Easy to remember 20 minute-ish workout?

[fustercluck]

I want to try and workout 20 minutes a day, mostly cardio stuff i guess. I don't like lifting weights really, so I want to try and keep that minimal. This workout was recommended to me:

· Jumping Jacks 1 minute

· Bodyweight squat (one-leg squat for advanced) 15-20 reps

· Push-ups (slower reps for advanced); as many reps as possible

· Kick butts (jog in place and kick your rear with both heels); 1 minute

· Hamstring floor bridge (use swiss ball or one leg
for advanced) - 15-20 reps

· Superman (lying on stomach w/ arms out to side,
lift legs and chest off floor); 15-20 reps

· High knees (jog in place lifting knees as high
as possible); 1 minute
· Stationary lunge; 15-20 reps

· Torso rotations/twists; 20 reps each direction

· Side bends/reaches; 20 reps each direction

· Mountain climbers; 1 minute (if you can)
· Wall sit; as long as you can hold it

· Dips (use chair/bench/stairs); as many reps as possible

Something like that is probably good, but I don't know what half of those exercises are, and it's hard to google them and memorize which is which. I need something I can remember, or at least have some guidance (whether in writing or pictures). I know people here will have some good recommendations. Mainly I want to get rid of fat...a lot of it - I've had very low energy the past year or two, and hoping exercising will give me a boost.

 

[fustercluck]

bump

Also an exercise for my back would be good, I tend to slump a lot, can't stand up straight without constantly thinking about it.

 

[UberNeuman]

Cut back on calories - and go running or buy a stair stepper or treadmill and work out for 20 minutes four/five days a week and you'll drop weight.... Takes month or so, but you should see some results.....

Just remember it takes time....

 

[irishScott]

20 minutes of rowing with the dampener set to 10 (highest level).

5 minute spurts: 3 minutes easy rowing, 2 minutes hardcore rowing.

You'll be in decent shape in no time.

I do an hour of this 5 days a week, and I'm in the best shape of my life.

More info:
I went from 165 and out of shape to 172 and in great shape over the course of a month or so.

Also: Unless you wear gloves, you WILL GET BLISTERS just below the base of each finger (excluding thumbs). Depending on how tight your shoes are and the nature of the straps on the rower (not to mention how vigorously you row), you might get blisters on your toes or just above your heels (Achilles tendon area). DEAL. Sorry if I seem like a jacka$$, but you have no idea how many people I've introduced to rowing who have come back crying about this.

Not much you can do about the hands aside from gloves (no adhesive cushion will stay on while rowing), but I've found these to work well for the foot/heel blisters. They'll prevent any that pop up from receiving more damage even while rowing. Can be found at any major drug store. Pretty expensive but they do wonders for blisters.

Diagram of Muscles Used:
http://www.concept2.com/us/training/tools/musclesused.asp

As for selecting a machine, keep in mind there are several types of resistance mechanisms out there. The best are actually indoor boats where you're sitting in a small pool (stationary, but surrounded by water with real oars). Good luck finding one of those though. Most common are:

Flywheel (aka "Fan"): These use air resistance, and are the most realistic next to the indoor boats listed above. These are also the most widely used in gyms and on crew teams.

Magnetic: These are the smoothest and quietest, but don't simulate inertia as well (Each stroke is comparable in resistance to the last, as if the boat had come to a complete standstill after each stroke). This might be better for you, since you're going for muscle building (on the flywheel you'll just have to pull harder).

Hydraulic: Old-skool, and from my experience virtually no inertia simulation. Not very smooth either IMO.

As for the dampener setting, think of it like this:

At 1-3 you're in a fast, streamlined crew skimmer.

At 10, you're in a fata$$ rowboat.

EDIT:
http://www.concept2.co.uk/guide/guide.php

read the "technique" section. Has some good illustrations that get rid of some common mistakes.

 

[Britboy]

Why no weights? Cardio is for girls LOL. Seriously though why no weights?

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: Britboy
Why no weights? Cardio is for girls LOL. Seriously though why no weights?

Rowing > weights IMO unless you're specifically trying to get big,

 

[xSkyDrAx]

run for 20 minutes

 

[TraumaRN]

Nintendo Wii....

Wii Sports

Get Pro status in Tennis and Boxing and I guarantee just 30 minutes a day and you'll lose some weight, especially if u cut calories...

I dropped about 10 pounds from changing my diet and making sure to play Wii a couple times a week with emphasis on Wii Sports Boxing and Tennis...

*dons flamesuit*

EDIT: And I say this not as a joke because it has helped me...and I dont goto the gym because of my job some days I just have no desire to leave the house especially if I pull 4 or 5 twelve hour shifts in one week...With the Wii being right there it's easy for me to at the least get my blood pumping a little quicker

 

[ppdes]

I prefer rowing, swimming, and running myself. No stupid little routines to memorize.

 

[Howard]

Swim

 

[fustercluck]

Kinda want something I can do at home, nothing that will require purchasing a machine or getting a membership. The public pool is too cold now also . I bet I could do everything I needed just by myself and/or free weights. Also I have some of those resistance bands, those stretchy bands. People use those a lot.

I don't like to lift weights because I become dizzy/lightheaded very easily when doing so.

 

[b0mbrman]

20 minutes is barely enough time to warm up (and cool down)

I'd go jogging...5 minute warmup, 13ish minutes of jogging, and 2 minutes of stretching

Then the next day, do 20 pushups, then 20 situps...and repeat until the time is up

Then jogging, then pushups/situps

But really, if you only have that much time, I'd just pop in a bootleg copy of 300 and go to town

 

[fustercluck]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman
20 minutes is barely enough time to warm up (and cool down)

I'd go jogging...5 minute warmup, 13ish minutes of jogging, and 2 minutes of stretching

Then the next day, do 20 pushups, then 20 situps...and repeat until the time is up

Then jogging, then pushups/situps

But really, if you only have that much time, I'd just pop in a bootleg copy of 300 and go to town

Are you calling me gay?

jk. 20 minutes a day is better than 0 minutes a day. Though, I do get exercise from other things. Tennis, Racquetball, Baseball. I just need 20 minutes of workout time every day, without taking any breaks inbetween.

 

[angminas]

The first workout looked good. You could find pictures of each exercise and print something out so you have a visual guide without having to stop and read. Posting them on the wall would be good...if that's unavailable, put smaller pics on a few sheets of paper, put the papers in those sheet protector things, and keep them somewhere handy. Kinda a pictogram solution. Once it's done, it's done, and you don't ever have to get lost or confused again.

 

[fustercluck]

Originally posted by: angminas
The first workout looked good. You could find pictures of each exercise and print something out so you have a visual guide without having to stop and read. Posting them on the wall would be good...if that's unavailable, put smaller pics on a few sheets of paper, put the papers in those sheet protector things, and keep them somewhere handy. Kinda a pictogram solution. Once it's done, it's done, and you don't ever have to get lost or confused again.

Yeah I was thinking about doing that. Will give it a shot. Found it here

Any sites come to mind that have how-to pictures of a lot of exercises?