Diet & Fitness Blog
10 Minutes to a Better Body
Email PageStaff Writer
Usually, "10 more minutes" is the cry of the habitual snoozer -- thinking somehow those extra few minutes will make all the difference, but they don't. In fact, 10 minutes is such a worthless little chunk of time that very little can be accomplished in such a short period, right?
Well, that's what you tell yourself, anyway. But it's just an excuse -- and we know what excuses are like, right? Stop wasting time and make "10 more minutes" mean something.Now, "10 more minutes" is the battle cry of the fitness few that are ready to take their exercise routine to the next level. If you already have an exercise program that has you sweating 20-40 minutes, a few days a week, but you feel you've hit a plateau, it may be time to add a few more minutes.
It seems that 10 more minutes wouldn't make much difference. But if you consider the cumulative effect of 10 minutes a day over a whole year, a little time can make a large difference, according to eDiets Chief Fitness Pro Raphael Calzadilla.
"Even if you only add a moderately intense jog for 10 minutes at the end of your workout you can burn an extra 80 calories (based on a 150-pound person)," Raphael explains. "Doing this only three times a week burns an extra 960 calories per month. That's going to supply some substantial fat loss at the end of the year."
Raphael also recommends easing into the extra time over a few weeks. He gives this example:
"If you're jumping rope for 20 minutes, but your goal is 30, then add three intense minutes to the end of a session each week. So in week two you're at 23 minutes, week three at 26 minutes and by week four you're be churning out a tough 32 minutes. Short goals work great."
If you prefer something a little less repetitive, Raphael suggests 10 minutes of what he calls a "free for all."
"Keep choosing different exercises for 10 consecutive minutes such as 15 reps of squats, followed by 3 minutes of jump rope, followed by 1 minute jogging in place, followed by 20 push ups and so on -- until 10 minutes is completed."
This will supply variety and can be changed for each workout. If you like a little more structure, Raphael also offers a more focused 10-minute treatment targeting just one exercise.
"Performing one exercise for 10 minutes with minimal breaks between sets will actually help that muscle recover. For example, if you perform bench press on day one, and then the very next day, perform 100 reps of a different chest exercise, it will send an abundant amount of blood supply into the muscle," Raphael explains.
"This has been proven to accelerate recovery and will allow the chest to be worked again that much sooner. However, one should not go to muscular failure with the extended reps. You won't get 100 consecutive reps, stop 1-2 short of the first 25 reps, followed by the next quick set, and so forth. Choose a weight that allow for 25-30 reps and continue to 100 or 10 minutes."
This can be done with any body part and is great for recovery.
These are great ways to burn more calories and build more muscle -- the perfect plan for adding minimal time to your workout while reaping maximum rewards. However, consistency is the key according to our fitness pro. So what happens when you don't have time for a full workout?
Here's a little routine that only takes 10 minutes of exercise to burn 100 calories. There's no reason to miss a workout anymore.
One set of 10-minute calorie-burners include:
-- 2 minutes of jumping jacks
-- 2 minutes of two-stepping (step up and down a step; up with the right foot, follow with the left. Then step down with the right and down with the left)
-- 6 minutes of jumping rope. Two minutes with both feet, two minutes of hopping from foot-to-foot, then finish with two minutes of skipping (twice on the left foot, then twice on the right)
Try to maintain a moderate pace... Don't start too fast, just pace yourself and keep breathing!
Now get out of bed and quit wasting those precious 10 minutes. Life is short, live it.
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Labels: exercise, motivation, top 10, weight-loss
Comment by 
said... - Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:34:00 PM
I'm already running 30-45min. on the treadmill and 20-30min.in the weight rm.I still can't get my abs tightened up the way they should be.Any suggestions.
Comment by said... - Thursday, April 23, 2009 4:46:00 AM
PLANKS, PLANKS, PLANKS.... The best stomach exercise that works if done correctly.
Comment by said... - Thursday, April 23, 2009 4:24:00 PM
I enjoyed this article and enjoy posted the link on my SparkPeople page. I have been doing OK with the exercising but was just telling my friend that I needed to do more.
Comment by 
Vern said... - Saturday, June 20, 2009 2:32:00 PM
I walk around the small parking lot four times when I can and I try to do it often and I drink lots of water here although my time is limited since the heat index is often over 100 degrees from May to October and I wake up before the sun comes up and I go back to sleep twice and I have no regrets and I am trying to go to bed earlier so I can wake up earlier after the two times. My walks are short since the hot weather keeps me from walking as much, especially from near 10:00 AM to 6:00 AM and so I try to walk as much as I can and I live near a highway so I have to go before dark and the cars have fumes and you can say this is excuses til the cows come home, but these are facts and thats it, I am NOT going to pass out in the heat and normally I am most of the time cleaning up my apartment and my dad complains when I am not focused on cleaning up inside, I am better at focusing on one items. I am good at getting one thing done right. The reason and agenda for my walking is lower my blood pressure and blood sugar and losing lbs are number three so I am very glad when I see better blood pressure and blood sugar, eating more expensive foods helps a lot although apples and oranges I couldn't eat at the hospital since the doc threatened me with the goo in the shot which I refused in the hospital, since I hate to take this totally. I will try to increase the walking to six times if I can go to bed earlier and wake up earlier, I don't like to walk in the dark too. I thought this was more encouraging than most I read, but thats not great, but it is a good sign. I hope to get my next Medicaid Approved shoes which helps me walking in July which takes time to get final approval, I didn't get last year.
Comment by Grammie said... - Saturday, September 05, 2009 11:35:00 AM
Comment by said... - Thursday, October 08, 2009 11:49:00 AM
Sounds like some great ideas that are workable into daily schedules. I like it. However, to say that by burning 960 calories a month one will obtain a substantial weight loss by the end of the year is probably stretching it a bit as the calories burned equals 3.2 pounds, not a significant amount of weight over a 52 week time period. The habits developed will certainly benefit substantially however.
Comment by said... - Monday, November 30, 2009 12:39:00 PM
Get a dog! Your dog will never say she's too tired to go for a walk. When you get home from work, your dog is there looking at you with big eyes that say please lets go, and how can you dissapoint someone who loves you so much. Also, walking with your dog is way more interesting and fun than walking by yourself.
Comment by Vern said... - Friday, December 04, 2009 2:49:00 PM
I was feeling awesome when I was walking, but I was leaving my place a mess and in the middle of October my pastor and his wife got me a new bike, the first one since February 2005, so this has been easier to get around town. I got a Vitamin which is supposed to help me with more energy to bike ride with improved health so I can soon get onto my cleaning up. I go to the local hospital about my leg and I don't have to ask for help to get there unless its raining. I hope to get my memory to improve before long which hasn't been so good since I ran out of a Vitamin and I have financial problems.
Comment by Fit Human said... - Saturday, January 09, 2010 1:05:00 PM
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