What is YOUR favorite 30 minute exercise?

muth3rluvx2 · March 2010

I thought it might be helpful for those of us who are new or somewhat new if people could share some of what their favorite, highest calorie, strength building, fat busing exercises might be. It's easy to see with a fairly reasonable glance that Jillian's 30 Day Shred is one and running is another common workout of choice. I'm looking for things that might not be so obvious that us newbies can possibly try on - so - what IS YOUR favorite 30 minute workout?

Name of workout
Length of time (if different than 30 minutes)
Calories burnt
Best trait (strength, calorie burning, muscle building, flexibility, fun, etc)
Difficulty (easy, medium, strenuous, hard)

kas1021 · March 2010

Name of workout : Swimming!
Length of time (if different than 30 minutes) : 30 mins
Calories burnt : approx 442
Best trait (strength, calorie burning, muscle building, flexibility, fun, etc) : its really easy on your body if youre sore or if you have joint problems. the water relieves the pressure on them. and its an excellent workout for all over!
Difficulty (easy, medium, strenuous, hard): i swim as hard as i can for as long as i can then i kick for a while with a kickboard then warm down. it depends on your swimming level. everyones different. but i'd say its one of the easier workouts.

ScarletTarah · March 2010

The only thing i can do easily without becoming overly bored is the stationary bike and reading a book while doing it
I can do it for 60 mins on level 7 and peddle like a mad woman while reading without a problem, it really keeps me going because I really don't have the attention span to sit there and stare and the minutes ticking by oh so slowly, and my butt fits on the seat so much better now I use to adjust myself constantly.

jmb1510 · March 2010

Power 90 Cardio 1-2 with ab 100
34 minutes
about 520 calories
It has a lot of variety and includes abs
Can vary but I call it medium

abbie38 · March 2010

Name of workout. Zumba
Duration: Tend to do it for 60 mins, but you can do it for 30
Calories burnt 30 mins = 300 or more calories
Best trait: I feel like I'm not even working out.
Difficulty:easy.

amymeenieminymo · March 2010

Name of workout Biking
Length of time (if different than 30 minutes) 30-45 mins
Calories burnt 400-500
Best trait (strength, calorie burning, muscle building, flexibility, fun, etc) caliorie burning and fun!
Difficulty (easy, medium, strenuous, hard) medium to strenuous, depends on the hills and the wind.

Also love

Name of workout walking
Length of time (if different than 30 minutes) 30-60 minutes
Calories burnt 250-400
Best trait (strength, calorie burning, muscle building, flexibility, fun, etc) stress reliever
Difficulty (easy, medium, strenuous, hard) easy to medium, but it really gets the heart rate up

Celestia · March 2010

Name of workout: Beach Body 10 minute trainer (two videos, cardio and total body) plus 10 minutes of jump roping
Length of time: approx 30 minutes
Calories burnt: 300-400 (depending on intensity)
Best trait: calorie burn, cardio, and core work
Difficulty: medium

and...

Name of workout: High Intensity Interval Training on a treadmill
Length of time: approx. 30 minutes (5 minute warm up, 20 minute HIIT, 5 minute cool down)
Calories burnt: 350-400
Best trait : Cardio and calorie burn!!!
Difficulty: Hard

vanessadawn · March 2010

Any 30 minutes of cardio where I get my blood pumping. And I listen to my books on ipod

BiloxiBelle · March 2010

Kelly Coffey Myer's "30 minutes to Fitness" workout dvds.
I really like the Bootcamp, Cardio Blast, Muscle Definition & Kickbox dvds.
Each dvd has two 30 minute workouts that can be done separately or together for a full hour workout.
Calories burned is such an individual thing that depends on each person, so that is usually irrelevant...but I burn about 250-300 calories per 30 minutes. I'm kinda small though w/no weight to lose, so it may be a much bigger burn for someone else.
I like that Kelly's workouts are "athletic style" w/no complex choreography & are simple to follow but effective & her personality is not annoying to me.
I use them on many days when I need an "add-on" workout to my other workouts of the day.
All of her workouts are intermediate or intermediate/advanced. She even has one that uses no equipment & is great for travel.

StaceG1986 · March 2010

Apart from the shred!

