Five Essential Exercises

Crunched for time and need to get in a quick workout? Well, like most busy people, the answer to this seemingly difficult question is "yes". So, rather than surrendering to your schedule and putting off the gym until the next day, consider consolidating your training to a few basic yet critical moves that will address your entire body, and leave you feeling satisfied.

The following five activities can be done in 35 minutes at any gym, and, as long as you keep the intensity, can give you a great burn.

1. Interval cardio: Rather than just jogging along in your comfort zone for an extended period of time, build in a series of intervals to force you to work harder. After a few minutes of warm up, set the machine to do a hard two minutes, then ease off for the next two or three. Repeat this over three or four times before calling quits. Do it longer if you have more time to spend in the gym.

2. Plank: Addressing the core all at one time. Do the plank pose in between sets of the other exercises that follow. Don't waste time by resting in between sets of plank. Instead, use this as the resting period between the other activities.

3. Push-ups: The most basic body weight move, and the most productive. Engaging the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, the push-up with make you burn quickly. Do three sets with good form the failure.

4. Squats: A near perfect exercise. Making your glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps work simultaneously, the squat handles the lower body well. Do three sets of 70% your max weight.

5. Upright row: Using your shoulders, back, and biceps, the upright row, done with solid form, makes the upper body work. It also engages the core muscles if you stay in good form. Three sets of a weight you can do ten times should do well.

If you move efficiently and with intensity, this workout can be done quickly, giving you a nice respite in a busy day. There's nothing like sneaking in a workout when it looks like you can't.