4 Minute Workout for $14,615

A while back I saw an ad in the back of magazine (I think it was Forbes) while I was skimming it in a waiting room.  The ad boasted this machine that looks something like a metal version of Santa's sleigh and was called the ROM.  This machine, as the ad read, would give you a complete full body workout in just 4 minutes a day and the cost was a whopping $14,615!  Now I know there are some expensive gym machines on the market but this one is out in the stratosphere.  On the ROM's website they actually defend the price.  They are perhaps going after the wealthy readers of Forbes who have no problem throwing $14,615 at an exercise machine if it will save them time.  For myself, I find the price quite ludicrous.

To be fair, I haven't tried the machine and it may in fact provide an excellent 4 minute workout.  I do believe that you can get a great workout in 4 minutes as it has been proven with the tabata.  A tabata is 4 minute workout where you perform high intensity work for 20 second segments and rest for 10 seconds so in a 4 minute period you will have done 8 high intensity segments and 8 rest segments.  If that sounds easy to you, buy a jump rope and a Gymboss Interval Timer and jump as fast as you can for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and repeat this process seven more times.  I highly recommend the Gymboss Interval Timer as it lets you program dual intervals and beeps and/or vibrates after each segment.  Other great exercises for tabata are kettlebell swings, thrusters, burpees, and sprints (running or on a stationary bike).  Be forewarned, if you are not used to doing intense exercise you may have to work up to the 4 minutes.  It is not as easy as it may sound.  If you are not breathing heavily after the four minutes you probably did not work hard enough.  Using a heart rate monitor can help you see exactly how hard you are working. Do this workout 5 days a week for 6 weeks and you should see some great results.  Even if your results are only half as good as the $16,415 contraption, you just saved yourself quite a bit of money getting in shape.

For more in depth information about tabatas click here.