Stairs are an excellent way to start benefitting from exercise snacking.The 10-minute workout? Is it true? Is there such a thing? A magical workout that can get us in shape in just 10 minutes a day?
Is this starting to sound like one of those infomercials you watch on television advertising the weirdest fitness gizmos and promising unimaginable results in the tiniest of timeframes? Well, expectations are changing. Life is now, they say, so why wait?
We have to admit that with the ever-changing pace of life, we’re getting more impatient. We want more bang for our buck and we want it now. When purchasing goods online or in shops, the phrase “it will arrive in two to three weeks” just doesn’t cut it anymore. With the mind-boggling progress of science and technology locked in constant ongoing development, it’s no wonder we won’t settle for archaic and unreliable systems any longer.
When it comes to body issues, likewise, there are pills for immediate pain relief and surgeries to reduce body fat or re-shape areas of the body we are unhappy with. There are creams and sprays to make our skin appear 15 years younger, there are clothes with built-in support to alter the shape of various appendages.
So why are gyms filled with people slaving away for hours on end to achieve improvements in health, fitness and aesthetics? Of course, some of us happily engage in these activities solely as meditation or a relief from stress, but as much as I hate to admit it, hours upon hours spent in the gym just seem terribly archaic in this day and age.
There has been a spate of articles in newspapers and magazines worldwide over the past two to three years publicising the positive effects of what has now come to be known as ‘exercise snacking’, brief bouts of exercise 10 to 15 minutes long, designed to replace sessions of 45 minutes or longer.
Just as we are advised to eat smaller, frequent meals as opposed to one or two large ones per day, the same can be said of exercise. So in a time-strapped society where it’s either a little or nothing at all, exercise professionals are keen to sing the praises of exercise snacking.
The idea is that lack of time, or in exercise terms, lack of ‘duration’, can be compensated for by increases in intensity of effort. It’s all about being short, sharp and efficient. Longer low-intensity sessions most certainly have their place too, and there are plenty of studies backing this system too for all its unique benefits, but if you’re a procrastinator or just extremely busy, then why not try some exercise morsels and see if you like the taste?
If you’re a procrastinator or just extremely busy, then why not try some exercise morsels and see if you like the taste?
One of the most respected organisations in the health and fitness industries for research and development, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), releases guidelines frequently concerning the amount and type of exercise required for the maintenance of health or the pursuit of various fitness goals.
Indeed, its recommendations are often adopted by governments as national guidelines for the promotion of good health and to offset medical costs incurred by avoidable diseases and conditions. The latest guidelines say 150 minutes of physical activity a week are the gold standard for better health.
The ACSM, however, has made it a point of stipulating that its minimum exercise quota for the week can be broken down into smaller, more manageable chunks according to the convenience of the participant. This is good news for us, because as long as we hit our quota of 150 minutes, then we’re free to organise our physical activity routine how we see fit.
A study published in the European journal Diabetologia recently reported that little 15-minute bouts of activity performed either before or after meals were more effective at reducing blood sugar levels in diabetics than an extended bout of activity performed once per day. This is perhaps the most celebrated research of late that indicates the effectiveness of brief workouts. However, it does not stand alone.
The American Heart Association has also reported that briefer, more intense bouts of exercise improve heart health later in life. Other researchers at the Arizona State University in Pheonix performed a similar study, whereby they compared the effects of three 10-minute sessions spaced throughout the day to those of one lone 30-minute session.
The group that performed fractionised workouts was found to exhibit lower blood pressure readings than that which performed only one daily session. The participants in the study were pre-hypertensive. In other words, if your doctor has told you that your blood pressure is on the high side, perhaps not a significant risk factor in itself at the moment, but is getting there, then you could be classed as pre-hypertensive.
Your doctor will likely advise you to give up smoking, eat healthier and get some exercise. Performing three 10-minute bouts of physical activity throughout the day is, therefore, a sound exercise strategy for you.
Do you have stairs in your house or apartment block? Do you have an exercise bike at home or perhaps a safe stretch of promenade to traverse close to your home? Do you know how to perform a small selection of bodyweight exercises safely and effectively?
If so, you might already have all the tools you need to start benefitting from exercise snacking, reduce your blood pressure and blood sugar levels or sculpt your body without slaving away in the gym for hours on end.
matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt