Credit: Ben Wiseman/The New York Times
Short on time but want to get in shape? Cram your whole workout into seven minutes a day.
It sounds too good to be true, but as The New York Times reports on its website, an article in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal provides an approximately seven-minute exercise regimen that is scientifically designed to offer the typical benefits of a longer fitness routine. The workout is shown in the graphic above.
As the Times notes, for the workout to deliver results, you have to really exert yourself: “The exercises should be performed in rapid succession, allowing 30 seconds for each, while, throughout, the intensity hovers at about an 8 on a discomfort scale of 1 to 10, Mr. Jordan says. Those seven minutes should be, in a word, unpleasant. The upside is, after seven minutes, you’re done.”
Commenters on the Times post report positive results. And see the “Fitness Pollenator” blog for a tweaked version of the seven-minute workout.
This is a great suggestion! I like the variety and the non-time commitment…thank you!
That looks…AWESOME! I think I found my new challenge.
I’d be happy to lead a pilates class! Any time! Let’s do it!
I gave this a shot last night and it wasn’t too taxing. To minimize downtime, I’d suggest getting chair around ahead of time and work out in an area where you have easy access to the spaces and structures needed. If you have a smartphone, look for interval timer apps that can help you stay on track during your workout.