Benefits of short bursts of exercise
Trying to fit exercise into your hectic schedule is far easier said than done. So many people lack the time to visit the gym for an intense workout class, or go for an hour-long session at the gym.
Good news for you: according to experts, even a 5-minute workout is enough to reap the benefits of exercise!
Here are the main benefits of exercising in shorter sessions:
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Lowers risk of injuries
Do you know that being sedentary is almost as bad for your health as smoking? Prolonged sitting is linked with increased risk of serious conditions. It heightens your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, obesity, and even some types of cancer. What’s more, it can also lead to severe back pain, neck pain, and chronic headaches, especially if your home office setup is not ergonomic for your posture.
Fortunately, daily physical activity lowers the risk of developing musculoskeletal injury. When you exercise, you are strengthening your muscles and tendons while increasing the flexibility of your ligaments. Any frequent active movement will help to keep your joints healthy and strengthen your bones. Plenty of stretching also helps to prevent common injuries, such as back and neck issues.
As you become more active, your body becomes more flexible and agile, which prevents numerous physical injuries.
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Suppresses appetite
Moreover, training for shorter amounts of time actually helps your weight loss progress and reduce obesity risk. A longer exercise, such as an hour-long cardio training, signals our brain to seek instant reward to compensate for the pain we’ve just been through. This “rewards” usually comes in the form of sugary comfort foods and drinks, such as donuts and milkshakes, which often results in weight loss plateau.
Yet, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts are different because you tend to feel less exhausted, hence your hunger level is relatively more stable. Confirmed by many studies - HIIT actually suppresses your appetite, while steady-state cardio actually increases it. In short, train for shorter periods and you may be less hungry overall.
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Lowers risk of disease
Exercise brings numerous health benefits, preventing a number of diseases and injuries. A moderate-intensity physical activity helps to increase your heart rate and improve blood flow to your brain, thus lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This also helps you to return to your job with greater focus and less fatigue.
A 2017 British study has found that people who regularly exercise, even in shorter sessions, experienced a significant reduction in the risk of developing both cardiovascular issues as well as cancer. Exercising daily also helps reduce the risk of diabetes, as it helps our bodies control blood glucose and improve insulin sensitivity.
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Improved organ function
Moreover, short bursts of exercise also helps several organs to function better, including the brain, heart and the digestive system. In fact, just a small amount of exercise, such as walking 4,000 steps is enough to improve brain function in the short-term.
When sustained in the longer term, short & intense exercise sessions such as HIIT, provide rapid and larger improvement in aerobic fitness. This helps our body’s ability to transfer oxygen throughout the body, especially to the working muscles. For people who are time-poor, HIIT activities can be as simple as carrying heavy shopping bags up the stairs, or sprint 100 metres to catch your train. These short bursts of exercise are great for people who for instance, can’t leave their kids or jobs to train at the gym for an hour.
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Stay motivated for longer
Many people find it harder to commit to an hour-long stint of exercise for many reasons. One of the most likely scenarios is that you can’t keep up with a consistent workout schedule. As your schedule gets tighter, it is easy to skip the gym and sacrifice your exercise for other priorities.
On the other hand, everyone has an extra 10 to 15 minutes to spare a day, hence it is easier to stick to a consistent workout schedule. Just think about all those wasted times - watching TV, scrolling through social media, taking long showers..the list goes on. It’s all about setting priorities! So the next time you find yourself scrolling endlessly, opt for strength training with resistance bands for a quick sweat sesh! Feel free to check out some booty band workout ideas here.
Ultimately, the best exercise for you is any exercise that you can stick with. When people don’t have to spend much time and effort to exercise, they are more likely to stay consistent for the long haul.
In conclusion, short bursts of exercise certainly have numerous benefits, and everyone has the time to do it - no excuses. No matter how busy you are, everyone can shave off a few minutes and come up with enough time to do exercise. Not only does regular short bursts of exercise help to make you feel better about yourself and improve your overall health, but it also allows you to form a healthier lifestyle in the long haul.
At Peach Builder, we offer the finest resistance bands in NZ, focusing on helping with glute activation and perfect for HIIT workouts. The Peach Builder booty bands allow women to activate their booty, helping with the ultimate toning and growth. Check out our products and purchase your resistance bands online here with us.
