For most people, it seems like seconds count in their personal and professional lives. Catching a plane for a sales trip. Critical appointments with clients. Running around with your kids, making sure they get to school, to practice, to games, or whatever other hundred things they're involved with each day.

But YOU don't have to leave that philosophy in the locker room when you hit the gym. Although there's never an excuse for sloppy exercise technique, there are dozens of safe ways to shave time from your workout routine - and still train like a champion. Here are some of the most effective time-saving strategies..

1. Change your foot placement.

Doing something as simple as this from exercise to exercise can turn a simple leg press into a total leg workout. Placing your feet a couple of inches apart hits your quadriceps in the middle. a bit more. Move them further apart, about hip width, will stress the outer portion of your quads. Place them at the corners of the leg press platform (with toes pointed at 45 degrees) will work your inner thighs and butt.

2. Polar opposites.

Train opposing muscle groups during your rest periods. Also called modified compound sets. For example, after you get done doing a set of bench press to work your chest, IMMEDIATELY go to the lat pulldown machine to do a set of pulldowns for your upper and middle back.

3. Stay focused.

You've heard it before: he who fails to plan plans to fail. Said in fitness jargon, he who walks into the gym and wanders around wastes massive amounts of time. Plan your routine before you walk into the gym (or your basement). And STICK WITH IT.

4. Rev up your fat-burning furnace.

Treadmills are great for walking, jogging, or running, but doing a little of each be INTERVAL TRAINING can help kick your body's fat-burning ability into high-gear. Walk for 5 minutes to start. Then jog for 3 minutes, then run at a higher level for 2 minutes, alternating back and forth until you've reached anywhere from 15-30 minutes of total time. If that's too difficult, start at 30 seconds of jog, 30 seconds of run, and increase gradually by 15 seconds until you can do 2 minutes jog, 2 minutes run.

5. Bring a bottle.

Sure, you could go to the drinking fountain every time you want some water. A better idea is to carry a water bottle with you as you work out. Not only do you save time, but you keep your body properly hydrated, resulting in better workout performance.

6. Avoid peaking.

If you want a peak performance workout, avoid working out during your gym's peak hours - typically 4 pm - 8 pm. You'll wind up wasting time waiting in line for workout equipment. And a wasted workout.

7. Early bird gets the worm.

Most gyms have fewer members in the early-morning hours. Plus, you'll often find they're less talkative - maybe because they're trying to wake up.

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