I don’t know about you guys, but my summer has been crazy so far. A good crazy, however, with more boot camps and personal training clients (hooray!) but it’s been a challenge to figure out where to fit in my own workouts, especially when the kids are with me.
When I can’t get to the gym (or when I’m an idiot and show up at the gym with my kids at noon thinking the childcare runs until 1 and then am told it’s only until noon during the week—FAIL!) I just go straight to my driveway and get my workout done. The heat and humidity can be a drag—I am a bit of a fragile flower when I work out in full sun—but it’s better than no workout. I also have been giving a free show to the HVAC guys doing work on my neighbors’ house. So there’s that.
So when I’m out in the driveway, it’s usually a 30 minute fast-paced special. I have to admit, I’m new to the 30 minute power session. For years, I’ve told myself that anything less than 60 minutes is a waste of time at the gym. But I’m now a huge fan of the quick and sweaty. It amazes me how much I can get done in 30 minutes, assuming I don’t get distracted by changing songs on Spotify.
But to do a 30-minute quick-and-sweaty right, there are two basic rules:
- You have to keep moving, only taking short breaks when you really need it. You’ll be panting (there’s your cardio, folks!) but it’s only 30 minutes so give it all you got. As my coach used to say in rugby, leave it all on the pitch. Or in this case, in the driveway.
- Grab heavy weights. To make the most of your time, you really want to push yourself.
Here are two of my favorite quick and sweaty workouts. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
The leg burner
This is similar to the circuit I showed on Facebook here. Cycle through this one 2-3 times and your legs and glutes will be crying uncle in no time. I did this in my driveway this morning and was a sweaty mess by the end.
- 10 air squats
- 10 froggers
- 10 knee ups/leg (Use a stair or stepper for this; watch me demo this here)
- Curtsy lunges (10/side)
- Single leg squats to bench (or stepper if you have it): 10/leg
- 4-6 short sprints
- Glute bridges
Upper body domination
One time after I did this at the gym, I dropped my keys in the car when I tried to put the keys in the ignition. My shoulders were COOKED!
- Front arm raises with dumbbells or the handled resistance band (10/arm)
- Side arm raises with dumbbells or the handled resistance band (10/arm)
- Shoulder presses with dumbbells or the handled resistance band
- Overhead press with the bar: I do 10 reps/set with no weight on the bar (or one of the pre-weighted bars that some gyms have if I’m doing a circuit)
- Underhand shoulder raise (via Syatt Fitness; this is one of my new favorite exercises)
- 1.5 pushups (again, via Jordan Syatt): did these in my Facebook video on Sunday
- Shoulder taps
Take that driveway by storm! Get it done, friends!