad:

Yeah, from what I hear he gets 10 % commision :D

[FngSaiYuk]

Morning All,

So this morning, after my generic calisthenics of jumping jacks, situps, pushups squats, I started my office work. I JUST finished my first breaks exercises and this time, after reviewing this thread, I decided to focus on one body group at a time. This time is abs... OK NOW I'm at muscle failure. The interval sprints really did me in, plus changing the movement between the various ab exercises. So now I've got that nice sore feeling.

My next break I'll go for the pushup series... after my experience w/the abs, I'm expecting muscle failure fairly quickly. I'm gonna start recording what I do in a spreadsheet to see how I improve over time.

Thanks for all the input, everyone! Good stuff!

[FngSaiYuk]

OK I think I'm gonna ease up tomorrow and make it a rest day for me. Today's sprint sets (I've done 3 - abwork, pushup work & legwork) are a bit more than my body is used to. Kinda interesting that when I pace myself, I can do equal total reps to the sprint sets, but complete them all and feel good, whereas the sprint sets leave me panting and VERY sore.

Again, thanks for the input ... I like the results - well, mebe at least until my body gets used to it ... we'll see