Express exercise for those in a hurry

Mini-workout programs are a big hit at health clubs

Don’t have a lot of time to exercise at the gym? Maybe you could squeeze in a half-hour, or even a 15-minute, workout. That’s what health clubs are banking on as they increasingly offer clients “express” programs aimed at getting them in shape and out of the gym fast.

Largely driven by the success of Curves International, a chain of clubs for women that offers a 30-minute circuit program where the client moves from one fitness station to the next, other gyms have followed suit. For instance, 24 Hour Fitness, with clubs in 16 states, recently introduced Xpress Zone, a 30-minute circuit training program. And Town Sports International, with clubs in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., has a 22-minute circuit called XpressLine. Other new clubs built closely on the Curves model, like Ladies Workout Express and Slim and Tone, also are expanding.

Even traditional group classes like yoga and spinning that typically last an hour have been shortened at some clubs to anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. And some gyms are offering 15-minute classes that focus on stretching or strengthening certain areas like the legs, abs or back.

A welcome trend

Not surprisingly, the trend toward less exercise is a welcome one to clients, industry sources say.

“The consumer is time-starved,” says John McCarthy, executive director of the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association in Boston. The abbreviated programs are easier for many clients to squeeze into their tight schedules, he says.

"They get in and out quickly and get a really great workout at the same time," says Jeremy Smith, manager of fitness operations at 24 Hour Fitness, based in San Ramon, Calif.

Smith says organized circuit programs can be particularly helpful for people who don't have a lot of weight-training experience and who might otherwise come to the weight floor with a "deer-in-the-headlights look." Because they don't know how to begin, he says, they often give up on strength-training and head for the trusted treadmill instead.

While circuit programs started more than 15 years ago, McCarthy says, they were largely abandoned until recently, and now they’re coming back strong. Typically, the client works out on a series of weight machines aimed at hitting all the major muscle groups. In between sets, exercisers often perform cardio activities like jumping jacks or jogging in place. Some circuits incorporate short stints on a bike or treadmill, or use other equipment. The idea is to keep your heart rate up by not resting between sets.

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