Limited time? Consider mini workouts

A number of people believe that unless they exercise for 30 or 45 minutes, they will not realise any benefits. However, the old adage, ‘one by one makes a bundle’ also applies to working out. 

Mini-workouts are an amazing way for those leading busy lifestyles or those that find it hard to invest a lot of time in one workout session.

Isaiah Muhereza, a fitness coach, says these shorter exercise periods are achieved by breaking up the big session into small, yet continuous bits. 

“Several short workouts are just as rewarding and give as much result as one long session. For example, you can find ways to ensure you keep walking throughout the day without dedicating 45 minutes to walk a certain distance,” he says.

Fitting small workouts

Nancy Nakitende, a fitness trainer, says these short workouts will also allow you the opportunity to find a balance between mobility, strength training and cardio workouts throughout the day. For those who desire but are unaware of how to incorporate these mini-workouts into their regimen, here is a guide:

Plan

Failure to plan also applies to exercise since you need to discover your ideal workout as well as where you are going to do it. 

For example, if you love skipping, doing it within the office will not work. “If you have not planned for an alternative workout location, you will miss out on exercising. Additionally, if you are to strike a balance with the various workout types, schedule different drills to encompass all,” Nakitende shares.

Create a schedule

Planning also means having a schedule of what you are going to do and when. “Will it be during the various work breaks, as you sit at your desk, or will you make use of every time you are going to hand in an assignment? Does the schedule created allow you to have enough small workouts to make up for the longer version?” Muhereza says. 

He adds that with this, one will not beat themselves up for missing out or doing little as there will be mental as well as physical (such as phone alerts) reminders that it is time to get going.

Create a buffet

With the focus on ensuring that one gets a whole body workout, Nakitende says it will be great to have a variety of workouts. 

“That way, you can train in different things as well as target different muscle groups. For example, you could have a cardiovascular workout such as a brisk walk, then strength training by lifting dumbbells kept under your desk. You could end with a stretch in the evening,” she says.

Time yourself

It is important to remember that an exercise session must be intentional and timed. This way, the focus is to ensure that the workouts do not take long. 

“Break up your sessions into time frames that you can easily manage. One example is a 15-minute brisk walk as you head to work, a 10-minute session of weight-lifting during your lunch break and a 20-minute stretch after work. While this is not set in stone, it is meant to act as a guide,” Muhereza shares. 

One may also stretch this a little further depending on their needs and circumstances.  

“For instance, a 45-minute session could be broken into five-minute bites of exercising. However, that will work well for one with several breaks such as time at your child’s sports activity where you can do some push-ups, and shopping where you can lift dumbbells as you push the cart,” he adds.

Get an intensity level

When breaking these up, one also gets the opportunity to decide the level of intensity.  Nakitende says it could be low, moderate or vigorous. 

“That said, with mini-workouts, choosing vigorous intensity such as tabata or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is ideal in order to get more out of the workout. Tabata is a vigorous-intensity level way of exercising that has a four-minute mark for each exercise. 

“These levels are ideal for cardio and strength training exercises,” she says.

How much exercise is enough? 

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its Physical Activity Guidelines, adults should aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise, weekly.

The CDC also stresses the importance of strength training at least two days per week. These sessions should focus on total-body workouts targeting the major muscle groups.

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