Don't have time to work out? Micro-workouts can help change that.
exactly 1 hour exercise It may seem impossible to fit into your busy day, but proponents of micro-workouts say they offer a way to get your workout into more manageable chunks.
Walter Gjergja, a former professional athlete and co-founder and chief wellness officer of fitness app Zing Coach, explains that micro-workouts are “relatively small amounts of time and intensity that yield relatively large returns.” Masu.
What is microtraining?
mini training or exercise “snack”, Micro-workouts involve performing short movements multiple times a day that add up to a larger overall workout.
“Ideally, you want your total to be at least 15 minutes, and you want to spread out those 15 minutes throughout the day,” Djerja says. “There's substantial research showing that these kinds of very short but high-intensity bursts have a significant impact on our physiology, health, and all kinds of fitness metrics.”
Djerja says micro-workouts fall into two categories: 20- to 60-second workouts, and longer sessions lasting 3 to 7 minutes.
“They should be longer than 20 seconds, otherwise the efficiency will be very minimal, but you will be doing relatively intense movements and intense exercise in a short period of time,” he explains. . For example, this might look like running up the stairs for 20 seconds or running in place for 1 minute.
Also, if you're aiming for a micro-workout, we don't recommend going any longer than 10 minutes, as it “requires more steady effort.”
Benefits of micro workouts
The first, and perhaps most obvious, benefit of micro-workouts is that they incorporate some movement into your day.
Jerja says even if you have just three to seven minutes to spare, you can take a “mini-journey through the three main areas of fitness”: cardiovascular, muscular, and flexibility.
For example, you can structure your micro-workout as a few minutes of push-ups, squats, or sit-ups for strength, a few minutes of cardio like jumping jacks, and a few minutes of stretching for mobility. .
“You can instantly cover all important aspects of fitness and health in a very short period of time,” he says.
Research also points to the following benefits: Few minutes It continues to be very active today.
Ann observational study A paper published last year in JAMA Oncology found that 4 to 5 minutes of “intense intermittent lifestyle physical activity (such as 1 to 2 minutes of brisk walking or climbing stairs)” per day “The risk of cancer is significantly reduced” compared to those who did not do such activities. Even just a short 5-minute walk for him every 30 minutes throughout the day will greatly benefit his health. Other studies have shown.
Other benefits of micro-workouts include that they don't require any equipment or space, so they can be performed virtually anywhere, and they can help you train for longer-term workouts. exercise habits.
“Starting small is usually much more effective than committing to a (bigger) activity (or) gym membership,” Dzierja explains. “Once you can manage even just a few minutes in your home or office, suddenly it becomes much easier to form the habit.”
Tips for getting started with micro workouts
Try incorporating it into your daily life:
Whether you're sitting at your desk, doing housework, or watching TV (hello, super bowl commercial!), you can incorporate the movement into your typical routine.
For example, if you do just one minute of push-ups or sit-ups every hour of your work day, you can easily reach hundreds by the end of your work day.
“This is a pretty intense workout, especially for someone who doesn't normally train,” Dzierja says. “And you did it with virtually no commitment.”
During a recent appearance “CBS Morning” To talk about heart health, Dr. John LaPook, chief medical correspondent for CBS News, talked about similar ways to “hack” movement into your daily routine.
“If you're going to work, get to work 10 blocks before work and then walk. If you're taking the elevator to the 22nd floor, go seven floors below that and then walk,” he suggested. “Don't say, 'Okay, I have to exercise.' Exercise becomes part of your life.”
Set the workout “menu”.
Dzierja suggests preparing a “menu of exercise” that you can safely perform according to your environment and clothing.
“Don’t improvise,” he says. “Test to see if you can do this exercise and if it's physiologically comfortable for you.”
If you want to increase the intensity of your micro-workouts, you can try harder movements like burpees or incorporate dumbbells or elastic exercise bands.
