While it’s easy to get caught up in the I’ll-just-wait-here-for-my-elliptical mentality when the gyms fill up during Blomquist and SPAC’s busiest hours, the fifteen to thirty minute wait for an open Stairmaster might actually be the key to improving a tired workout routine.

“The dumbest thing to do is stand there and wait,” says Carol Krochman, a personal trainer, marathon runner, two-time world record holder in bench press and Northwestern graduate, class of ’81. “It’s a complete waste of time.”

She would know: her foray into running and personal training came from gaining the “Freshman 35” in her first year at Northwestern. Now a personal trainer and ready to run her 51st marathon, she’s an expert on the 15-minute workout, perfect for waiting in line for someone else to get off of the elliptical machine.

The best moves, Kochman says, are modified pushups (also called burpees); step ups with hand weights; froggies with or without hand weights; as well as a combination of lunges, squats and running on the indoor track if you’re waiting at SPAC.

Junior Stephanie Behnke says she usually just walked laps after signing up for the next available machine in SPAC. She might have lifted weights, but “that area scared me,” she says.

Like many other students who are cardio-focused, she was also worried about feeling embarrassed lifting her “little 5-pound weights” next to other, more experienced lifters.

A lack of experience is no reason not to incorporate resistance training into a workout, though. The exercises offered in this article and from Northwestern’s personal trainers make it simple for beginners and experts to find something new to incorporate into a routine.

Major calorie burners, like the froggie and burpee, combine cardio and strength — “you’re going to be sucking air” when you’re finished, says Krochman. Any form of “sucking air” will only add to the workout, especially considering other ways to spend the extra half-hour.

Contrary to popular belief, stretching is one of the worst things to do because “your muscles just aren’t warm enough,” Krochman says, and may cause strained joints. Instead, choose an activity like calisthenics or circuit training. She explains that the best way to circuit train, instead of randomly hopping on one machine in the circle, is to begin with the largest muscles: begin with the legs, then move to the butt, chest, back, arms and abs.

Working exclusively on abs — an easy rookie mistake — over-trains the abs and can result in lower back pain. When incorporating abs into a larger workout routine, be sure to maintain proper form. Krochman recommends pretending there’s an apple between the chin and chest to keep from doing head bobs and straining the neck.

After doing some ab work, it’s time to balance the body with lower back, or “erector spinae” exercises, including a reverse crunch leaning forward on a balance ball, or a “Superman” laying on the ground.

Other classic mistakes in the gym include the classic “white knuckle” grip on the handlebars of a machine and a steady state workout. A tight grip can hurt joints and raise blood pressure, while a steady state workout simply doesn’t get enough out of the time spent on the machine.

Instead, do interval training, the “number one attack for metabolism and burning fat,” Krochman says. Try adjusting the speed or resistance on your cardio machine every two minutes.

For even more advice, try a personal trainer from Northwestern’s Fitness Office — Krochman recommends using one extended session to get a longer-term plan, then checking up with the trainer every few months to switch up the program.

If that’s still too much of a commitment of time and money, Northwestern’s “Virtual Trainer” should do the trick for the combination workout junkie/tech wiz. It’s cheaper and portable, but it also provides the same important fitness details crucial to a personal training session.

To get the most out of the time spent waiting for an open treadmill, use a combination of strength and cardio moves to burn fat.

From the froggie to a bicycle crunch, anything done with the right form is better than sitting around and waiting for your turn to sweat. Forget about sitting down and oogling the bodies around you for the time being — make them jealous with your personalized 15-minute workout.

15-Minute Anywhere Workout

This is a complete 15-minute workout for arms, abs, legs, back and general exhaustion (aka cardio). It’s do-able on a spare mat at Blomquist or in the free space in your dorm room. Enjoy!

Do each of the following exercises for 40 seconds and feel free to take a little rest between them.

1. Burpees
2. Froggies
3. Lunge clocks – Switch directions after two, and repeat
4. Bicycle crunch
5. Squats
6. Superman – 20 seconds alternating by fives, 10 alternating each second, then the last 10 with arms/legs extended
7. Vertical jumps
8. Front plank
9. Burpee with 10 pushups
10. Billy Blank’s ab move
11. Billy’s abs with a punch
12. Burpees
13. Froggies
14. Lunge clocks
15. Butt kicks in place
16. Pilates 100
17. High knee run in place
18. Side plank, right side
19. Side plank, left side
20. Prisoner squat
21. Crunch-jumps
22. Last minute: The Most Rewarding Move You Will Ever Do: Do one pushup, then turn over into right side plank for a 5-count. Go back into push-up position, do a push-up, then roll over to left side plank for a 5-count, then back to push-up and repeat.

Tip: Make sure to breathe the entire time! Don’t turn this into anaerobic exercise — remind yourself to take deep breaths during and between exercises.

Moves featured in this article:

Burpee

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Drop into a crouch with your hands on the ground next to your feet. Lean forward and in one motion jump your feet back into push-up position: legs straight, arms extended and abs in tight. Do one push-up, then jump feet back under hands and stand up straight. Works arms, abs and legs.

Froggie:

Stand with feet in a wide stance, toes pointed out. Sumo squat low until your hands touch the floor, then come up with the right leg in the air parallel to hips but out to the side, like a frog jumping. Keep hands up in the air. Return right leg to floor, then switch to left leg.
Works inner and outer thighs, hips, butt.

SPAC Track Workout:

Run half of a lap, then do high leg lifts for the other half. Do lunge sets (10 to 20 on each leg) after each lap, and repeat. Can also walk with hand weights, doing bicep curls, tricep extensions or any other arm moves to combine the cardio and strength aspects.
Works legs and butt, then arms if weights are included.

Reverse Crunch on Balance Ball

Lay on balance ball facing forward, with stomach on ball. Slowly and gently rise stomach off of the ball to stretch lower back muscles.
Works back; use after doing ab work.

Superman

Lay flat on the floor with arms and legs splayed out. At the same time, lift right arm and left leg, and hold for five seconds. Switch arm and leg, and also hold. For a variation, alternate with one-second reps on each side or hold both arms and legs up at the same time for 10 seconds. Works lower back.

Lunge clocks

Lunge front, right, back then side. Switch directions after two, and repeat.

Billy Blank’s Ab Move

Lower body into athletic ready position (legs a bit wider than shoulder width, knees bent), elbows bent with loose fists under chin (like you’re about to fight). Using abs, twist upper body right until left elbow is centered with spine, then switch to other side and continue to repeat. Remember to keep lower body still and move upper body fairly quickly, but not too fast. Make sure abs are working!

Billy’s Abs with a Punch

Same as ab move above, but when turning right, bring left arm across chest in a quick punch, then switch for other direction.

Pilates 100

Lay flat, then raise legs until body makes a v-shape with shoulders just off of the ground (abs will feel this!). Uses hands to “flap” the air at sides for the 40-second count.

Side Plank

Lay on side with feet together, then prop self up with one arm fully extended (so the body makes an L shape). Extend opposite arm, keeping shoulders in a straight line.

Prisoner squat

Regular squat, keeping hands behind head.

Crunch-jumps

5 regular crunches, then jump up as high as possible, and back into crunches. Repeat.