When people think of workouts, long and sweaty ones come to a lot of their minds. Like the ones that are bragged about on IG with images of Fitbits shown.
The fact is though- short workouts can be just as good for your health- mentally and physically. This post will go more in depth on this.
Quickies: Quality over quantity
It is important that we all realize that the quality of workouts is more important than how long it is.
Workouts over an hour are often times seen as better. This is probably due to the perceived effort that is involved in lengthy ones. Looking at it this way makes it technically true because it takes an effort to sustain working out for a long time.
The thing is that if one puts in enough effort during a short workout- it can rival a longer one.
Follow me here. A workout consisting of 1.5 hours on the elliptical seems admirable, right? You get to zone out on it and get a decent calorie burn. Overtime though, the following might happen:
- You start burning less calories because your body gets too used to it.
- You never burn anymore calories than usual because your body gets used to it.
- You start getting bored and then exercise becomes less consistent.
- You might stop seeing changes in your body if that is what you are going for.
This type of thing is seen/done a lot at fitness centers. That person that is always on the same cardio machine for hours or doing the same weightlifting movements for a long time.
Don’t get it wrong, doing any kind of workout on a frequent basis is commendable and healthy. What we are talking about here is how really pushing it during a workout will make it so that you don’t have to be doing it for hours.
That’s what we call, quality. Just upping the ante.
Making a workout harder and shorter can be as simple as increasing the resistance on the elliptical or doing weightlifting circuits instead of straight sets (it may not feel simple!). You might be surprised by how many calories you burn in less than an hour and the results you get from doing these types of workouts consistently.
Quickies: As a Kickstarter
Not only can quick workouts be great to burn a good amount of calories in a short time but they can also help kickstart your day or afternoon. The quickie doesn’t even need to be that intense for you to reap this type of benefit!
There are many important benefits of exercise and a positive increase in mental/cognitive health is one of them. This part of one’s health is just as important as the physical part.
Doing a quick, 20 minute workout upon waking can help set the precedent for the day. It can wake you up so that you are mentally and cognitively ready for the day. If you do one in the afternoon, it can help you refresh your brain so that you can get through the rest of your day.
Quickies: As add ons
Okay, maybe you already did a workout and really want to do more. You could add on a quick workout to your exercise session. There are so many to choose from out there.
Maybe a 15 minute HIIT Pilates workout after a 30 minute run or a 20 minute power stretch after 30 minutes on the elliptical?
You could also do several quickie workouts back-to-back if you can’t decide which one to do. That might actually be kind of fun! Doing a 15 minute step workout, 10 minute kickboxing workout and 10 minute power Yoga workout is an example of this.
Ten wonderful quickies to try
I have recently tried out ten different quickie workouts and they did not disappoint. I wanted to list them on this post just in case any of you guys might be looking for workouts that don’t take up much time.
Here they are:
- 30 minute Pilates– This quick workout is super refreshing for the mind and body. I tacked it on to my HIIT day and it was perfect. It would be great for doing to kickstart your day or afternoon.
- 30 minute HIIT Pilates– This is a fast moving Pilates workout that will get the blood pumping. It says it will burn 300 calories but you have to take in account your height and weight. I burned 160 calories and I am 5’4, 112-115 pounds.
- 20 minute HIIT– This workout really is a killer as the video title suggests. It goes by quick though. I paired it with a 20 minute Yoga workout I found.
- 20 minute full body cardio– This one left me really sweaty! I did it twice through and burned 300 calories. This is a great one to do before strength training.
- 20 minute Tabata– This is an intense one, but it goes by fast. I did it on a day when I really wasn’t feeling like working out and I really got into it. I followed it up with ten minutes of stretching.
- 20 minute cardio dance– This was a creative one that I actually wasn’t expecting to like. I would highly recommend it if you are looking for a fun workout.
These workouts require no equipment but you an exercise mat may be something you want to get if you have hard flooring. The Bi-Fold Folding Exercise Mat that ProsourceFit offers is a great choice.
In conclusion
Quick workouts can be great for one’s body, mind and daily schedule. You don’t need to do workouts for hours to reap benefits.
If you are someone who does workouts that last a long time-consider trying a shorter one. You just might start liking them!
How long are your workouts usually?
Thanks for reading!
Health disclaimer: I am not a medical professional therefore what I say should not be taken as a substitute medical advice. Please speak to your doctor before adding anything into your life. Your health is your own and I am not liable for any consequences you suffer for your choices.
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