The Mighty Mini

Feeling too busy to work out? Exercising in short spurts may be the answer when you are running low on minutes and motivation. The mini workout requires less time, frequently needs little or no equipment, benefits all fitness levels and promotes consistent exercise habits.

Mini workouts are short workout sessions you can squeeze into your busy day to get moving. Anything from a three-minute core routine to a 20-minute walk with your dog to a 15-minute bodyweight cardio circuit to a 10-minute arm workout with weights is a mini workout that contributes to your overall fitness and health.

Fitness experts are promoting mini workouts due to research proving brief bursts of exercise (20 minutes or less) have similar benefits to hour-long gym sessions. The key is to just move and get your heart pumping. The benefits of exercise are cumulative, and working out for an hour straight is no different than doing three 20-minute sessions or 12 five-minute sessions.

Although you don’t need to lift heavy weights or go to the gym every day to improve your health, it is important to move consistently. Prioritize some sort of activity every day. Even small doses of activity can increase blood flow and improve the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar levels. Over time, these changes can reduce your risks for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

When your muscles are active, they release compounds that can improve the health of organs throughout your body. By getting up and moving, you break up sedentary time — and we all know sitting too often or long is detrimental to your health. Moving boosts your mood and energy levels as well, improving your mental well-being.

The Department of Health and Human Services and the American Heart Association recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Even though light-to-moderate activity is beneficial, all exercise isn’t equal. Sprinting at an all-out level for five minutes will have a different impact on your body than a leisurely five-minute stroll.

Compared to more moderate activities, vigorous moves like running and jumping jacks more efficiently trigger physical benefits. High intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts, like Tabata, involve short bursts of vigorous exercise followed by brief rest periods. Research shows this type of workout is just as effective as longer, more sustained periods of exercise.

Your mini workout can be as intense as you want it to be, but keep in mind even low-impact, low-intensity workouts contribute to overall fitness and promote lifelong healthy habits. Try one of the mini workouts below and start reaping the benefits of this efficient fitness method!

On Demand Mini Workouts:

29 Mar 2024

Move

About the author

Caitlin Kemmerer

Ms. Caitlin Kemmerer has been a fitness staff member and group fitness instructor at USLI's Slainte Fitness Center since 2004. Caitlin enjoys playing paddle tennis, tennis, hiking, walking her golden retriever and spending time with her family.