I'm going to keep this one short and sweet, because if you're like me you don't have a lot of spare time on your hands. Many of us are so pressed for time that we miss workouts, even on days when we were really looking forward to one.

So, for all of us burdened by the time constraints inherent to living in the 21st century, here's a quick full-body routine which, if done properly, will leave you feeling energized, and your muscles a little tighter than they were before you started it. Oh, and the best part? All you need to do it is a broomstick or other sturdy bar or rod, and two chairs or similar stable platforms 18-24 inches off the floor.

Shawn's 15-Minute, No-Gym-Required, Full-Body Workout:

All exercises are to be done in a circuit. That means performing one set of one, and then moving directly to the next, with no more than 15 seconds of rest between sets. Repeat this circuit five times, resting 1-2 minutes between circuits.

Exercise — Reps

Pushup — 10

Plank — 30 sec

Inverted Row — 12

Standing Lunge — 10 each leg

Reverse Crunch — 15

Glute Bridge — 10

Pushup

Lie facedown on the floor with your palms pressed against the floor just outside your shoulders. Keeping your body rigid, press against the floor until your elbows are straight. If this move is too difficult, keep your knees on the floor instead of supporting yourself on your toes.

Plank

Lie facedown on the floor. Push yourself up on your forearms, with your upper arms perpendicular to the floor and your open palms pressing the floor straight out in front of them. Raise your body up so that it's supported only by your forearms and toes/balls of feet. Keep back and legs perfectly straight, and be conscious of your body's tendency to "sag" in the middle.

Inverted Row

Place a broomstick or other sturdy bar across the seats of two chairs of the same height. If the chairs aren't cushioned, placing folded towels under where the broomstick rests on the chairs will help keep it from rolling. Lie on the floor between the chairs with the broomstick above your chest, grab it with hands just wider than your shoulders (the outsides of your palms should be touching the seat edges of the chairs), and pull yourself up until your chest touches the broomstick, with your body rigid.

Standing Lunge

Stand straight with feet together and hands on hips. Take one large step forward, keeping upper and lower and back straight. Lower yourself into a position where your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle. Push back to the starting position with your front leg and repeat with the opposite leg.

Reverse Crunch

Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and palms pressed against the floor. Bend your knees and raise your feet up so that your knees are bent at nearly a 90-degree angle. Roll your pelvis backward as you push your feet toward the ceiling, until they are above your chest. Slowly return to the start position.

Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with your arms at your sides and palms pressed against the floor. Bring your feet in toward your body so that your heels are under your knees while you raise your hips off the floor. Straighten your torso, with your weight being supported by your shoulders, upper back and your feet. Hold for a 3-count before lowering your hips back down to the floor. This is one rep.

To find out more about Shawn Perine and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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