When you don’t have an hour or two to spare for exercise how does a 7 minute workout sound?
This is a concentrated fitness program that can be completed in just 7 minutes for those with a very busy schedule. Or even just for fitness beginners.
You may be wondering how effective is a 7 minute workout? Let’s take a look together.
What Is A 7 Minute Workout?
The 7 minute workout is exactly what it sounds like, a workout that lasts just 7 minutes. If that sounds too good to be true just wait until you hear what’s involved.
This is a high intensity workout which alternates between 30 seconds of high intensity activity and then 10 seconds of rest. There are 12 exercises that target the major muscle groups, and you also don’t need any fitness equipment.
What you need are a wall, a chair and your own body weight. That’s it.
If it still sounds too sweet a deal, and you’re suspicious, let us put your mind at rest. This workout was initially recommended by the Health and Fitness journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.
What Are The Aims Of The 7 Minute Workout?
The aims of the 7 minute workout are:
- To develop strength in all of the major muscle groups
- To create resistance and aerobic intensity using large muscles
- To create a balance of strength throughout the body
- To be modifiable in order to decrease or increase the intensity
- To be appropriate and safe for all users
- To be interactive, using available resources and space
- To be easily transitioned to minimize rest time
The overall goal of this workout is to combine endurance, strength and aerobic exercise into one short, easy to perform workout.
Since its inception many versions of the 7 minute workout have evolved and there are numerous apps which will guide you through them.
Benefits Of A 7 Minute Workout
So what are the benefits of a 7 minute workout? Turns out there are a lot of advantages for something that takes up so little of your time.
Time Efficient
The obvious benefit is that the workout is just 7 minutes which is shorter than most people queue for a coffee. It is a fitness routine that most people can easily fit into their schedule.
Having a workout that lasts just 7 minutes a day also removes the excuse most people have for not exercising, not having enough time. This is a very flexible way of fitting some exercise into your day.
In addition, the exercises are already planned out, so there’s nothing to think about
Science Based
Despite its short duration, the 7 minute workout has the backing of science.
It has been tested in various studies, and it has been proven that it increases the strength of your muscles, your heart and your lungs. It also supports weight loss programs.
The 7 minute workout is similar to the high intensity interval training system. It involves various exercises performed intensely with short breaks in between.
If you have the time, repeating the workout two or three times will make it even more effective. So if you have 14 or 21 minutes to spare during the day this is one of the best ways to spend that time.
Beginner Friendly
The 7 minute workout is great for beginners. It doesn’t require a lot of time and little or no equipment is needed. So it won’t cost you much in time or money.
For beginners the routine can be modified to allow longer breaks between exercises while remaining effective.
It’s also preplanned and straightforward making it very easy to follow for those new to exercise. This allows you to focus on your fitness.
Free To Do
If you do the 7 minute workout yourself it’s free to do as there are numerous apps available. Some may charge for certain content, but it is likely to be much cheaper than gym membership fees.
Not Intimidating
Another bonus of being able to do the workout by yourself is that you are not in a gym surrounded by intimidating and complicated looking equipment or super fit looking people.
This is what puts a lot of people off going to a gym to exercise.
With the 7 minute workout you are getting an effective fitness routine that you can do at home.
Full Body Workout
The effectiveness of the 7 minute workout comes from the fact that it is a full body workout. It is an entire exercise program condensed into 7 minutes which is challenging but entirely doable.
Drawbacks Of A 7 Minute Workout
With all these pros, are there any cons to the 7 minute workout? Well, yes there are a few.
Prioritizing
While the idea that a 7 minute workout can entice people to fit exercise into their day, the short duration can be counterproductive.
With such a short routine it can mean that you may not make it a priority. You may keep putting it off till later in the day and end up not doing it at all.
Is It Really Just 7 Minutes?
While the routine is designed to be completed in 7 minutes, it is more effective if you do it two or three times. However if you can only squeeze in a single circuit then this is definitely better than not at all.
Are 7 Minutes Of Exercise Per Day Enough?
What is enough for one person may not be enough for someone else. So for a complete beginner a 7 minute workout may feel sufficient while for someone who is very fit 7 minutes is a warm-up.
Like a lot of things in life, what is enough will be relative to each individual. If you feel that 7 minutes is too short then there is the opportunity to do several circuits. This will make it more effective for those with a higher fitness level.
What Areas Do A 7 Minute Workout Target?
The areas that are targeted by the 7 minute workout are:
- Your core with abdominal crunches, planks and side planks
- Arms with tricep dips and push-ups
- Legs with squats, lunges, step-ups, wall sits, and jumping jacks amongst others
- Glutes with lunges and squats
- Your back muscles will also benefit
What Type Of Exercise Is Included In A 7 Minute Workout?
The 7 minute workout cannot include all types of exercise, so instead it concentrates on aerobic and strength training.
There are no flexibility exercises, although you can do stretches before and after to make the routine even more effective.
There is also no part of the workout that is low-impact. The very nature of the 7 minute workout is to get as much effective exercise into the circuit as possible in the time allowed. This means it is all high impact training.
Final Thoughts
Most of us can spare 7 minutes a day to do something that will benefit our health in the long term.
So we hope that this guide to how effective a 7 minute workout is has inspired you to set aside this short time period to do something good for yourself.
Happy exercising!
I created this website to help newcomers to yoga and enthusiasts alike, and to share our common passions for yoga.
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