Today, let’s develop a contrarian idea: exercise for less time to be more effective. If fitting your workouts into your schedule is a headache, you’ll love this article! With shorter workout sessions, you give yourself every chance to be more assiduous, benefit from the after-burn effect to lose calories and boost the efficiency of your workouts.

Why are shorter training sessions sometimes better?

The effectiveness of training is not necessarily related to the length of the sessions, but rather, to their regularity. Take a whole new approach to physical activity by shortening your sessions. The benefits may surprise you:
● Each short sports session uses concentrated energy and gives you a boost that puts a smile on your face as you go about your day.
● Shorter sessions allow you to train more cumulatively and compartmentalise your work into different objectives: Monday cardio, Tuesday strength training, Thursday yoga and so on.
● A short cardio session stimulates both the body and the mind: being able to focus in less than 10 minutes and improve your memorization and learning abilities, that’s the effect of a mini sport session at the office or before starting the day.
● According to some studies, doing just 60 seconds of high-intensity interval training may offer the same health benefits as 45 minutes of more moderate continuous exercise.

What types of short training sessions should be tried?

Familiarise yourself with the main short training techniques and choose your own:
● HIIT: this type of training alternates intense cardio activity and active recovery, with different
rhythms and intervals, for example, Tabata, the Little method, the 8/12 protocol and others.
Very simple activities lend themselves to split work: running up the stairs, doing burpees, running on the spot, etc.
● AMRAP: Simply set a training time, usually 1 minute, and repeat as many movements as
possible within that time. This fun method can be inserted into any schedule.
● The EMOM: choose a muscle-strengthening exercise, and perform a set number of
repetitions in one minute. Then, take a break for the rest of the minute, and wait until the next minute! Plan 20-minute sessions for quick results.

Short and long workouts are not mutually exclusive: over the course of a week, plan one or two long
sessions and several short ones, or finish a cardio session with a shorter, more intense session. Short
training also works with calmer activities, the objective is to take advantage of every opportunity to
burn off energy: short yoga or stretching sessions at home between daily activities are perfect.

Your iFIT sessions, express version: less than 20 minutes tops

On the iFIT app, you can filter workouts by duration to find the perfect session at any time
depending on the time you have available. There are also ready-made iFIT presets, sorted by activity type:
● Quick Strength, 12 HIIT sessions to work up a sweat while building muscle mass. Diversify
your routine by opting for cross-training.
● Quick Yoga, 13 sessions: these yoga sessions of less than 20 minutes are easy to do at the office or home, at any time of the day.
● Quick Stretch, 16 sessions: these short stretching sessions are ideal for finishing a workout and accelerating the muscle recovery phase.
● Quick Core, 8 sessions: These effective, equipment-free exercises focus on strength and stability. You have a complete circuit at your disposal to exercise for 20 minutes, wherever you are.
● Quick Meditation, 18 sessions: take a meditation break in the office, before a meeting, between two files or before an important speech. Whenever you need to calm down, you can do it in a few minutes.
● Quick walks, 15 sessions: every step counts, these walks filmed in inspiring settings are great digestive walks or help you escape while walking home from work. You can follow them on your phone or on your iFIT-compatible treadmill.
By making sport a part of your daily routine whenever you have the chance, you can reach your goals
sooner and make your training more flexible, with the same results as longer workouts and less
time spent sweating.

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