Research shows that even just 4 minutes of exercise, 3 times a week, is enough to improve your health!

Good news for those who struggle to find time to work out. Scientists have collated a decade’s worth of research to confirm that even the shortest bursts of exercise can really benefit your health.

This research review highlights how, in considerably less time, low volume HIIT can create health benefits that are on par with those stimulated by the current WHO physical activity guidelines (which recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate activity a week or 75-100 minutes of vigorous activity a week). While low volume HIIT typically involves less than 20 minutes total exercise time, the benefits can be enjoyed in as little as four minutes!

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is characterised by short bouts of high-intensity submaximal exercise interspersed with rest periods. Low-volume HIIT, typically involving less than 15 min of high-intensity exercise per session, is being increasingly investigated in healthy and clinical populations due to its time-efficient nature and purported health benefits.

One of the studies included in the review showed that four minutes of HIIT three times per week for 12 weeks significantly improved blood sugar levels and cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with type 2 diabetes, while reducing the amount of fat in the liver. These improvements were comparable to 45-minute sessions of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three times per week.

The findings from recent trials suggest that low-volume HIIT can induce similar, and at times greater, improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, glucose control, blood pressure, and cardiac function when compared to more traditional forms of aerobic exercise training including high-volume HIIT and moderate intensity continuous training, despite requiring less time commitment and lower energy expenditure.

References:

https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/JP281210

https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/43/10/2371