If a trip to the gym is hard to find time for, The New York Times has reported on a quick solution to the problem: The Scientific 7-Minute Workout. In a recent issue of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal, they explain and layout a solid 12 step workout that “fulfills the latest mandates for high-intensity effort, which essentially combines a long run and a visit to the weight room into about seven minutes of steady discomfort — all of it based on science.” The only tools that are required to create a sweat is you, a wall and chair.
To address the limitations of traditional exercise protocols and provide an effective and efficient program for our clients, one of the exercise strategies we use is high-intensity circuit training (HICT) using body weight as resistance. Our approach combines aerobic and resistance training into a single exercise bout lasting approximately 7 minutes. Participants can repeat the 7-minute bout 2 to 3 times, depending on the amount of time they have. As body weight provides the only form of resistance, the program can be done anywhere.
HICT is not a new concept, but it is growing in popularity because of its efficiency and practicality for a time-constrained society. The combination of aerobic and resistance training in a high-intensity, limited-rest design can deliver numerous health benefits in much less time than traditional programs (5, 9, 10, 16, 18). When body weight is used as resistance, it eliminates the limiting factors of access to equipment and facilities.
image via The New York Times
