Ask the Trainer: 10 Minutes 3x a Day or 30 Minutes, What's More Effective?

I thought this was an excellent question! Yes, 10 minutes three times a day can be just effective as 30 minutes!

But you have to make it work, no time for lolly-gagging. If that’s all the time you have, you better MAKE IT WORK! Calories burned is calories burned, right? And if you burn 300 calories walking/jogging on the treadmill, then walking/jogging 10 minutes 3 times a day, should get you a near equal (if not higher) calorie burn.

How is that possible? For me, if I only had 10 minutes, I would go all out, full force and jog for 10 minutes, versus for me (and with many others) jogging for 30 minutes straight is tough and not doable.

So with a 1-2 minute warm-up, I would follow that with a 8 minutes straight jog as fast as my little legs could go, then cool down for one minute, and make sure I get a couple of stretches in. Maybe I do 10 in the morning, 10 in the afternoon, and 10 at night. That’s my MINIMUM of 30 minutes of cardio I suggests everyone does daily.

Here are a couple of other 10 minute workouts you can scatter through-out the day:

• Stationary bike, mine is in my living room, so I can do 10 minutes at a time while watching TV
• Treadmill walk/jog. Start off slow, but then continue to increase your speed every minute going as fast as you can go. For the last minute, go back to a moderate pace.
• Dancing, cut on some music and dance like a rock star for 10 minutes
• Turbo Kick/Fire has a few short videos
• Hip Hop Abs has an awesome 5-minute workout, make sure and do a 2 minute warm-up and 3 minute cool down, even if it’s just walking in place.
• Tae Bo has an 8 minute workout
• Walk stairs! I worked on the 16th floor once, and on breaks, we would go down and up…sometime this took longer than 10 minutes, but whew, this is a workout!
• Create a 10-minute bootcamp style workout, running, jumping jacks, burpees, lunges, squats, shadow boxing, whatever you like.
• Jump rope. This is a tough one, but do three 3-minute increments, and in between do 25 push ups. You will feel the BURN!
• Strength training can be done in 10 minutes too! Do push-ups, lunges and reverse crunches for 30 seconds each. Repeat this sequence for 10 minutes. Alternatively, perform triceps push-ups, body weight squats and Russian twists for 30 seconds each. Repeat this sequence for 10 minutes.

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 83: Love and hate workout

OK, this workout is really killing me! How was I getting in 60 minutes the first week?  I can barely get in 30! I did manage 35 minutes today.  I LOVE and HATE this workout at the same time.

LOVE it because it is a real calories burner and you will see some results.

HATE it because it's tough and hard to do completely...and stick with it.

But I keep going.  I will continue to get this workout in Tuesday and Thursdays for the rest of May.  I need to stick with a program for the duration.  I always like to switch things up, but this is only 2 days a week, right?

Next month I am starting a new workout. Back to Insanity!  I have not done that one in over a year.  My only problem is there is no strength training.  I will design my own ST program and do that 2-3 days a week.  I'll also add in a few days of doing Hip Hop Hustle because that is just my workout!!

Workout time: 35 minutes

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 79: Killer Bootcamp Workout

Bikini Bootcamp workout is tough.  What more can I say.  Every Tuesday and Thursday, I plan to go hard with it, all 75 minutes of it, but ummmm...after five minutes I think, "What planet was I on when I thought that?"

This workout is NOT for beginners.  It's NOT for anyone who does not workout regularly.  I like it, but I still feel like I cannot give it my all till I get in better shape.  One day! Soon!

I'm not giving up on the challenge, which I could easily do and pick some other workout for Tue/Thurs. I'm not! Heck, at this point 30-Day Shred looks like a walk in the park!!

But I have to be honest.  Working out is NOT my problem.  I will do it. I will get in at least 30 minutes every day, of not more.  My problem is nutrition.  I KNOW what to eat, but I don't follow that much.  I have a problem with late night snacking and I have a problem in general eating more than I should.  And then I compensate overeating with working out like crazy.

Yes, you heard right, this certified personal trainer STRUGGLES big time with her weight because I can't commit to making this a LIFESTYLE change.  I'm still a work in progress. 

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 77-78: A little of this, a little of that

Can I just say that my arms are still SORE from the boxing on Monday!

And I did indeed workout yesterday, just could not move my arms to blog about it.  It was Bikini Bootcamp night, but erri uhhh, my arms were telling me no.  I tried my darnest to at least get in 30 minutes, but only 15 and I was DONE.  So maybe what I needed was something easier and way fun.

Wii Zumba Fitness!!  I did that for 20 minutes and was feeling it.  While I was at it, I through in some Just Dance 2, about 10 minutes

workout time: 45 minutes

Today, I just wanted to dance, dance, dance! So I did a bit of Just Dance 2 (10 minutes) and then I wanted to see how long I could go at MJ Experience.  A whole 60 minutes!!  I was trying to earn top stars, but still only 5 stars for Thriller but I have a lot of 4 star routines.

