by Christine Hunt
Although I help my clients lose weight with EFT, which works with the mind/body connection and reasons why the subconscious mind won’t allow their bodies to let go of weight, I admit that a certain amount of exercise is something that everyone needs – whether they are trying to lose weight or not.
Going to a gym and exercising can be unappealing. And if you’re like me, you’d rather do some sort of a fun activity to get the blood pumping and keep your muscles strong. When that isn’t possible, wouldn’t it be nice to find a short, simple routine that will do the job and doesn’t require special equipment? Something that you can do if you are traveling or just short of time.
High-intensity Interval training has become known for its effectiveness in helping keeping your body fit in less time than a long run or a traditional visit to the weight room. The trick is to do the exercises at an intensity approaching your maximum ability which produces molecular changes within your muscles similar to those of several hours of running or bike riding.
Few people can keep up their maximum effort of an activity for prolonged periods of time which is why it is done in intervals, or short rests between exercises. The best overall workouts also combine upper and lower body exercises.
Developed by Christopher Jordan, of the Human Performance Institute, The Scientific Seven Minute Workout combines all of this into one, simple, easy to execute seven minute routine which uses only your body weight, a chair and a wall. What could be simpler than that?
Beginning with 30 seconds of jumping jacks and ten second resting intervals, the 7-Minute Workout consists of twelve different exercises that work all major muscle groups of your upper and lower body. It can be done anytime and anywhere.
The exercises are:
Jumping jacks
Wall sits
Push-ups
Abdominal crunches
Step-ups onto a chair
Squats
Tricep dips on a chair
Planks
High knees running in place
Lunges
Push-ups with rotation
Side plank
After each 30 second exercise, you rest for 10 seconds then go onto the next one. But remember, in order to get the most benefit from this amount of time, you need to up the intensity of your effort to about an 8 on a scale of 1-10.
Here is a video of Chris Jordan explaining the workout.
The advantages? You’ll get your heart rate up, your breathing rate increases, and your muscles get toned and stronger. The stronger your muscles are, the more calories you burn (even in a resting state) and you lose weight and look trim.
The disadvantages? Well, you may get a little sweaty, your muscles may quiver a bit and it may take you some time to catch your breath. But hey, it’s only seven minutes!!!
If you don’t want to have to time yourself for each exercise, you can get an app for your tablet or smart phone (which is what I have). The official website is https://7minuteworkout.jnj.com where you can download the app which provides 72 different exercise and 22 additional workouts to keep things interesting. It even has Smart Workout which recommends different workout programs for you based on your fitness and motivation levels.
I’ve only been doing this a few months and, although I don’t get to it as often as is recommended, I do feel a difference in my muscle tone, overall strength and can work harder at each exercise than when I began.
So give it a try. It’s free and the only thing you have to lose is some weight and maybe that tire around your waist.
To your health!
Source: The Scientific 7-Minute Workout
What do you do to move your body and keep your muscles toned up?
Please share your questions and comments below.
Christine Hunt is a Wellness Coach and Certified EFT Practitioner and has found that working with the whole person by combining mind/body work, dietary adjustments and movement provides her clients with the tools they need to lose weight (and keep it off), get relief from chronic illness and positively transform their lives. Contact her for a free, 15 minute consultation to learn why what she does works when other methods have failed.
Christine works with her clients in person, by Skype or phone. So, if you live away from the Annapolis, Maryland area, she can still work with you.