What are the benefits of “exercise snacks?”
“Exercise Snacking” is treading at the minute, and it’s for a good reason.
Ever feel like you don’t have enough time for a full workout? This could be the answer.
What Are Exercise Snacks?
Exercise snacks are brief periods of physical activity that you can fit into your day without needing an entire workout session. According to recent research, these quick bouts can significantly enhance or maintain your fitness.
Benefits of Exercise Snacks
Improve Cardiovascular and Muscular Endurance: Exercise snacks can help improve your VO2 max and muscular endurance. This is essential for activities like running, cycling, rowing, and overall fitness.
Enhance Long-Duration Endurance: You can maintain or even enhance your endurance over time by incorporating exercise snacks. For instance, doing 100 jumping jacks can be a powerful way to get your heart rate up without any warm-up needed.
Boost Heart Rate and Muscle Movement: Short bursts of exercise, such as 25, 50, or 100 jumping jacks, can energize your muscles and elevate your heart rate. This is beneficial even for those who are already physically fit.
Effective and Time-Efficient: Simple activities like using a stairwell for 20-30 seconds or running to your car in the parking lot can be very effective. These short bursts of intense exercise are great for adding in extra activity and burning additional calories.
Increased Energy and Focus: Even brief periods of physical activity can enhance blood flow to the brain, delivering more oxygen and nutrients. This increase in circulation helps improve energy levels and mental alertness, making it easier to stay focused and productive during tasks.
Mood Improvement: Exercise releases endorphins, the body's natural "feel-good" hormones, which can reduce stress and anxiety levels. This boost in mood from short exercise sessions can help maintain mental well-being and manage daily stress more effectively.
How to Incorporate Exercise Snacks
Jumping Jacks: Perform sets of 25, 50, or 100 throughout your day.
Stairs: Use the stairwell for quick bursts of 20-30 seconds.
Push-ups and squats: Perform sets of 10, 15, 20 or as many as you can throughout your day.
Enhancing Recovery and Performance
Exercise snacks not only help in maintaining fitness but also enhance your physiology for recovery and performance in other types of exercise and athletics. They are easy to do, take little time, and are incredibly effective.
So, next time you feel pressed for time, remember that even a few minutes can make a big difference. Try incorporating these exercise snacks into your daily routine and feel the benefits!
