Yes, I said 10 minutes. Can 600 seconds be spared from your schedule? Let’s try a 10-minute walk workout today!
Wait? Is 10 minutes enough?
More is almost always going to be better, but if you’re pressed for time and a handful of minutes is all you can spare then do it. There’s been lots of studies that show a regular brisk walk of 8-12 minutes can actually improve your life greatly. Some have stated it can greatly improve your overall life, including increasing your life span.
How can that be, though? Most recommendations say 120-150 minutes a week. Can half of that really help?
Why it works
Basically any moderate to intense exercise gives your body an edge and will make up somewhat for the lesser time frame. 20-30 minutes of low to moderate would be overall better, but 10 moderate to intense gives you the main keys to achieving your health goal.
Now, I’ve said moderate to intense a couple times now when referencing this 10-minute walk. What do I mean by that? With low to moderate you should be able to converse but not sing. With moderate to intense you shouldn’t be able to steady speak. You definitely can talk, but you may have to pause for a breath or space the replies a bit more than a normal discourse. The intensity of these shorter walks is why you can cut back on the minutes. You should be aiming for 3-4mph on average but monitor your own intensity level through heart rate and speaking ability.
How often
If these brisk walk are going to be your only primary exercise, then these should be done at least 6 times a week. It will depend on how otherwise active you are. Let’s say you have 3 days a week when you can do some longer walks or some other exercise-weight training for example. You can mix and match. Your schedule could be something like this:
- Monday-10-minute walk
- Tuesday 25 minute walk
- Wednesday rest day
- Thursday 10-minute walk
- Friday 10-minute walk
- Saturday 30 minute walk or other exercise
- Sunday rest day
This example has 85 total minutes of exercise but 30 or more of it should be moderate to intense.
Does when matter?
If it’s entirely dependent on fitting it into a busy schedule, then whenever you can is fine. Given some wiggle room, though, doing it on one of your breaks or a lunch would be best if you have a sedentary job. Getting up and moving around every 2-4 hours is very important. If one of those times you can fit in some brisk walking, it will get your blood pumping healthily.
Otherwise, earlier in the day is usually a good bet to boost your metabolism and alertness. So, if you work a fairly standard shift, doing your walk on your first break likely will net you the best benefits.
Is it for you?
Now that you know about how little time you need to invest to garner great health benefits, are you going to give some 10 minute walks a shot? Like most things having a varied routine would be better, but who doesn’t have 10 minutes they can use to help their life?
Can’t wait to see you strolling along,
Kimmie