The Easiest Ways To Mash-Up Your Workouts For A Body-Rocking Routine This Spring

Tired of your boring old cardio routine? Mash-up workouts are a great way to integrate all of your favourite exercises for maximum results. With interval training, you get the best of agility, strength, and high intensity exercise.

The best part? You don’t need tons of time to do it. Here are some moves to incorporate into your mash-up workout:

Agility Exercises: Agility exercises require you to change direction quickly while keeping your balance, strength, speed, and body in control. Agility is not just about speed, but also about fluidity. It helps to prevent injury, improve balance and coordination, improve your recovery time, and sets your mind/body connection for the rest of the workout.

Resistance and Strength: Inactive adults experience three to eight per cent of muscle mass loss per decade. Resistance and strength training may help to increase resting metabolism by about seven per cent and help minimize muscle loss. When you strength train, you get more calorie-torching bang for your buck. Working with weights keeps your body working long after you’ve stopped lifting, a process commonly called the “after-burn.”

High Intensity Exercise: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) alternates between intense bursts of activity and fixed periods of less-intense activity or even complete rest. HIIT is the ideal workout for women with busy schedules. Research shows that you can achieve more progress in 15 minutes of interval training (three times a week) than running on the treadmill for an hour.

Most importantly, don’t forget to stretch. Stretching can lead to better posture, fewer aches and pains, and a release of great pressure on the body. End your mash-up workout with a nice stretch session to aid in faster muscle recovery and check in again with your mind/body connection before you finish.

Fit tip: Drag your exercise mat into the lounge room and take a couple of minutes to stretch while you watch TV. It’s that easy – if you can’t find time, make time.