TIME TO SHED WINTER BLUES AND GET MOVING
Jill Barker provides four 20- minute workouts
Sure, there’s still snow on the ground and we’re bound to have another cold snap before winter says goodbye for good, but the arrival of daylight savings is a signal to shed those winter blues and get moving.
If you’ve been hibernating these past few months, who can blame you. It has not been the easiest of winters to get outside. So to encourage you to get off the couch, I’ve put together some 20- minute workouts to entice you out of your winter lair.
Not only will you get out and about, you’ll be building toward longer and more intense workouts — a kind of prelude to spring training if you will. The goal is to rebuild your endurance while adding a pop of speed to get your heart rate into the training zone.
You can run or walk the workouts — the choice is yours. For walkers, it provides structure to your walks and pushes you beyond window- shopping speed. The aim is to keep a pace similar to what you would use when late for an appointment and then push it even harder during the sprint intervals.
Runners, this is your chance to shake off the winter doldrums and add some spice to your workouts. Perfect for those days when time is your enemy, push your speed into the uncomfortable when asked to pick up the pace, which will offer the best return on such a short investment of time.
Is 20- minutes enough time to make a difference? It sure is. An energetic bout of exercise has a positive impact on health, especially when it’s part of the 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week health experts recommend. So don’t look at it as a short single workout but rather a collection of workouts designed to achieve a larger goal.
Beyond accumulating the requisite number of workout minutes a week, you’ll also benefit from a boost in energy after spending 20 minutes on the move. So time your workout strategically to get the most bang for your buck. Twenty minutes of exercise before everyone else is out of bed can change the way you do mornings, a 20- minute workout over lunch can make it easier to finish a long afternoon and 20- minutes after dinner can shake off the “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing ” blues.
If you’re ready to take up the 20- minute challenge, there’s a bit of housekeeping to get out of the way before getting started.
The four workouts are designed to be done over a seven- day period, which means you have three rest days during the week. I’m not giving you licence to put your feet up on your days off, but it’s early in the season so go ahead and let your body recover before tackling the next workout.
If, after a couple weeks, you’re feeling capable, feel free to kick it up to five times a week by repeating one of the workouts. In fact, since the workouts are short and sweet, make it your goal to squeeze a 20- minute workout into as many days of the week as possible.
In keeping with the springtime theme, make sure you leave your winter coat and boots in the closet. Wear athletic shoes and breathable layers that will make movement easier and less cumbersome.
Scope out a few routes around your neighbourhood, mixing it up so you won’t get bored. A couple loops, some out and back routes and one with a few challenging hills should do the trick.
Don’t play favourites. Cycle through the workouts giving each equal time as they all have a different goal and challenges.
All t he workouts demand a change of pace, so if you’re used to walking or running at the same speed, you’ll need to push out of your comfort zone. If you feel yourself falling into your old f amiliar steady- state patterns pick up the pace and get those feet moving.
THE WORKOUTS
STEADY SHE GOES
Walk/ run 5 minutes at a comfortable pace
Walk/ run 10 minutes at a moderately hard effort
Walk/ run 5 minutes at a comfortable pace Bursts of speed Walk/ run 5 minutes at a comfortable pace
Increase your speed for 30 seconds
Return to a comfortable pace for 60 seconds
Repeat the 30- second speed interval followed by the 60- second recovery interval x 6
Walk/ run 6 minutes at a comfortable pace
CRANK IT UP
Walk/ run for 5 minutes at a comfortable pace
Increase your speed for two minutes
Return to a comfortable pace for 30 seconds
Repeat the speed/ recovery intervals x 6
UP AND DOWN
Walk/ run for five minutes at a comfortable pace
Increase your pace slightly every 60- seconds x 5 ( you should be moving at close to maximum effort by the fifth interval)
Decrease your pace slightly every 60- seconds x 5 ( you should be back to a comfortable pace by the fifth interval)
Walk/ run for five minutes at a comfortable pace