So a little of this, a little of that and I still get my workouts in.  Woo-hoo!

Workout time: 70 minutes

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 74: Even on those days...

When you just don't want to do anything, DO IT ANYWAY!!

That's how I felt about my workout tonight. Tired, late phone conference, washing a load of clothes, would rather be writing...but BAM! I had to get my workout in (especially since I missed yesterday).  Tonight was Bikini Bootcamp and I REALLY did not want to do it because it knocks out all the little energy cells I have left.

BUT I DID IT ANYWAY!

Mind over matter, and my mind can get pretty lethal when it wants to. So I pushed play, did my workout and I feel a whole lot better now.  I went easy on the weights because ummmm...yeah man, it's TOUGH.  Next week I am going all out, now excuses.  Ain't no stopping me now...

Workout time: 40 minutes 

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 74: Put everything into it!

I sweat so much I think my sweat sweat!

Bikini Bootcamp Challenge tonight, what can I say.  I can't feel my arms! I can't feel my legs!  But its all good because I worked it out! I gave it everything I had, even when I wanted to quit (sometime around the warmup). And I had to do a late workout because I was out late, but I still got it in.

And since variety is key, I plan on switching things up and doing a workout I have not done in a long, long time tomorrow.  I have workouts I have never even opened so maybe I will do that.

Workout time: 60 minutes

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 74: 100 minute workout

60 minutes on the Wii MJ the Experience! I can never get bored with this, BUT I may be giving it a break for awhile just so I can get different workouts in.  If I do it at all, it will be for fun and not fitness.  When I play with the kids, it's more like fun...although, I get more competitive with my moves because I want to win.

30 minutes of Bikini Bootcamp! Wow!  Even though I did 60 minutes of it TWICE last week, my body was not feeling it today...maybe because I did MJ first.  All I know is, I listen to my body when it wants to quit.  I think I did a little more than 30 but I'm rounding down (I took several breaks)

10 minutes of Hop Hop Hustle 5.  And I did this only as a review of sorts. I will be teaching this to some others and had not done it for nearly two weeks.  I will add 10-20 minutes of Hustle everyday just so it stays fresh in my mind.

Total workout time: 100 minutes

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 70: Bikini Bootcamp Workout 2

My second workout with Bikini Bootcamp.  It ain't getting any easier!

I like the format of the workout. After the warm-up, Cardio Camp starts.  In this section there are several sections where moves are repeated for a few rotations.  My fave is Cardio Block 2 where it is kickboxing.  I totally nail that section.  In 4 there is also a few boxing moves.

I'm pretty excited to start seeing some results!

I did do 30 minutes of the MJ Experience before I did Bikini Bootcamp.  And now I can't feel my legs!  I skipped most of the ab section though.  I have to work my way up to doing that.

Workout minutes: 90 minutes

100-Day Exercise Challenge Day 68: Bikini Bootcamp Challenge workout 1

And so the pain begins!

On twitter and facebook Jeanette Jenkins the "Hollywood Trainer" and Kelly Rowland challenge everyone to joining their Bikini Bootcamp Challenge for the months of April and May.  Participants arse to do this workout every Tuesday and Thursday.  I though, why not! I quickly ordered the DVD and put a rush on it.

It arrived yesterday and I popped it in today. I heard that it was tough, that many could not finish the complete 75 minutes.

I guess I can hold my hand up in that group!

But I hold my head high! I did 65 MINUTES!!  Yeah boy-eeee!  I did fast forward a couple of moves that I, ahem, don't like, but I'll master them before the end. 65 minutes of this workout, first time out is TOUGH.  I won't even sugar coat this, THIS WORKOUT IS NOT FOR BEGINNERS!

Several reasons why:
1. She gives no modifications. Okay, maybe like one, but she only tells you what to do, she does not show you.

2. The moves are advanced and can be hard on the joints.

3. There is no "breaking it down" of the moves, you just jump right in and do it.

4. She uses weights, and she suggest heavy weights, and I think a beginner need to stick with light weights or no weights at all.  By all means, if you're gonna do it anyway, PLEASE use light weights.

I would say this workout is for someone who works out often and not afraid to do the hard stuff and sweat like you showered in your clothes!  And that's just during the warm-up!

There are several sections

Warm Up
Cardio Camp
Chisel Camp
Ab Camp
Stretch camp

All pretty challenging (except the cool down) in my opinion, but challenge is good! I felt like I wanted to stop, but did i? No way!  I modified it myself, even when she did not show modifications. Someone with some experience working out would know how to modify moves without being told, I'm just saying....

And all that and I say, THIS workout will get you bikini ready in about 8 weeks (granted you do it as planned, workout the other days and eat clean foods) .  The calorie burn on this I'm sure is crazy.  The back of the case says "600-1000 calories." I feel Iike I was close to that low end, because I did not give it my all, and did not do the complete 75 minutes.

Can't wait till Thursday and do it again!

Total workout time 95 minutes (Bootcamp plus more MJ Experience)