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Can’t afford a gym membership? Crunched for time? Live in an area that’s not safe for a daily jog or stroll?

None of these things mean a quick workout is out of the question, thanks to an article published in the most recent edition of American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal.

With all the magazines, videos and classes out there concerning how to stay fit, it’s easy to start feeling overwhelmed before you even throw on a pair of shorts and shoes, but studies have shown that high-intensity interval workouts are the way to go, and that means less time and money spent on getting and/or staying fit.

As the original article points out:

To address the limitations of traditional exercise protocols and provide an effective and efficient program for our clients, one of the exercise strategies we use is high-intensity circuit training (HICT) using body weight as resistance. Our approach combines aerobic and resistance training into a single exercise bout lasting approximately 7 minutes. Participants can repeat the 7-minute bout 2 to 3 times, depending on the amount of time they have. As body weight provides the only form of resistance, the program can be done anywhere.

HICT is not a new concept, but it is growing in popularity because of its efficiency and practicality for a time-constrained society. The combination of aerobic and resistance training in a high-intensity, limited-rest design can deliver numerous health benefits in much less time than traditional programs (^{5, 9, 10, 16, 18)}. When body weight is used as resistance, it eliminates the limiting factors of access to equipment and facilities.

Check out the easy-to-follow chart above and start making those fitness goals a reality today.

Full story at American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal via The New York Times.

Fast fitness.