Working out is hard physically and mentally, but sometimes the hardest part of working out is just getting yourself to do it. A lot of times the barrier people face to getting into a good workout routine is finding the time to do it. If you are one of these people, the short workout is probably perfect for you. Research has been showing that only 10 minutes of exercise can be beneficial. H.I.I.T (high-intensity interval training) are workouts that are based on the theory that short bursts of energy can have an impact on the body.
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So, how exactly does the ten-minute workout work? Basically, it’s three 20-second all-out intervals followed by two minutes of moderate/easy intensity with a two minute warm up and three minute cool down. It can work with biking, running, and swimming, or you can do it while walking uphill. Any form of exercise that would get your heart rate up during that all-out 20 seconds, works! The key to the short workout is that you really go all out. Your muscles have to be screaming after that 20 seconds!
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In a recent study, volunteers that completed these 10-minute training intervals saw a lot of benefits. Both men and women participants increased their endurance capacity, improved their blood pressure and had higher level of a biochemical substance that increases the number and activity of mitochondria in their muscles (New York Times, 2014). More and more active mitochondria are better because they mean more endurance and fitness! The improvements that were seen in these men and women are outstanding. They are also the reason why we workout. Yeah, it helps you fit into those jeans you love, but more importantly it’s good for your heart, lungs, skin, mood and countless other things. These are the improvements and goals that should drive your workout.
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The takeaway is that you don’t need to workout that long to see an improvement in your health! Why stress yourself out with a super long workout when a short all-out workout is all you might need. A longer workout is great every so often, but there is no need to put that on your plate everyday. Create a workout routine that is easy to achieve by mixing in these short workouts when you feel like you don’t have time or just can’t go out on that long run or to your spin class. If you never workout and are trying to start, maybe start with these short workouts two to three days a week. Most importantly, have fun working out and find workouts that you find fun because exercise should be something you enjoy and not dread.Â