Collegiate Times

If there is one thing that college students seem to lose track of faster than their Hokie Passports on a Friday night, it?s time. With classes, homework, sports, activities and that all-important sleep, it is rare to find time left over, especially when the time comes to hit the gym and get a decent workout. Unfortunately, exercising is probably something that should be a little higher on most of our priority lists.

The United States Department of Health and Human Services recommends that all people ?Engage in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being and a healthy body weight.? HHS also recommends that adults get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, with an additional 30-60 minutes for those who want to maintain or lose weight.

It?s hard enough to find 30 minutes to watch television, let alone find the additional energy needed to hit the gym. And is a 30-minute workout even worth the effort?

Luckily, yes. A simple 30-minute workout can be quite beneficial and burn plenty of calories. In fact, according to Ryan Rusnak, a personal trainer at Virginia Tech, when you are rushed for time, ?focus on supersets and cross training. This is going to give you a great workout. Supersets mean you are working opposing muscles, for example biceps then triceps back to back. This way your muscles will get a break but the workout becomes aerobic. Keeping your heart rate up burns more calories,? he said.

I?m addicted to the treadmill, but Rusnak said, ?lifting burns a significant greater number of calories per minute than running.?

He does say that if you are like me, and a slave to cardio, to make sure that you do get 20 minutes in, but to mix it up. ?Try polymetrics,? he says.

In case you, like me, weren?t aware what those are, polymetrics are exercises that let your muscles reach their greatest potential in the least amount of time. That means jumping, sprinting and any other activities where you stop and start quickly.

And I thought that those days of silly star jumps and box drills were over. Guess not.

So with all this information, what is the bottom line? What should you do the second you get into the gym if you have less than an hour to workout?

First, hit the weights. ?Do weights before cardio so that your muscles are not tired after your cardio training,? Rusnak advises. Even before you get to the gym, have a plan as to what muscles you are going to work and how you are going to work them. And don?t stop!

?When lifting weights, keep occupied,? Rusnak advises.

After the weights, fit some cardio in on the treadmill or elliptical, but don?t waste time. If all machines are occupied, do a quick abs routine or a few pushups ? anything to keep that heart rate up.

Once on the machine, be sure to work hard. It is a myth that the amount you sweat is equivalent to the amount of calories you are burning. The truth is, the harder you are working, the more calories you will burn.

If all of this information is sounding like I?m speaking another language, don?t worry; Virginia Tech has plenty of resources to help anyone on a tight schedule find time to workout and workout right.

There are classes such as gut, butt, and thighs and abs classes that are less than an hour long, and are offered most days of the week. These classes are a great way to push yourself to the limit, or have someone else ?drill sergeant? you to work harder.

If you are completely lost as to how to get started, or are new to working out, the best solution is to get a personal trainer through Virginia Tech. One personal one-on-one session is $12.

But I know that there are days where you are really, really crunched for time and can?t get to the gym for a workout or class. It?s okay ? just try and take advantage of the large size of Virginia Tech. Skip the bus or park your car very far away. I can admit that I probably spend as much time looking for a close spot as I would walking from a less crowded parking lot farther away.

Oh, and fidget. ?People who fidget are seven times less likely to be obese,? Rusnak said.