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- The more intense your exercise, the less time you have to spend on it. One single minute of strenuous activity within a 10-minute exercise session is as effective as working out for 45 minutes at a moderate pace
- Part of the answer to why high-intensity interval training is so effective has to do with genetic optimization. This kind of activity appears to be "built into" our genotype
- Intense but brief exertion produces immediate changes in your DNA, improves glucose tolerance, and triggers production of human growth hormone and mitochondrial biogenesis, which is crucial for longevity
Are you still struggling to fit exercise into your regimen? If so, there's good news: You can exercise less if you pick up the pace. The time required is inversely associated with the intensity. The higher intensity, the less time you have to spend on it.
Years of research have built a scientific consensus, as study after study reveals that exercising in shorter bursts with rest periods in between produces far greater genetic and metabolic benefits than exercising continuously for an entire session.
Can You Get Fit in Three Minutes of Strenuous Exercise Per Week?
As incredible as it sounds, a recent experiment1,2,3 showed that one single minute of strenuous activity within a 10-minute exercise session is as effective as working out for 45 minutes at a moderate pace. If you've put off exercise for lack of time, such findings may be nothing short of life changing.
Twenty-five out-of-shape men in their 30s were recruited for the trial. Their aerobic fitness and insulin sensitivity were measured at the outset of the study. Biopsies of their muscles were also taken, to assess muscular function at the cellular level. The men were then randomly divided into three groups:
1. The control group maintained their current exercise regimen, which was virtually nonexistent
2. The second group engaged in a 45-minute long endurance workout, riding at a moderate pace on a stationary bike
3. The third group was assigned to a HIIT program. After a two-minute warm-up on a stationary bike, they cycled all-out for 20 seconds followed by gentle pedaling for two minutes.
These intervals were repeated three times, for a total workout of 10 minutes, but only one minute was actually spent in strenuous exertion
The exercise groups completed three workout sessions per week for 12 weeks. As reported by The New York Times:4
"By the end of the study ... the endurance group had ridden for 27 hours, while the interval group had ridden for six hours, with only 36 minutes of that time being strenuous.
But when the scientists retested the men's aerobic fitness, muscles and blood-sugar control now, they found that the exercisers showed virtually identical gains ...
In both groups, endurance had increased by nearly 20 percent, insulin resistance likewise had improved significantly, and there were significant increases in the number and function of certain microscopic structures in the men's muscles that are related to energy production and oxygen consumption."
Less Time, Identical Gains
The obvious benefit of these findings is that, if you exercise efficiently, meaning short intense bursts of exertion, you can get fit in a mere fraction of the time it would take you engaging in more moderate exertion. And the results — in terms of improving your health and fitness — are virtually identical.
The only thing that differs is the time spent. Think about it; all you need is 10 minutes, three times a week, and you're done...
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