Things that take 10 minutes to do: cooling off after hot yoga, deciding what to make for dinner, debating which hashtags to use for your next post. I have another one for you: a workout that will transform your body, mind, and energy. Contrary to what many people think, you don’t actually have to grind it out in a group class or an over-crowded gym for an hour at a time. Working out for just 10 minutes, or sometimes less, comes with a whole list of health benefits:
  1. Weight loss
Studies have found that shorter high-intensity intermittent workouts might be more effective at reducing belly fat and overall body fat.
  1. A major fitness boost
Studies have further shown that shorter, faster high-intensity workouts in 10 minutes or less can offer all the same benefits of an hour or weight lifting or a long road run.
  1. Easier to fit in to the day
This one’s a no brainer. It’s much easier to fit in a quick workout than an hour of Pilates or cardio.
  1. A myriad of health benefits
Even more research tells us that people with various health issues benefit more from interval walking than longer, continuous meanders.
  1. You’re more likely to stick with it
It’s so much easier to commit to a couple of shorter workouts and that means you’re a lot more likely to create a long-lasting exercise habit.

It’s evident that research flies in the face of wisdom that heart rates need to be elevated for at least 10 minutes if exercise is to be at all beneficial. Even quick trips up and down the office stairs count towards your accumulated minutes per day and contribute to reduced health risks.

So, what’s the catch? Your intensity needs to be moderate to vigorous.

Keeping Up the Pace

In other words, the key to making shorter workouts really work is doing them at a higher level of intensity. The shorter your routine, the harder you should work to gain the most benefits.

Luckily, there are a couple of ways you can work harder in a shorter period of time, such as:

Tabata Training

The concept of Tabata training is to do 4 minutes of high-intensity work, including a very high intensity of 20 seconds’ worth of exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest and repeat.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

This includes doing a variety of high impact or high-intensity movements in quick succession with very shorts rests in between each set.

Metabolic Conditioning

This one is kind of a high-intensity circuit workout where you challenge your entire body with very short recovery in between sets.

High-Intensity Circuit Training

This type of training involves compound weight training movements that elevate the heart rate and get you working multiple muscles in one go.

The best part about all these high-intensity workouts is that they increase the after burn. That is, the number of calories you burn after your workout. In short, you get to burn more for longer!

It’s Only 10 Minutes, Give It a Try

When life is so hectic, a quick, adrenaline-packed 10 minute or less workout is a lifesaver. You’ll burn the calories, clear your head, and finish off feeling like the super person you are.

You know that working out regularly offers a whole range of health benefits, from helping you get the most out of your sleep to boosting your immunity, but the best news of all is that a workout doesn’t have to be a drawn-out affair for you to reap all the rewards.

Done properly and at the right intensity, a quick session can be highly effective at working up a sweat, getting your heart going, and challenging your muscles. Plus, 10 minutes is always better than no minutes, right?

Try a quick, intense workout and feel better!

 

More tips at marksalinas.com today.

 

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