7 minute workout, gym edition

August 20, 2014 3:17 PM

This widely-shared 7-minute workout from the NYT is designed to be done anywhere, without any gym equipment. How could it be improved when you do have access to a fully-equipped gym?

(but otherwise have the same goals -- a 7-minute high intensity whole body circuit that works for a range of fitness levels)

posted by neat graffitist to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

Some people think triceps dips are not good for your shoulders, so you could certainly sub in a machine for that part.
posted by smackfu at 4:03 PM on August 20, 2014

Well if you want to stick to that routine you can weight the lunges, squats and stepups, progressively increasing the weight every week.
They don't seem to have any back/pull exercises so you could add rows whether with dumbbells or a machine or a barbell, or do some face pulls or chinups.
If you're not up for full pushups you can use the safeties on a power rack (if one's free), pushing off a lower one each time you improve.
Instead of running in place and jumping jacks you could obviously do sprints on a bike or treadmill or rower, or do some plyometric stuff, or kettlebell/dumbbell swings (these'll knock you out).
And you could do other core stuff if you don't like situps - I like pallof presses, which again you can progressively get heavier on.

Your issue may be getting all 7 or 8 pieces in a row though. People don't generally like someone tying up a bunch of equipment for circuits, at least in the gyms I've been a member of.
posted by jamesonandwater at 4:35 PM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

Not all gyms have these, but if yours has Pilates equipment, you could do variations of nearly everything on that list on the reformer. At first glance I'd say only #1 and #9 are unadaptable to the reformer, and I might even be wrong about those.

(I can make some specific suggestions if this interests you - just let me know.)
posted by schroedingersgirl at 5:12 PM on August 20, 2014

Definitely add pull-ups.
posted by dontjumplarry at 5:27 PM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

(On the assisted pull-up machine, which caters for all abilities.)
posted by dontjumplarry at 5:27 PM on August 20, 2014 [1 favorite]

The problem with doing any workout over and over is that you train into it, so you get less bang for your workout buck. Mixing things up at the gym will help you avoid that, and will help you be fitter in different ways.

Crossfit has a lot of HIIT workouts, almost of which you can do in a well-equipped gym. Crossfit.com has free archives of workouts that you could go through, grabbing movements and switching between 2 to 4 of them for 7 minutes.

Examples:
- Use your medicine balls to do some wallballs
- Use the dumb bells to do some overhead presses
- Use the rowers for a quick 500 meter sprint

I agree on adding pullups, too. Getting stronger in many ways help you be fit all around.
posted by ldthomps at 6:57 PM on August 20, 2014