by Toni Foyer

Created on: October 13, 2009   Last Updated: October 16, 2009

You have 20 minutes to spare and you feel the sudden urge to get some exercising in during that time. What can you do that will get your heart pumping without looking like a mess when your done? One thing to always consider is your surroundings at the time. What is right in front of you that can make a good workout. How about the stairs in your building?

Walking up and down stairs just for 20 minutes can burn up to 98 calories. This cardio activity will get your heart racing without getting you too sweaty. When you take the stairs, concentrate and squeeze your butt and tighten in your stomach with each step so you can reap the benefits of working out several muscle areas.

How to Burn More Calories Now.

Another way to invigorate your routine in 15-20 minutes is doing some interval training. According to Mayoclinic.com, interval training can actually burn more calories with short bursts of activity and with more intensity. Exercise intensity: Why it matters, how it's measured - MayoClinic.com. For instance, take a simple jump rope and try jumping for two minutes and then either perform push-ups, crunches or tricep dips for two minutes and keep this routine going for at least 20 minutes. Remember to always incorporate cardio into the interval training to keep the heart rate high. Interval training adds variety to your workout especially for those individuals that have reached a plateau with their training and no longer see results. One important thing to consider for interval training is that it is not recommended for beginners or with individuals who have chronic health conditions. High intensity workouts are for those at a more moderate or advanced level of exercise.

What else is a great exercise if you only have 15 minutes? Resistance bands. They are portable so you can take them to the office, easy to use and inexpensive. According to Gary Sforzo, PhD, professor of exercise and sports science at Ithaca college, resistance bands challenge the muscles through a greater range of motion.5-Minute Workout: Triple Your Workout Results. Resistance bands coupled with dumbbells can actually triple upper-body and lower-body strength as well. Some exercises to perform with resistance bands are:

1.Bicep curls - stand on center of the band and then bring the ends up to your chest. Also, try performing a squat with the bicep curl to challenge more muscles.

2.Tricep kickback - stand on center of band and then take each end extending behind you keeping the chest lifted.

How

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