Short workouts are more fashionable than ever. They are not new, because the term HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) has been making its way for years. But now they are presented with different formats and routines and are increasingly supported by various scientific studies. So now you can start forgetting the hackneyed excuse that you don’t have time to train. It will be enough to dedicate… 20 minutes! But first you have to know when it is better to opt for this type of training and what exercises should be done and how.
In case excuses continue to haunt your head, we’ll give you an extra reason. Short workouts can also be your best ally to start exercising now that spring is here. Of course, we are not going to deceive you, they require a maximum effort. “Science tells us that the important thing is not time but intensity: 10 minutes of intense training are enough to create metabolic adaptations and improve body composition,” explains Elisabeth Rodríguez, manager and trainer at Ritual Gym, a gym specializing in training. of twenty minutes.
Several investigations have evaluated this type of training. For example, Martin Gibala, one of the scientists who has most studied and popularized brief but intense exercises, concluded, in a study carried out at McMaster University in Canada, that 10 minutes of intense exercise provides the athlete with the same results at the metabolic level than a daily 50 minute workout. A couple of studies also found that 15 minutes burns the same calories as an hour-long cardio session.
To get the most out of very short workouts you have to get in the habit of doing them. “And a habit is easier to acquire the more efficient and practical it is, that is, the more results you get in the shortest possible time. It is preferable to create a habit of 15 minutes of exercise a day than to get frustrated by trying to do two hours that we don’t know where to get and end up abandoning, ”says Rodríguez.
“Faced with not training or doing a quick workout, naturally we must choose the latter, but for this option to work it must be considered effectively, hence the importance in the way of training,” says Paula Vercauteren, fitness content specialist at Basic -Fit international. “You can opt for super series, those in which you do two exercises in a row without stopping between them and only rest at the end. Or by the combined series, in which you can do, for example, three exercises in a row exercising different muscle groups, so that you save time and get more results”, points out the expert.
These exercises can provide great benefits. According to Rodríguez, his practice favors weight loss, improves body composition by promoting fat loss without sacrificing muscle mass; increases oxygen consumption (which implies an increase in lung and heart capacity) and also helps improve blood pressure and control blood sugar level.
“But there is more – continues the Ritual Gym expert – because short workouts also increase the metabolic rate, so the resting body will burn more calories. It also minimizes the chances of contracting diseases associated with obesity and improves aerobic and anaerobic performance, which means that the benefits can be transferred to any sport.”
It should not be forgotten, however, that, by definition, they are performed at a very high intensity, so there are cases in which certain measures should be taken, as detailed by the Ritual Gym expert. “In totally sedentary people, for example, who lack a basic physical condition, it is recommended to start gradually and preferably with the help of a professional. On the other hand, it is not advisable for those who suffer from heart or cardiovascular disease. When in doubt, a doctor should always be consulted”, points out Rodríguez.
There are different ways to get going with this type of training. But to make it more optimal, Rodriguez suggests one that combines cardio/HIIT strength, “because the ideal way to improve our health and physical condition is to work all muscle groups and develop strength while improving cardiovascular aptitudes.”
It should be noted that short and fast workouts are ideal for when you have little time. Its benefits are undeniable, and as Vercauteren recalls, if you train in this way you will improve endurance, develop strength and shape your body. But it shouldn’t be your only choice if you want…