What are micro workouts, and do they work?

Life is busy and Aussies are working more hours than ever before.¹

Time is a precious commodity, with more than half of 35- to 44-year-old women and 43% of men reporting they’re desperately short on.²

You know exercise is important, but when you’re short on time, workouts can go to the wayside.

The good news is the benefits of exercise are cumulative and small bursts of exercise can improve health and wellbeing.³

“Micro workouts, or ‘exercise snacking’ are short bursts of movement designed to fit into your lifestyle, at a time that suits you,” says Exercise Physiologist, Jack Walker.

Micro workouts are short, focused bursts of exercise that usually last between 20 seconds and 10 minutes.

“They’re done multiple times a day, instead of in one long session, making it easier to fit them into your day,” says Jack. “The good news is that as long you’re pushing the same intensity, there’s no difference between doing a 45-minute workout session or breaking it up into micro workouts throughout the day.”

Micro workouts are specific exercise routines rather than incidental exercise, such as walking to the bus.

They should be:

Vigorous: Micro workouts should get your heart pumping fast or tire your muscles out quickly.

Intermittent: They should be done throughout the day.

Fit into your lifestyle: Do them when you have time in your day.

“Micro workouts can include different types of exercise, including strength, cardio, flexibility and core work,” says Jack. “A micro workout might mean doing 10 squats while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, or a 3-minute stair climb before you have lunch.”

For women, a median duration of 3.4 minutes of high-intensity exercise a day is associated with 45% lower risk of cardiovascular events and 67% lower risk of heart failure.⁴

Just 11 minutes of resistance training a day significantly boosts muscle strength and improves energy levels.⁵

“The key to success with micro workouts is consistency,” says Jack. “In an ideal world you might move your body for 3 to 5 minutes every hour. This is particularly good for managing insulin and blood sugars. Every bit of movement really does count.”

Why should you give micro workouts a try?

Easy to fit into a busy day

Micro workouts are ideal for people who don’t have time for long workouts, or don’t want to be in a gym or exercise class environment. “They can be done anywhere, including your home, office or outdoors, so are perfect for people who need some flexibility around their exercise routines,” says Jack.

Boosts consistency and habit formation

Micro workouts need less planning so can be easier to stick with. Small frequent actions can make it easier to build a habit.

Helps counteract sedentary time

Sitting for too long is associated with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, anxiety and depression.⁶

Breaking up long periods of sitting with a micro workout can counteract some of these negative effects.

“Sitting for long periods of time isn’t great for anyone whose had bariatric surgery,” says Jack. “Staying mobile and increasing movement can help improve muscle mass and speed up recovery.”

Mental health benefits

Exercise in general is associated with improved mood and quality of life.

Research shows that just 10 to 30 minutes of exercise is enough to lift your mood and boost your energy.⁷

Minimal equipment needed

Most micro workouts don’t need equipment. This makes it cheap and allows you to do it anywhere.

While micro workouts are great for general health and fitness maintenance, they won’t result in drastic changes to your health.

“Micro workouts have their place and can break up busy days with some beneficial movement,” says Jack. “However, if you’re looking to significantly increase muscle mass or really help your heart health, micro workouts should be incorporated as part of a routine.”

“In an ideal world they should be combined with other physical activity. It’s really important to incorporate resistance training at least twice a week then some sort of aerobic work for at least 20 to 30 minutes at a moderate intensity on most days.”

10 bodyweight squats while brushing your teeth.

30-second plank between TV ad breaks.

1-minute set of push-ups or lunges before your morning shower.

Climb stairs for 2 minutes before lunch.

Wall sit during phone calls.

Desk push-ups or triceps dips off your chair.

Calf raises while waiting for the train.

Park further away to add short walking bursts.

Single leg stands in the coffee queue to help with your balance and core.

• Set reminders on your phone to move every hour.
• Pick one micro workout for each part of your day or try and move every hour.
• Keep it short and consistent. Frequency matters more than duration.

Better Health Channel gives information and advice on how to move your body and improve your health.

HealthDirect gives information and resources about the health benefits of different types of exercise.