Your busy schedule hardly allows for time to exercise, so when you steal away for an hour, you want to make that workout count.  If a toned physique is your goal, here are essential strength-training tips for quickly achieving the sculpted muscles you desire.

Work Out More Often

Hitting a total-body bootcamp session on Saturdays is awesome, but if you really want to see your hard work pay off, include strength-training sessions three times a week.  Be sure to include rest days in between workouts, since this recovery time is what builds muscles.  Mix up the exercises you do at each session, the equipment you use, and the order you work your muscles, and you're bound to notice a sculpted physique faster than if you only strength train once a week.

Don't Just Sit There

While doing shoulder presses or other arm exercises, it's tempting to sit down on a bench, but you'll get more out of your workout if you stand on a BOSU ball, or if you don't have access to one, try standing on just one leg.  This not only gets your lower body involved, but the instability forces your core to work, too.  If you really feel the need to sit, use an exercise ball.

Vary Your Weights

Your biceps are stronger than your triceps, so why use the same 2.5 kilogram dumbbell to work both muscles?  You might think it's annoying or a waste of time to change weights for different exercises, but you'll actually save time because you won't have to do as many reps.

Keep a set of three different-sized dumbbells on the floor in front of you so you can easily grab the weight you need.  Not sure what size dumbbell to use?  You'll know it's the right amount when your muscles fatigue after 10 to 12 reps.  As your muscles become stronger, increase the weight to respond to each muscle's ability.

Go Full Body

Why work just one area of your body at a time when you can do dynamic moves that target your whole body?  Here are some to try at your next session:

• Easy Knee-Tuck Crunches:  Target abs and upper body.
• Plié With a Calf Raise:  Targets thighs, glutes, calves, and core.
• Side Plank Crunch:  Targets arms, core, and outer thighs.
• Side Bend Squats:  Target arms and glutes.
• Atlas Body Chop:  Targets thighs, glutes, abs, and upper back.

Vary Your Speed

You want to get through your workout as fast as possible, but don't rush through your reps!  To ensure you're not using momentum, slow down your movements to effectively target your muscles.  Instead of always lifting and lowering the dumbbell at the same speed, play around with varying your speed during each stage of the move.  Lift quickly (with control), then lower slowly, then lift slowly, and lower quickly.  Or try pausing in the middle of lifting or lowering.  Your muscles won't know what hit them.

Whether you're easing into running, in need of some recovery cardio, or have a bun baking in the oven, mixing walking with jogging is a great option since it's less jarring to the joints but still gets the blood moving.  This 60-minute walk-jog workout alternates between walking briskly and jogging slowly, perfect for the treadmill or an outdoor workout.  Get ready to burn just over 300 calories.

This workout is an hour long including five minutes each of a warm-up and cool-down.  If it seems too long or intense, feel free to shorten the workout or modify the pace based on your ability levels.

Total calories burned:  306

Calculations are based on a 60 kilo woman.

*RPE = Rate of Perceived Exertion

If you prefer running outside, then use the RPE column to determine how fast you should be going.

Take your side plank to the next level with this effective variation.  Holding the elbow side plank is a challenge, but by lifting your pelvis up and down you work your abs and arms in a whole new way.  This exercise really targets the obliques to define the waist while toning the upper arm;  talk about a fitness win win.  Here's how to do the exercise.

Side Bridge

• Start by lying on your left side with your weight on your elbow.  Your legs are almost straight and your feet stacked with the right on top.  Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, pull your abs to your spine, and lift your pelvis off the floor, coming into a side elbow-plank.  Really lift your bottom waist up.  Pull your shoulder blade down your back so your shoulder stays away from your ear (this will work your lat, too).
• Hold for three seconds.  Lower your pelvis back to the floor slowly and with control to complete one rep.
• Do two to three sets of 12 reps on each side.

Modification

• You can make this exercise easier by bending your top leg and placing that foot on the floor.  This will decrease the pressure in your arm and the stress on your spine.

Foam rollers are great for massaging tight and sore muscles, but did you know they make for a killer ab workout?  Watch this short video to learn 10 flat-belly moves from alignment specialist Lauren Roxburgh.  Then grab your roller and work your abs!

This 20-minute body-sculpting workout helps get Victoria's Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio runway ready.  Created by Alessandra's trainer Heather Dorak, founder of Pilates Platinum, the workout is loaded with moves to work multiple body parts at once, making it efficient for toning your whole body and great for torching calories.  Press play, and get ready to work out like an Angel.