10-Minute Fitness: Does It Really Work?
By Genevieve Cunningham
Most people have heard a million different get fit quick ideas. Get this amazing workout routine. Try this super special diet. There are promises galore for getting you the dream body in weeks, days, or even minutes. And while this obviously sounds like the perfect scenario, it’s too good to be true, right? If you’re trying to lose 100 pounds in a month, you may need to alter your expectations. But if you’re trying to get fit … 10 minutes a day might be enough. Before you completely throw quick fixes out the window, take a look at what 10 minutes a day can really do for your health and wellness.
What Can You Do in 10 Minutes?
It may not seem like much, but 10 minutes is enough time to get in some kind of workout. Squats, lunges, push-ups, and crunches could all be done within a 10-minute time span. Sprinting? If you sprint for 10 minutes, you’ll be exhausted! Jogging? You may be able to run as much as a mile. To get a good feel for what you may be capable of completing, test yourself. Set a timer, get moving, and see how you feel at the end. Over time, you’ll be able to do much more exercise much more intensely, and you may find that 10 minutes is more than enough time for you to break a sweat.
Does It Work?
While it’s easy to dismiss those 10 minutes as “not enough,” it’s possible that a mere 10 minutes can significantly alter your basic health. If you run a mile in 10 minutes every day, there’s no doubt that your cardio will improve. If you swim for 10 minutes, you’ll expand your lung function. Ten minutes can work … but you have to do the right kind of exercise and you have to do it with intensity. It’s also important to make proper expectations. If you want to make big changes quickly, 10 minutes won’t work. If you’re OK with slow and steady wins the race, then 10 minutes is a great place to start.
What Should Fitness Look Like?
Ideally, a fitness routine would be at least 20-30 minutes in length. You’d be able to alternate between cardio and strength training, and you’d have enough time to do a good warm-up and cool down. But the truth is that if you can only squeeze in 10 minutes, then that’s what you should do. Any exercise is better than none. So get moving and your health will likely improve.
Can 10 minutes completely alter your health? Not at first, but over time, it might make serious dents in your goals. The key is to stick with it … even if it’s only 10 minutes. Consistency, intensity, and a lot of patience will get you moving toward better health before you know it.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Folsom, Calif.