Got five minutes? Get buff.

September 22, 2006 – 2:23 pm

by Rigel

A new study published in The Journal of Physiology confirms it- even the busiest of people can get in shape by working out in small bursts of exercise. This information was out last year when Martin Gibala, an associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, and his team said they believed that short bursts of intense exercise were just as effective as longer sessions at a moderate effort. At the time they had no scientific data to back up their claims, but now they do.

“Our study demonstrates that interval-based exercise is a very time-efficient training strategy,” said Gibala. “This type of training is very demanding and requires a high level of motivation. However, short bursts of intense exercise may be an effective option for individuals who cite ‘lack of time’ as a major impediment to fitness.”

I could argue both sides regarding short bursts requiring “a high level of motivation.” On one hand you only have to be motivated for very short periods at a time, which is easy- but on the other you do have to do that repeatedly throughout the day, which is not. Overall I think this is very encouraging for people that are trying to get started on a fitness plan- you really can start small, like a ‘spurt’ a day, and feel good about it. And for the people who say they are too busy? Well, time to start thinking of a new excuse!