Often people find it difficult to schedule a 45-minute to 60-minute workout into their daily lives, so they simply choose not to engage in exercise at all. If you’re feeling crunched for time but still want to squeeze in a daily exercise session, then mini workouts may be a more suitable option for you!
According to Healthline, dividing a continuous workout routine into smaller increments is still beneficial and better than not exercising at all.1 American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults obtain 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise.2 With mini workouts, obtaining the exercise recommendation can be completed in short, 5–10-minute bouts of exercise throughout the day. Completing several mini workouts has very similar benefits to that of a one long, continuous workout. Healthline states that the benefits of mini workouts include: enhanced overall health, easier to fit into a busy schedule, reduced stress of working out, improved mood, and they allow you to accomplish your fitness goals. Also, completing shorter bouts of exercise may enhance your exercise adherence and the ability to commit to a steady exercise program. Completing mini workouts makes it easier to exercise at higher intensities that are difficult to endure for longer periods of time, which can be helpful and encouraging to newbies as well as seasoned athletes.
Whether you have an hour break in your daily schedule, or a few ten-minute breaks, it’s always possible to stay active and get a workout in! As you start to complete your mini workouts, key things to remember are schedule ahead, follow a format, and mix up the type of workouts.
Written By: Cayla Boyles
Resources:
1) https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness/fit-it-in-mini-workouts#exercise-guidelines
2) https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/physical-activity-guidelines
