When your time is limited, you want a workout that incorporates all your muscle groups in a few moves. One way to achieve this is to do lower and upper body work at the same time. This increases your heart rate and adds an element of cardio to your workout.
Squats
Instead of doing just a simple weighted squat, perform a squat press. Start with feet wider than shoulder width apart. Place a weighted bar behind your neck. Bend your knees until thighs are parallel with the floor; at the same time, raise the bar above your head. This will work your thighs, shoulders, and arms. To increase the difficulty of this move, perform it on your toes and don’t let your heels touch the ground as you squat.
Lunges
Begin with static lunges with right foot forward. Stay in the lunge position. Curl dumbbells and then press them overhead. Super-set this exercise with lunges, raising dumbbells out in front of you as you lunge. Do not rest between sets. The purpose of this exercise is to increase your heart rate while toning your arms and legs. Move straight into the next exercise.
Bench
The next exercise is a bench press. Do this on a yoga ball to help engage your core muscles. Keep your head and neck supported on the ball. Press the dumbbells straight up above your chest. This works your arms as well as your pectoral muscles.
Fly
Super-set the bench press with a fly. This is most effective from the squat position with weights in the center of the body. Bring your right arm to your right side, left arm to your left side, keeping your elbows slightly bent. This works the shoulder muscles and arms. The squat position also works your legs and increases the difficulty of this exercise.
Triceps
This can be done using a bench to stabilize the body. Start with your left knee on the bench and right leg on the floor. Right arm should be hanging straight. Pull your right arm in so your triceps is parallel with the floor. This is a triceps row and also works your core muscles. From this position, straighten your arm out behind you so it is parallel to the floor. Move only at your elbow. Try to perform these circuits with little to no rest in between. You can increase reps and cycle back through the circuit if time permits.
References
- The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises; Adam Campbell; 2010
- Dumbbell Bent Over Row
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