SQUEEZE A MICRO WORKOUT INTO YOUR HECTIC WORKDAY
What are micro workouts?
- Micro workouts are brief bursts of intense exercises that can be done in five-minute segments during the day. You can swap some chai breaks for a quick micro workout sesh or walk around while you attend a call. You could also do this before breakfast. A micro workout can be 20 push-ups followed by 10 squats and 30 seconds of jogging on the spot. This can be repeated twice.
- Push-ups
- Squats
- Lunges
- Jumping jacks
- Jogging in place
- Saves time
- Improves cardiovascular and respiratory health
- Helps reset during busy workdays
- Increases metabolism
- Increases your weekly workout time
“Working out for 10 minutes in two five-minute sessions daily can benefit your health. Performing squats, lunges or even push-ups daily, with longer periods of rest in between, can also increase your average number of reps” - Suraj Somalkar, a Pune-based fitness trainer
‘Micro workouts improve cardiovascular and respiratory health’
Research by health experts suggests that short workouts in intervals during the day can have many health benefits compared to little or no activity. Mumbai-based orthopaedic and sports physiotherapist Dr Ajay Yadav says, “People who are strapped behind the office desk all day mostly experience pain in their lower back and neck because of inactivity. Micro workouts help reset the mind while also strengthening major muscles of the body, especially in the back and legs. They also increase the flexibility of joints, improve blood circulation and boost metabolism.”