Micro-Workouts Explained: Here's Why Short Bursts of Movement Shouldn't Be Underestimated

While some people are too busy to workout, they should not underestimate what short bursts of movements can do.

Micro-Workouts

It may feel impossible for some people to fit an hour's worth of exercise into a busy day. However, micro-workout proponents say that exercise can be approached in small chunks.

Micro-workouts, or mini workouts or exercise "snacks," cover short bursts of movement that could be scattered across a day and add up to a big overall workout. These short bursts relatively have small time and intensity commitments for quite a big payoff, as explained by Walter Gjergja, a former professional athlete and the chief wellness officer and co-founder of the Zing Coach app.

Gjergja says that it is ideal to total up to at least 15 minutes and spread it across the day. There is great research that notes that this kind of short but high-intensity workouts could profoundly affect physiology, health, and different kinds of fitness markers.

According to Gjergja, there are two categories of micro-workouts. These are 20- to 60-second workouts and three- to seven-minute workouts. He explains that micro-workouts should exceed 20 seconds to maximize efficiency. Nevertheless, these are short bursts of quite intense movement and exercise.

A micro-workout could look like running up a staircase for 20 seconds or just running in place for a minute.

Gjergja does not advise exceeding 10 minutes if one aims for a micro-workout, as such a duration requires effort that is more steady.

Benefits of Micro-Workouts

The primary benefit of micro-workouts is that a certain degree of movement gets incorporated into a person's day. Gjergja says that, with just three to seven minutes to allocate, one can embark on a mini journey of the three main aspects of fitness, namely, muscular, cardiovascular, and flexibility.

One may structure the micro-workouts to cover a couple of minutes of sit-ups, squats, or push ups for strength, a couple of minutes for jumping jacks or other cardio exercises, and a couple of minutes for mobility stretching. He notes that one can immediately cover all fitness and well-being aspects in an extremely short period.

Studies have also shown that a few minutes' worth of vigorous activity across the day could yield great benefits. One observational study from last year discovered that engaging in four to five minutes' worth of vigorous, intermittent lifestyle physical activity is linked to significantly lower cancer risk. This is in comparison to those who did not engage in such activity. Even five-minute quick strolls every 30 minutes across the day could yield great health outcomes.

Other micro-workout benefits include the fact that they can be done anywhere, without the need for equipment or much space. They could also help people build exercise habits that are more long lasting.

Gjergja explains that it can be more effective to begin with small commitments rather than jump into larger activities or gym memberships.

Starting Micro-Workouts

Micro-workouts can be incorporated into one's daily life, regardless of whether one just sits at the desk, watches TV, or does household chores. If a person just takes one minute an hour to do sit-ups or push-ups, this person could easily reach hundreds of reps when the shift ends. For someone who does not engage in training, this is already a substantial muscle workout that can be done with virtually no commitment.

Gjergja also suggests preparing an exercise menu that can be safely done in one's own clothes and environment. He advises against improvising and suggests testing that the exercise can be done and that it would be physiologically comfortable.

To increase micro-workout intensity, harder movements, such as burpees, could be incorporated. One can also make use of some elastic exercise bands or dumbbells.

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