Micro-Workouts: What Does It Really Take?

The number one excuse people use to defend themselves, is that they do not have enough time to workout. This is an immediate indication that what they have determined to be a workout, is a lengthy, grueling, physically and emotionally destructive period of time. Only the brave few of us desire to make time for torture in our daily schedules. 

The media is to blame for this problem. We see two types of fitness products promoted. The first is the one that tells you that it is going to hurt like h-e…double hockey sticks but the pain is all worth it! The second shows you this minutes a day workout program that tries to influence us to buy their gimmicky nonsense. 

Our thick skin prevents most of us from falling victim to the gimmicks but our safety first mentality prevents us from buying into the pummeling we will take from the first program, just to get the body we have always wanted. So in the end we sit stagnant and make no progress at all. There is a saying that goes “If you are standing still, then you are going backwards.”

The good news is that both strategies are wrong and should be avoided by 99% of the public. The other good news is that in these articles I am going to quickly layout some ways in which you can make fitness a part of your life without under or over-doing it. 

This article speaks to micro-workouts. Perhaps similar in time as gimmicks but recommended several times per day. Micro-workouts range anywhere from 2-10 minutes at a time and when performed several times per day, can have powerful benefits in your health, well-being, and yep; muscle gain and fat loss. 

I consistently challenge people who say they do not have enough time to workout. By asking them what they define as a workout and then redefining it for them, I am able to give them clear direction. First, workouts do not need to be a once per day activity. Second, workouts do not need to be time and energy extensive. Sure these can be performed in this way but for the results most people want, it is not necessary. 

Micro-workouts can do many great things such as…

• Increase brain function
• Stabilize blood sugar levels
• Increase metabolism
• Promote muscle-recovery
• Improve posture 

And the list goes on…

Micro-workouts can be something as simple as kettlebell swings or in my case, as complicated as learning a few of the MovNat workout positions. The point of these workouts is to get the heart rate going, the blood flowing, and be energy promoting. 

Tim Ferriss recommends wall push-ups before each meal to help make better utilization of the meals we eat. Brett Mckay recommends keeping a kettlebell by the doorway so that each time you walk past, you perform 20-kettlebell swings. Jason Vaught recommends you stand on a vibration machine and drink your coffee (trust me, this is the best way to wake up.) 

Other ways to create micro-workouts is to go for a walk. Stan Efferding promotes his 10-minute walks periodically through the day and it helps this massive man stay healthy while maintaining all that muscle. The goal is to pick one (or a few) and perform them at regularly scheduled times each day. You will be surprised by the results you can achieve with this simple hack. 

But the only way you are going to make this happen is to actually set a plan. That means you need to take action now. Go buy a used kettlebell, pick-up a vibration machine, and make sure you have the shoes you need to walk. Find the wall you will use and write on a piece of tape “Push-Up Wall” and smack it on the wall. 

Once you have taken action on what you need, schedule the time and make it happen! These micro-workouts require about as much energy as it takes to come up with an excuse not to do them. Make the right choice in how you will use your energy.