Study compared sprint interval training with moderate intensity continuous
Short intense bursts produce similar results to longer, moderate exercises
Team saw improvements to insulin sensitivity and cardiometabolic health
Study suggests 30 minutes total exercise per week with 3 ‘intense’ minutes
‘Not enough time’ is a common excuse for skipping a workout, but it might not be acceptable for much longer.
Researchers have found that short bursts of intense exercise produce similar results to traditional longer-duration workouts.
According to the team at McMaster University, ‘all out’ workouts adding up to just 60 seconds within a 10-minute session can improve insulin sensitivity and cardiorespiratory fitness.
‘Not enough time’ is a common excuse for skipping a workout, but it might not be acceptable for much longer. Researchers have found that short bursts of intense exercise produce similar results to traditional longer-duration workouts
WHAT THE STUDY FOUND
Researchers at McMaster University compared sprint interval training (SIT) with moderate intensity continuous training (MICT).
Participants in the SIT group had a 10 minute workout, including three 20-second ‘all-out’ cycle sprints.
In the MICT workout, participants performed for a total of 50 minutes.
Over the course of 12 weeks, the team found that the two training methods produced similar results.
Current guidelines recommend a person exercise for 150 minutes per week at a moderate intensity.
The new study suggests a total time commitment of 30 minutes per week is equally effective, with just three minutes of intense exercise overall.
The researchers recruited 27 sedentary men to participate in the 12 week study.
Among the participants, some were assigned to sprint interval training (SIT) while others partook in moderate intensity continuous training (MICT).
The team also designated a control group of men who did not exercise.
In the SIT protocol, participants needed just 10 minutes to commit to their workout – three 20-second ‘all-out’ cycle sprints, a 2-minute warm-up and 3-minute cool-down, and two minutes of easy cycling between sprints.
Those exercising through the MICT method performed for a total of 50 minutes, with 45 minutes of continuous cycling at a moderate pace, plus a 2-minute warm-up and 3-minute cool-down.
Each group participated in three weekly sessions of their training style, and the researchers logged the effects on insulin sensitivity and other factors of cardiometabolic health, including cardiorespiratory fitness and skeletal muscle mitochondrial content.
Over the course of 12 weeks, the team found that the two training methods produced similar results, despite a five-fold difference in exercise volume and time commitment.
The findings support the idea that effective workouts can be achieved in just a few minutes, foiling the ‘not enough time’ argument for skipping exercise.
‘This is a very time-efficient workout strategy,’ says Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster and lead author on the study.
‘Brief bursts of intense exercise are remarkably effective.’
‘Most people cite ‘lack of time’ as the main reason for not being active,’ Gibala says.
Current guidelines recommend a person exercise for 150 minutes per week at a moderate intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity. But, the new study suggests a total time commitment of 30 minutes per week is equally effective, with just three minutes of intense exercise overall
‘Our study shows that an interval-based approach can be more efficient – you can get health and fitness benefits comparable to the traditional approach, in less time.’
Current guidelines recommend a person exercise for 150 minutes per week at a moderate intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity.
But, the new study suggests a total time commitment of 30 minutes per week is equally effective, with just three minutes of intense exercise overall.
‘The basic principles apply to many forms of exercise,’ says Gibala.
‘Climbing a few flights of stairs on your lunch hour can provide a quick and effective workout. The health benefits are significant.’
Source: Daily Mail
