Can 7 minutes really make a difference in your health? Melanie Douglass breaks down this brand new fitness trend.
A recent article in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal describes a new 7-minute workout designed to maximize the benefits of exercise in minimal time. The workout requires no special equipment and can be performed almost anywhere, anytime. Sound too good to be true? It’s not.
What’s unique about the “7-Minute Workout” is this:
– Each move is performed for 30 seconds, with minimal rest (<10 seconds).
– The movements are strategically designed to cycle through body parts
– so that one area of the body can rest while you work the next area. While keeping a steady heart rate and elevated calorie burn along the way.
– The pattern is simple: cardio, lower body, upper body, core for 12 exercises; done in about 7 minutes.
– It’s designed to be “high” intensity. That means you have to push yourself hard and fast. So if you work REALLY hard, you can perform one cycle and be done. If you have more time or effort to give, then repeat the cycle 2-3 times for optimal results.
Many studies have shown that short intense workouts can be as effective as longer bouts of steady state cardio.
“There’s very good evidence” that high-intensity interval training provides “many of the fitness benefits of prolonged endurance training but in much less time,” says Chris Jordan, the director of exercise physiology at the Human Performance Institute in Orlando, FL.
Work by scientists at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and other institutions shows, for instance, that even a few minutes of training at an intensity approaching your maximum capacity produces molecular changes within muscles comparable to those of several hours of running or bike riding.
Starting your day with a 7 Minute Workout and then combining it with other activities can really amp your fat burning as well. Other studies have shown that doing a quick workout, then waiting 30 minutes to an hour before doing another workout burns more fat than simply doing the same amount of effort during one workout session.
70% of us don’t get the valuable exercise we need… and maybe it’s because we tend overthink exercise; or we expect it too require too much, too often. This new idea of a 7-minute program is actually great for America. It’s short, doable and requires no equipment… it’s something we should all try – today.
If you want to experience a great 7 minute workout, try the app, called “lolo 7”.
This easy app lets you incorporate your own music, adds variety to the exercises, and lets you change up your equipment. It’s perfect!
http://lolofit.com/apps/7-minute_workout_high_intensity_training
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