How to get the Most out of Micro Workouts!
When I became a mom, self care of any kind immediately went out the window at first.
I knew it was good for my health and morale to stay fit, but it is just so hard to find the time! That pain point actually became a blessing for me, as it challenged me to think more carefully about my fitness! I guess it is true that:
“Constraints breed creativity.”
I’m thankful that it was the constraints of caring for two needy little girls that caused me to stumble upon the concept of biohacking, and from there to Micro Workouts!
Most micro workouts are just between 1-5 minutes a session, fit into the day as you are able, which is *perfect* for a busy mom!
But not all micro workouts are created equal. Think about it, if you spend 5 minutes doing wrist curls…you’re not going to see results.
I quickly learned through research and experience that by choosing the right exercises, the results from micro workouts can actually be even more incredible than long form workouts!
Just 4-7 minutes of high-intensity exercise can provide similar or better heart health benefits than 45+ minutes of moderate exercise!
Below I’ll share my top 3 equipment free super effective exercises that are perfect for micro workouts!
How to get the Most out of Micro Workouts
A key concept in biohacking is “minimum effective dose” fitness, where you do just enough exercise to trigger the positive result you are seeking—without overtraining.
By picking super intense, brief exercises—and doing just enough—you can get a tremendous return on your time! Often even more than the results from long form workouts!
By the way, if you’re curious about biohacking you can read my article here on my top 6 free biohacks that will transform your health!
What is a Micro Workout?
Micro Workouts:
✔️ Usually last 1-5 minutes per session
✔️ Look to do multiple sessions during the day
✔️ Moderate to high intensity, almost max effort
✔️ The best micro workouts consist of compound movements that engage the whole body!
✔️ Best for strength, longevity, and fast loss!
Micro workouts are all about giving your body a brief, intense dose of hormetic stress: a small, controlled dose of stress that triggers a positive adaptive response in the body.
The Best Micro Workouts to Try
Any exercise can be used as a micro workout, but for the best bang for your buck focus on compound movements (movements that engage multiple muscle groups at the same time).
For instance, if you’re doing squats—go ahead and do a press in the same movement and get more out of it!
Below are my top 3 micro workouts for muscle gain and weight loss!
Sprinting (the King of Efficiency)
My favorite micro workout ever is Sprint Interval Training—which has been proven to reduce weight by 40% more than HIIT in 60% less time!
You can read my article here on how to get started safely with sprinting and incorporate it into your day!
What you get from sprinting:
✔️ Full-body engagement (legs, core, arms)
✔️ Builds muscle & burns fat simultaneously
✔️ Increases growth hormone production
✔️ Boosts metabolism even after the workout!
I can’t tell you how much I love sprinting and can’t wait to get back at it once I’ve had this baby!
Squats (Bodyweight or Weighted)
I love doing a few squats throughout the day as I think of it, whether while working in the kitchen or while my kids play outside!
You can make them more intense by doing jump squats to get your heart rate up! My kids love to join in with me too!
What you’ll get from squats:
✔️ Works legs, core, and posterior chain
✔️ Enhances balance & hip mobility
✔️ Boosts lower-body strength
✔️ Time efficient compound movement
Burpees
Burpees are so hard! But if you’re going to just work out for 1-5 minutes, you can really give it your all!
What you’ll get from burpees:
✔️ Works the full body (legs, arms, core & heart)
✔️ High intensity workout
✔️ Develops explosiveness in the legs and upper body
✔️ Boosts your metabolism even after the workout!
To Sum it Up
By committing to faithfully fitting in one or more super efficient micro workout per day, you will see amazing results in time!
I was blown away to learn how much I could get out of micro workouts, and even more impressed with the results I saw in my life!
I love how much easier it has been to be faithful to get some exercise in most days because of lowering the threshold for success.
Micro workouts have been a huge blessing to me, I hope this article has encouraged you to add in some brief and intense activity to your day! If you try it, I’d love it if you shared your experience below!