Cutting Edge Fitness
Brief Is Best
So here’s the million-dollar question:
What’s the number one reason people do not exercise?
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 percent 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.1 In it, he 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.
My plan calls for five workouts with resistance five days per week plus 9 minutes of a specific cardio protocol two to three days per week. If you do the math, that’s about an hour per week as well. There are three levels in the 7 Minute Muscle plan depending on your goals and exercise tolerance. This is the “Level 1″ workout.
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.
Why? Your body perceives overexertion done for 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. I devote an entire chapter to that in my book, 7 Minute Muscle.
Just remember these three key points:
- Time is the greatest barrier to fitness.
- Workouts can be short and very effective
- The body goes where the mind directs.
Reference
- http://jp.physoc.org/cgi/content/short/575/3/901.
[Ed. Note: Jon Benson is a lifecoach and nutrition counselor who specializes in helping individuals discover a life-altering mind/body connection. His work in the field of fitness and mental empowerment has helped thousands rediscover their youthful body and positive outlook. Discover how you can do the same by clicking
here.]
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