If you think that training is simply too much of a chore, you will be interested in a new military-led study whose results were recently published in Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, who tried to answer perhaps the single biggest question that those who prefer to live a more sedentary lifestyle have asked eons: “What is the least possible amount of exercise you need to do to stay” fit? “” Read on for a clear answer from the study. And for more news from the front lines of science, see why this super-fast workout is scientifically proven to work, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Finding a reference minimum for training is obviously relevant for those who serve in the military – and especially for those personnel who are deployed abroad and may find that they do not have much time to log into the weight room. As such, the study was led by Barry Spiering, former Nike director of research, who oversaw a group of researchers at the United States Army Institute of Environmental Medicine. Ultimately, researchers loosely define staying fit as “preserving endurance and strength.”
There are three main training components that the researchers highlighted: how often people should train, the training volume (distance, reps) and how intense these sessions are. The experts reviewed a series of previously conducted studies for answers.
In general, endurance performance can be maintained for up to 15 weeks when the training frequency is reduced to as little as 2 sessions per week or when the training volume is reduced by 33-66% (as low as 13-26 minutes per session), as long as the training intensity (training heart rate) is maintained. , concludes the study.
So if you enjoy running or swimming for cardio, Spiering and the team say you only need to lace up your shoes – or put on your swimsuit – twice a week for less than half an hour at a time. Although you can bring down your frequency and your reps, you should not avoid the intensity. If you train for 13 minutes, let it count.
“Strength and muscle size (at least in younger populations) can be maintained for up to 32 weeks with as little as one strength workout per week and 1 set per workout, as long as the training intensity (relative load) is maintained,” the study concludes. “While in older populations, maintaining muscle size may require up to 2 sessions per week and 2-3 sets per workout, while maintaining exercise intensity.” And for more exercise news, see Why Everyone Gets Crazy About This Viral Walking Exercise.
The researchers observed that one of the three components mentioned above was the most important in maintaining a minimum of fitness: training intensity. “Our primary conclusion is that exercise intensity seems to be the key variable for maintaining physical performance over time, despite relatively large reductions in exercise frequency and volume.”
So if you only hit the gym once or twice a week for a short time, you need to maximize that time by keeping the intensity of your workouts high.
Remember that the point of the study is not to see how much exercise people need to do to be fitter. Rather, it was to determine exactly how much exercise is required to maintain a healthy state of endurance and strength. It is about finding an “absolute minimum”.
With this benchmark in mind, you can take steps to actually increase your strength and fitness and improve your health. If you only need two days a week to maintain your endurance levels, you can grow from there. If time is a problem – and it always is – remember that there are many reasons why high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is such a popular way to exercise and stay in shape. Powerful exercise breaks test your muscles, your heart and your lungs, and science has shown that – when available in reasonable lengths – it works perfectly. But let’s face it: the biggest single benefit of short courses is probably the fact that they are short outings. Why do you camp out at the gym for hours when you can take advantage of it in 10 minutes or less? For further evidence, see why this exercise drives 29 percent more fat loss, according to science.
Read on for more fantastic workouts from Eat This, Not That!
