Between Monday and Friday, it can be difficult fitting in regular workouts alongside work or school and everything else going on. The weekend often brings more free time and with it, the opportunity to break out of your typical routine and get your sweat on.
Whether you’re a gym regular or a weekend warrior looking to maximize your only workouts of the week, use these tips to take advantage of your lighter weekend schedule and fit in a top-notch workout.
Go the extra mile (kilometre)
If your typical cardio session lasts 20 minutes, increase it to 30 minutes. Try doubling up and powering through 20 minutes on two different machines.
Try something new
Most of us stick to what we know during the week to maximize time and efficiency in the gym. Use the weekend to try something new or mix in some exercises that don’t typically fit into your routine.
Try that longer hot yoga class you’ve been thinking about, or if you’re feeling ambitious, tackle back-to-back group fitness classes. Get your blood pumping with a high-intensity class and then wind down with a follow-up yoga session.
The weekend may be the perfect opportunity to expand your workout repertoire with some moves in the turf zone.
Work out on your way to your workout
Provided the weather is nice, you can use the additional time to walk, run or bike to the gym. Get your heart rate up and warm up your muscles before arriving at the gym to take advantage of your time once you’re there.
Don’t skimp out on recovery
When fitting in workouts throughout the week, it’s easy and sometimes feels necessary to skip warmups and cooldowns. Use the additional time on the weekend to slow things down and treat your body right with some extra stretching to improve muscle performance and reduce soreness.
Get friends and family involved
It can be hard enough coordinating a personal workout during the week, let alone trying to meet up with someone else. Get together for a class with a friend, family member or coworker for a class, or try this full-body partner workout.
Get out and explore
Don’t spend your entire weekend inside – get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Go for a hike, take your workout to the beach or turn playtime with your pooch into a full-body workout of its own.
For some of us, weekends are busier than an average weekday. If you’re looking to squeeze a quick workout into the limited time you’ve got, get in and out of the gym with this fast and easy routine.