Why waste your time trying to achieve one fitness goal at the expense of another?  Why not combine them?

One of the challenges to getting in shape is time. There is a common misconception that you have to spend hours in the gym lifting weights and then spend more time on a treadmill to get in shape. In reality, all this strategy does is set you up for failure (unless you're aiming to be the next Mr.Olypmia, in which case this article's not for you). The secret to losing weight and building muscle at the same time is to combine your goals into a targeted workout.

The following workout program is adapted from the Men's Health book, The Abs Diet. It's intended to combine cardiovascular exercise (like running) with weight lifting. In doing so, this exercise program will cut your fitness time in half and I'll guarantee results (this program is partially responsible for busting me out of a two-year plateau of zero muscle growth).

Program Overview

This fitness program is a slight modification to the increasingly popular circuit training methodology. Circuit training involves have a predefined set of exercises to perform on a number of different machines. Essentially, you begin your workout on machine #1 and after completing 1 set on the machine, you move on to machine #2, then #3, then #4, until you complete all of the exercises. This is considered one circuit. Typically you complete 2 - 3 circuits during a workout.

This program, however, involves machine AND free weights (dumbbells or barbells) to complete different exercises in a circuit style. As you'll see below, you'll complete one exercise, beginning with squats, and immediately move on to the next exercise, bench press, with a maximum of 30 seconds rest between each exercise.

The benefit of circuit training is that it elevates your heart rate while working your muscles. Thus, circuit training incorporates a cardio aspect to weight lifting in order to really challenge your body. If done effectively (i.e., with little rest), you can essentially eliminate the need for a treadmill. However, as a caution, this workout style, while effective, won't get you in marathon running shape but it will cut the flab.

The Program

1. Crunches (Upper Abs)*
2. Leg Raises on a declined bench (Lower Abs)*
3. Bridge (Core Abs)*
4. Side Bride (Obliques)*
5. Back Extensions (Lower back)*
6. Squats (Legs)
7. Bench Press (Chest)
8. Tricep Cable Pressdowns (Triceps)
9. Dumbbell Military Presses (Shoulders)
10. Medium Grip Lat Pulldowns (Upper Back)
11. Standing Dumbbell Curls (Biceps)
12. Leg Extensions (Quadriceps)
13. Leg Curls (Hamstrings)
14. Standing Calf Raises (Calves)

_{*only complete exercises 1-5 once per workout.}

What to do

To begin with, you're going to complete exercises 1 through 5 with no rest between exercises - immediately move from one exercise to the next. This will complete your abs workout for the day. Next you'll begin with the real circuit.

Starting with squats, you are going to perform one exercise right after the other with a maximum of 30 seconds rest in between exercises. Choose a weight that will allow you to perform 8 - 12 repetitions per exercise. Your goal is to perform 12 repetitions per exercise. Once you can do 12, increase they weight by 10%. After completing the entire circuit , you should rest for 2 minutes and start again from exercise 6. The goal is to complete the circuit 3 times in a workout. You should do this workout at least 3 times a week though 4 would be great.

As a caution, when starting out, completing the circuit 2 times, let alone 3, may make you feel queasy. To ease into the workout, I suggest the following:

Week 1: Perform the circuit once with the proper weights. Rest 2 minutes. Complete the circuit again using half the amount of weight.
Week 2: Perform the circuit twice with the proper weights. Rest 2 minutes between circuits. Now complete circuit a again using half the weight.
Week 3: Perform the circuit 3 times with the proper weights. Do this from now on.

Summary

Circuit training allows you to incorporate weight lifting and cardio exercise into one high intensity training session. Doing so will enable you to reduce the amount of time needed to get in shape. Things to remember:

• Perform exercises 1 - 5 one after another without breaks.
• Move on to exercises 6 - 14 performing 8 - 12 repetitions for each exercise listed above.
• Rest for 30 between exercises.
• Once you have completed exercises 6-14 (i.e., 1 circuit), rest for 2 minutes.
• Begin the circuit again(exercises 6-14). Complete the circuit 3 times during a workout.
• Do this workout 3 - 4 times a week.

After 6 weeks, I guarantee you'll see results.