Topic: Study Confirms Brief Workouts Are Best
Hi,
So here's the million-dollar question:
"What's the number one reason
people don't work out?"
Is it lack of money? Lack of motivation? Perhaps
they lack the ideal workout plan?
Nope. It's TIME. Or rather the lack thereof.
"We know that 50 per cent of the population doesn't
[exercise] and the most commonly cited barrier to
exercise is lack of time." This quote comes from
exercise researcher Martin Gibala, a kinesiology
professor at McMaster University in Hamilton.
Gibala put his theory to the test in a study that was
published in the Journal of Physiology. In it Gibala
compared a group who exercised "traditionally" --
90 to 120 minutes per day -- with another group
exercising far less: Only 20 minutes per day and
only three days per week.
That's a whopping one hour per week folks. Jon
Benson's 7 Minute Muscle plan calls for five workouts
with resistance five days per week plus 9 minutes of
a specific cardio protocol two-three days per week.
If you do the math, that's about an hour per week
as well.
This is the "Level 1" workout. There are three levels
depending on your goals and exercise tolerance.
Find out more here --
7 Minute Muscle <--- brief is best!
Back to Gibala's study:
In just two weeks both groups showed improvement
in both exercise performance and oxygen uptake.
(Remember, fat burns in the presence of oxygen.)
The kicker is that both groups were almost identical
in their improvement. Why? Because the brief
exercise group trained with greater focus and more
intensity -- exactly how I suggest you train.
This is just one of dozens of studies that confirm
the benefits of shorter but more intense workouts.
However, there is a catch: Train too hard and you
will shut down your fat-burning furnace.
Your body perceives over-exertion done over an
extended period of time as a sign of pursuit. It can
trigger an ancient hormonal sequence that says,
"I'm being chased by a tiger! Horde the fat!"
The body literally shuts down what it considers to
be unnecessary activity in favor of self-preservation.
And guess what? Burning off those hips and love
handles is not a biological necessity.
You have to learn when to hit it hard AND when
to rest and recover.
Finally, you have to put yourself into the proper
mental state in order to see greater results in
the shortest period of time.
Jon devote an entire chapter to that in "7 Minute
Muscle." You can read more here --
7 Minute Muscle <--- brief is best!
Just remember these three key points:
1. Time is the greatest barrier to fitness.
2. Workouts can be short and very effective.
3. The body goes where the mind directs.
Until next time, train smart.
Sincerely,
Jorma Persson
Jon Benson is the
Author of, 7 Minute Muscle
Best-selling author of "Fit Over 40" and
"The Every Other Day Diet"
P.S. Do you know Shawn Phillips? I bet you
do... and I bet you've seen his books and his
brother's all-time best-selling fitness book
"Body For Life" in your local bookstore.
Shawn left this comment on a blog about
7 Minute Muscle....
"Jon,
"I have to admit I'm not done taking in all of
7 Minute Muscle but what I've covered so far
I love and totally agree with.
Your argument parallels what I teach in Strength-
for-Life, that the secret to an effective workout is
Intensity--not volume. Or to put it another way, it's
about "quality of quantity".
A deep bow to you for this contribution to the
collective wisdom of fitness truth!"
-- Shawn Phillips
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This is not intended to treat or manage disease.
Be sure to check with your doctor before engaging
in any dietary or fitness changes and/or routines.
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