Everyone is busy and fitting in workouts can be tough. Manage your gym time better and you’ll see maximum results in less time. Focus your efforts and use the below guidelines to get more out of every workout you log.

1. Quality over quantity
2. Form over speed
3. Free weights over machines
4. Lift heavier and sprint harder

1. Maximize exercise through optimum form. Many people tend to race through their routines, pumping out 20 rapid push-ups, for instance, but only going halfway down.  But each movement performed completely, with chest touching–or almost touching the floor yields greater results for the time spent.  People are often surprised to discover that they can only do half as many, when they improve their form to include the entire range of movement.  Yet with good form, they are achieving the same or better benefit in equal or less time, doing fewer reps with perfect form.  This takes practice and discipline, AND letting go of bragging rights on how many of an exercise we can do, but it’s worth it for the dividends of greater strength gains and multiple muscle groups engaged along with more of each muscle.  If you’re going to do it, might as well do it well!

Watch your form...

2. Form over speed. Speed tends to be linked to form because the quickest way toward sloppy form is through speed, and speed is also more likely to yield injury.  Racing through exercises can be good strategy sprinkled in to keep the heart rate up, however, performing the exercise more slowly but completely, requires the strain and subsequent development of strength which–often surprisingly–also elevates the cardiovascular rate.

Similarly, it can be surprising how much more difficult an exercise is when isolated from any momentum.  But here too, speed often compromises form.  If you want to achieve more in less time, try 10 push-ups with perfect form—straight back and chest to the floor, over racing through 20, halfway to the floor, for then you’re recruiting more muscle groups and more of each muscle.

3. Free weights over machines. Most new to exercises tend to gravitate toward machines more than free weights, such as barbells and dumbbells, because the latter seem awkward and unwieldy.  Both are good and machines can be great for isolating a muscle or muscle group, and for assisting with form, however, free weights recruit more muscle groups and require greater focus—and thus attention to—good form.  This is one reason why most long-time body builders favor free weights: they know they can accomplish more in less time.

Best bet... free weights

Machines allow us to lift heavier weight than with free weights because gravity is not usually a part of the movement, whereas with free weights, if you select the equivalent weight you had on a machine, it can leave you wondering what happened and why you can’t lift as much.  It’s because free weights have the added benefit of gravity to work against, thereby increasing the value of the movement.

4. Lift Heavier, Run Faster.We’ve talked about the benefit of high intensity interval training and lifting heavier in other blog posts, so for now will only say that rest-based cardio (sprint and rest intervals) over steady state cardio (jogging), coupled with lifting heavier weights with better form in fewer reps, can give you more benefit in less time.

Get more out of these exercises:

• Push-ups – bringing your chest all the way to the floor offers superior fitness in less time because you can’t do as many and yet you’re achieving the same–or better–results by working more muscles and more of each muscle.  
• Squats, Lunges, and Leg Presses – Go lower—with thighs parallel to floor—but not higher.  In other words, do not lock knees out at top of movement.  You will be surprised to discover that you can’t do as many and will reach fatigue faster.  You can also try this technique with chest and should presses.Abdominal exercises – be sure you are not throwing yourself up with your arms; let your abs do all of the work, so place arms in an “x” across your chest or out beside your head, (without pulling on your head). Isolate your ab muscles and move slowly. A dozen crunches performed properly will take the place of 100 poorly performed. Never use momentum to propel yourself, you’re cheating your abs. 
• Hanging Leg and Knee Raises – similar to ab exercises, do not use momentum by swinging your legs up.  Perform each leg raise from a pause, raising and lowering slowly.  
• Treadmill and Elliptical Machines – do not hold onto or lean on the machines.  To do so deprives you of greater cardio benefit you could be achieving in the same—or shorter—time period.  If you find you cannot go for as long, then rest, recover and go again. The other problem with holding on—besides reducing the workout benefits is that it can negatively impact your posture.  If you’re new and need to hold on for stability, that’s fine, but wean yourself off so that you’re arms are swinging freely and your posture is not compromised.