What if you could work out for 10 minutes a day instead of losing a whole hour to exercise?
A new study was released by graduate students from McMaster University that indicates 60 seconds of high intensity workout training followed by recovery exercises has the same impact as 50 minutes of endurance training.
Twenty-five men were divided into two groups — endurance and SIT — and observed over a 12 week period. The endurance training group would workout for 50 minutes with a warm up and cool down period before and afterwards. The men participating in SIT would do intensive exercise for 20 seconds followed by two minutes of recovery and then cycle through again for a total of 10 minutes.
It was concluded that “twelve weeks of brief intense interval exercise improved indices of cardiometabolic health to the same extent as traditional endurance training in sedentary men, despite a five-fold lower exercise volume and time commitment.”
It appears that SIT could be beneficial for people on a time crunch and can provide similar health benefits to longer exercise.
Though SIT has potential time-saving benefits, I have concerns about embracing this new exercise fad wholeheartedly without critical inspection.The intense exercises have the potential to remove the natural high that is created in fitness activities. It becomes an almost cathartic and relaxing escape from deadlines and helps to relieve stress and release endorphins. Will fans of the gym achieve the same level of happiness if they constrain their workout to a 10-minute routine? Joy is, arguably, an essential result of daily exercise. It would be interesting to analyze the level of satisfaction for both study groups in their respective exercises.
Another concern is the level of skill needed to participate in this intensive fitness activity — there is no need to lose a limb. Pushing yourself to your absolute physical limit to ensure you are getting the most out of your one minute of exercise may be a recipe for pulling a muscle, or having an asthma attack. Endurance training helps to slowly adjust your body to working out and doesn’t endanger you, or push unnecessary limits.
The study also includes 25 men and NO women. It is unclear whether fast-paced exercise would be appropriate for both sexes, and it is interesting that they were not a part of the primary study in the first place. The students did mention that a second study is underway for women. The experiment also did not indicate whether people with chronic injuries or women who are pregnant could do SIT.
The 60-second exercise phenomenon appears to be an exclusive trend that includes men who want to push themselves to the absolute brink of their physical limits and not waste time, or enjoy their workout. I think it is safe to say SIT training can get up and walk out the door to join other failed workout fads.
