Quick, strenuous workout a great fit for time-poor: study
Scientists say one minute of strenuous exercise is comparable in its physiological effects to 45 minutes of moderate exercise. / Courtesy of Twitter
By Kim Da-hee
A minute of strenuous exercise is equal to 45 minutes of moderate exercise, research reveals.
According to a study recently published in the journal PLOS ONE, scientists at McMaster University in Canada monitored 27 sedentary men to compare the effects of interval training and regular training.
The researchers divided the men into three groups and assigned different tasks to each. The first group was told not to exercise for 12 weeks. The second was given regular training that consisted of a two-minute warm-up, spinning for 45 minutes at a moderate pace and a three-minute cool-down, three times a week. The third group did a 10-minute interval training session, comprising a two-minute warm-up, one-minute intense spinning, four-minute easy spinning and a three-minute cool-down, three times a week.
After 12 weeks, the researchers found that the fitness levels of the second and third groups were similar, although the second group exercised five times more than the third.
“Many people claim that they can’t exercise due to lack of time,” said Martin Gibala, professor of kinesiology at McMaster University and the study’s lead author. “However, our research shows people don’t have to work out for 45 minutes. It reveals single minutes of intense training can have good results.”