Make Your Workouts Efficient

If you are pressed for time, work smarter not harder.  To get the most out of your workout in the least amount of time, the goal is to keep your body moving.  This allows for maximum fat burn while still achieving maximum strength gains.  A great way to do this is by arranging your workouts in alternating sets or circuit training.  

Alternating sets involve alternating between exercises that train your body using two noncompeting movements. For example, you pair an upper-body exercise that works the muscles on your front side (a pushup or bench press) with a lower-body exercise that emphasizes the muscles on your back side (the deadlift). The idea is that you work a group of muscles with one exercise, but instead of sitting around for a full 2 or 3 minutes while that muscle group recovers, you perform an exercise that doesn't heavily engage those same muscles. As a result, you can cut your rest time in half or eliminate it completely.Circuit training is similar to alternating sets, except that they involve three or more exercises. You can rest after each exercise in the circuit, or only after the last exercise.

A 2011 Spanish study found that men who trained with circuits achieved the same gains as those who trained with straight sets, yet their workouts were 42%. But that's not to suggest you should hit the showers early. No, it means circuits and alternating sets can help you squeeze more total sets into the same sweat session.