Name of workout: Rosemary Conley aerobics (triple DVD)
Length of time (if different than 30 minutes): 20-30 mins or can combine DVD's to do a longer workout
Calories burnt: 200-400 depending on length of time
Best trait (strength, calorie burning, muscle building, flexibility, fun, etc): It has a bit of everything - cardio, squats, and a bit of strength and toning thrown in too, and it's fun as you're always moving and doing different stuff!
Difficulty (easy, medium, strenuous, hard): Easy to medium depending on the level you want to work at

pianoteacherevan · March 2010

I wonder since our heart needs to beat faster to get a cardiovascular workout, shouldn't there be some sort of mental way of raising your heart rate for cardiovascular periods? Couldn't this hypothetically give you a workout? What if someone was really good at meditation, but in the opposite way and could make their heart beat faster just by thinking about it. I know some mental states such as fear or excitement can trigger an increase in heart rate. I obviously don't think this is the best way, but I'm just curious if it would even be possible or if studies have been done on this?

raleigh · March 2010

Name of workout: Running intervals
Length of time (if different than 30 minutes): 30-45
Calories burnt: about 100/mile, depending
Best trait (strength, calorie burning, muscle building, flexibility, fun, etc): not boring, calorie burn, and gets you stronger and faster
Difficulty (easy, medium, strenuous, hard): hard

run 1 minute, then walk 1, then run 2, walk 1, then 3-1, 4-1, 5-1, 4-1, 3-1, 2-1, 1-1 (pyramid) or any other combination. you could do this for increasing incline on walking or running, or 1,2,3,4,3,4,3,2,1 M shaped type if you cant run 5 mins. I call the first one i described a pyramid scheme.
Its fun because you dont get bored and you "only have 2 more minutes, i can definitely finish 2 more minutes" or whatever

ractayjon · March 2010

My favorite at home exercise is called kettlenetics - I absolutely LOVE IT! I am in no way a dancer, I can not even do a step class or an arobics (thats not spelled right I dont think) class - I am uncocrdinated and can NEVER keep up....but with this at home workout I can stay one step behind and be ok...the exercise uses a 4 lb kettleball and it is a swing motion (so its heavy but not unbearable) - the exercises are core but full body (lunges, squats while using your arms shoulders back etc...so its a FULL body workout. The length of time differs there are a20 minute workouts, 50 minute options and also 10 minute target options.
Calories burnt varies on your intensit on my hrm I have had a low of 160 and a high of just over 245 but the best part of this workout is that you not only have the cardio calories burnt you also get the benefits of the weight and lifting. LOVE IT!

http://www.gaiam.com/product/fitness-center/strength-cardio/kits-equipment/slim+-+tone+kettlenetics--8482-+set.d

Questfor250 · March 2010

Sorry to be so boring but for me it is a power walk. I jack the incline up to 5. Walk 3.5 and the calories burn off to 500 in 30 minutes. Drop the incline or the speed and it drops the calories. Now understand that I am so freaking new in the gym this is a huge win for me. 300 pounds and haven't been in a gym for 25 years. This is the best I can do. But I do. and it feels good.

Sweetie_Pie92 · March 2010

Name of workout - Curves
Length of time - 30 minutes
Calories burnt - usually around 440
Best trait (strength, calorie burning, muscle building, flexibility, fun, etc) - all of the above, it's a circuit of different machines.
Difficulty (easy, medium, strenuous, hard) - it can be any of these depending on how hard you work the machines, really anybody can do it!

robbienjill · March 2010

Running-30 to 40 minutes, followed up by walking 10-15, under 29 minutes (sore leg right now). Usually burns 300 plus calories

muth3rluvx2 · March 2010

Wow!! So many varieties!!!! A few in particular require individual attention:

Zumba - what is that? I've never heard of it so I don't want to assume everyone else has either - perhaps some, but obviously not all. :-)

Power 90 - I think that's what it was called - what is that? I've seen something called PX90 or something similar.. is this the same? Either way, don't know what it/they are.

To Mr. Boring (sorry - I don't pay a whole lot of attention to user id's - I'm a picture person) - even if your workout isn't unique in what it entails, it lets others in a similar place as you know exactly what really is possible and offers a ton of hope! You have a alot to be proud of and I thank you for sharing!!!

Mr. Meditation Heart - interesting questions indeed. Maybe this isn't necessarily the best forum for that question but I'd be happy to engage you in a philosophical conversation regarding such matters on a separate board. :-)

Oh yeah....what is a kettleball???

I thank each and every one of you for your input... I know this has given me a ton of new ideas and I really hope people continue to share and add to the repertoire of others as well!! Thanks all!! Keep 'em comin!!!!! :flowerforyou:

What is YOUR favorite 30 minute exercise?

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