Here, we offer you quick-blast routines and tips from the pros so that you can bust out a great workout when you’re pressed for time.
TONEY FREEMAN
I travel a lot, so I run into this situation often. When I’m staying at a hotel I usually focus on doing quick, pumping workouts. I try to choose a hotel that has a fitness area and then adapt my workout to the equipment they have. Sometimes circumstance doesn’t allow that, so you have to figure out a workaround. Traveling all the time definitely requires workarounds.
FREEMAN’S 15-MINUTE BICEPS ROUTINE
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Barbell curl
3
20
Alternate DB curl
3
8-12
1-arm DB preacher curl
3
8-12
JAY CUTLER
I’ve had plenty of situations where I had limited gym time. It’s usually related to travel — appearances or autograph signings. Basically, it’s a pump workout that doesn’t involve a ton of weight, but doing two sets of this and two sets of that, moving quickly from exercise to exercise with very little rest time in between, like 30 seconds. The most important thing about quick workouts: you can’t train extremely heavy or you’ll exhaust yourself. The idea is to keep moving, keep the blood flowing at all times. It’s not like you’re going light – I’d say moderate weight is about right – and you want the to stay in the 10-12 range.
CUTLER’S 15-MINUTE CHEST ROUTINE
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Flyes
2-3
10-12
Incline Smith Press
2-3
10-12
Pec Dec
2-3
10-12
Flat Dumbbell Press
2-3
10-12
Cable Crossover
2-3
10-12
PHIL HEATH
I’ve squeezed in workouts in a hotel room when I’ve had no other option.When I was in high school, I used to get into wall sit competitions with a buddy. We’d be watching TV and do wall sits through the commercial breaks. It’s brutal. In fact, it’s hard to think of a tougher leg workout than to superset squats with wall sits.
HEATH’S 15-MINUTE QUAD ROUTINE
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Deep Knee Bends
4
50
supersetted with/
Deep Knee Bends
4
1-2 mins.
FLEX LEWIS
I like training heavy but every now and then, when you’re pressed for time, you have to improvise to get a good workout in. You can actually benefit from that because throwing in the odd, crazy workout is a good shock to the muscles to keep them guessing, which in turn, will help them grow.
LEWIS’ 15-MINUTE TRICEPS ROUTINE
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Triceps pushdowns
3
15-20
Standing overhead triceps extensions
3
15-20
Standing overhead triceps extensions
3
15-20
Lying triceps extensions
3
15-20
BRANDON CURRY
The advantage of training fast is that you hit the muscles hard with little rest. That gives it a shock factor. The intensity is so high and there’s no time for B.S. I have a shoulder routine that I call, “southern fried.” When the burn in your shoulders does not want to leave and you just can’t take it, stop, drop and roll. This 15-minute workout consists of what I call cable shoulder complexes. Rest no more than 30-60 seconds between each set.
