One-hour workout

How to make the most of a short fitness routine

By Elaine Paoloni | amNewYork Features Editor

August 16, 2006

One of the most difficult parts of exercise isn't lifting weights or running that extra mile -- it's making the time to actually get to the gym.

Oftentimes, the longer you put off exercising, the more time you think you need to devote to the gym, which perpetuates your inactivity.

So to keep on a good schedule, do a little at a time and treat your gym visits like any other appointments, blocking out the time in your day planner.

"Most training sessions last approximately one hour," says Alanna Perez, a personal trainer at Bally Total Fitness' Worldwide Plaza club on the West Side. "Within that time period, a full body workout is possible by doing exercises that target more than one muscle group at a time."

Perez suggests starting off with a five- to seven-minute warm-up to get the blood flowing and the muscles ready for resistance training. She says to start off with the largest muscle group first (since your body will burn more calories that way), then work down to the smaller muscles. And use your workout time wisely: Include active rest periods between sets by doing jumping jacks or step-ups or jumping rope.

Here are a four combination moves Perez recommends incorporating into an efficient, one-hour workout.

1. Push-ups with a single-arm row
Push-ups followed by a single-arm row using weights target your chest, help tone your arms and work the muscles in your upper back. Also, maintaining the proper form (a plank position) helps strengthen your core.

If you're a beginner, you can do a modified push-up by resting on your knees and starting off with light weights.

Aim to complete three sets of 10-15 repetitions. As you advance (move off your knees and into a plank position), try to do three sets of eight to 10 repetitions.

2. Squats with a bicep curl
Using a stability ball to do squats and adding a bicep curl with free weights targets your glutes, quadriceps and biceps.

Stand tall with your back against a stability ball placed against a wall. Keep your feet hip-width apart and far enough in front of you so that you can come down into a squat with your legs ending at a 90-degree angle. As you squat, curl the weights up. As you come out of the squat, engage your glutes and control the weights coming down.

Aim to complete three sets of 20 repetitions.

3. Tricep roll-out extensions
Using a stability ball to do tricep roll-out extensions targets your triceps, shoulders, glutes and abdominal muscles.

Sit on the ground with your hands behind you. Place your feet on top of a stability ball. In one motion, push the ball out with your legs and squeeze your glutes to lift your body into a reverse plank position supported by your hands. Once you reach the plank position, slowly bring your knees toward your chest and lower your body back into a seated position. Quickly push back up into the reverse plank position.

Beginners should aim for three sets of eight to 10 repetitions. As you advance, try to complete three sets of 10-15 repetitions.

4. Lunges with a torso twist
Doing stationary and traveling lunges while holding a medicine ball and rotating your torso is a great way to target your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and oblique abdominals. The medicine ball adds intensity and challenges you to stabilize yourself by engaging your core muscles.

If you are a beginner, start off with a stationary lunge (alternating legs), then increase the difficulty by traveling and/or increasing the weight of the medicine ball.

Beginners should aim to complete three sets of 20 repetitions. As you advance, increase the weight and the repetitions.