5 Minutes of Resistance Training Could Be Enough

You Should Know: If you ever skip your workout because you “only have 15 minutes,” you’re doing yourself a disservice. You don’t need an hour, half an hour or, according to science, even 15 minutes for movement to make a notable difference in your health and fitness.

Going Deeper: “Exercise snacks” are short bouts, often defined as lasting less than two minutes, of exercise. Also called “snacktivity,” these mini workouts are supported by scientific evidence. In one study, five minutes of bodyweight resistance training per day led to a 10% increase in strength after a month. Even spurts of exercise lasting less than one minute led to improved cardiovascular health in previously inactive people.

Takeaway: You don’t need to dedicate an hour a day to the gym to see meaningful health benefits from movement. Just a few minutes here and there is all it takes. 

Bottom Line: The benefits of exercise are linear to a point (that is, for sedentary individuals, more exercise is generally better), so if you can commit to a structured fitness program, great! But if you can’t, don’t neglect exercise entirely based on the premise that a few minutes isn’t enough — every bit counts.