“This is my next-best-thing-to-a-no-excuse workout. I like it because it can be done in as little as 15 or 20 minutes, but it’s easily expandable to 30 or 40, and it can be done by beginners or by advanced exercisers. It can be done anywhere — a gym with a treadmill is nice but not necessary. A park or a city block in combination with four feet of space in a living room will do just as well. A little twiddling will let you customize it to virtually any combination of time slot and fitness level.

Here it is:
1. Run a mile
2. Do some squats
3. Do some push-ups
4. Do some crunches

Sound simple? Well, yes and no. You can make this workout as easy or as challenging as you need it to be. If you’re just starting, you might have to walk the mile, or “jog-walk,” and you might only be able to do a few of each of the three exercises. No problem. Do one of each if you like. Just finish the circuit and you will have done a very effective mini-routine.

Now, want to bump it up a notch or two?

Run the mile faster. See if you can do it in 10 minutes or under. Do a real set of serious squats — 20 reps, maybe with dumbbells or water bottles for added resistance. Don’t rest. Go right to the push-ups. Try for 15. Go the crunches. Do 25 crunches in perfect form.

You can stop right there, or expand it even further by simply repeating the last three exercises: squats, push-ups and crunches.

With a little imagination you can easily see how hard (or easy) this workout can be. Fitter folk can run the mile faster, do more reps in each of the three exercises and add another “circuit” of the last few. Heck, if you’re truly a glutton for punishment, add another mile run when you’re done with your last crunch.”

Sounds pretty similar. Thanks for reminding me of it, J.D.!

PLEASE wear a helmet when you ride your bike. We value your friendship and would like to have you around for a long, long time! You can’t get fit slowly (or rich) if you’re dead!