How Mini Workouts Have Major Impact

If one of your weekly, monthly, or yearly goals is to “move more,” you’re not alone. Along with eating better, getting more exercise consistently sits at the top of the people’s lists of overall wellness goals. And while increasing our movement tends to be easier to stick to than diet changes, it can still be a tough new habit to make stick. Luckily, we know the secret to making it easier. It’s called the micro workout, and you can do it anytime and anywhere. 

Short, high intensity “micro workouts” have been around for some time now (remember 8 Minute Abs?), but a 2013 article in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health and Fitness Journal prompted the fitness community to start taking them seriously. Researchers found it takes just seven minutes to produce molecular changes in your muscles that are on par with several hours of bike riding or running. But in order for it to be effective, a micro workout requires short intervals of super high-intensity exercise book-ended by short rests—AKA, high intensity interval training (or HIIT). Specifically, the article recommends 12 body weight exercises like push-ups and squats performed in rapid succession with a 10 second break between each.

More recently, evidence uncovered by the Department of Health & Human Services revealed that any amount of physical activity has some health benefits. Translation: Exercise is cumulative.  That means engaging in even the shortest bursts of movement throughout the day all adds up to provide you with wonderful benefits like maintaining muscle tone and keeping your brain sharp.  

And because no fancy equipment is required, micro workouts can be done at home, in a hotel room or even in the office and, best of all, because they’re so short, they can easily fit into even the busiest of schedules. Better yet, even lower intensity activities like walking or taking the stairs can boost your overall fitness. Researchers have shown that climbing stairs for 20 second periods three times a day can lead to improved cardiorespiratory fitness, one of the keys to living longer. 

For the most effective micro workouts, try exercises that target large muscle groups, like your legs and core. Movements like jumping jacks and lunges done in rapid succession can have both an aerobic and metabolic effect, or search online to discover a treasure trove of micro workouts you can do anywhere. Of course, when you make any changes to your fitness regime, it may be a good idea to check with your health professional to make sure the exercises are right for you.

If getting in shape was on your resolution list, micro workouts may be a great start. They’re super convenient, and combined with the small, positive changes to the mind and body they promote, may just be the secret to reaching fitness goals in 2019.