Are Short Workouts Effective?
- Pierce Reiten
- Apr 22
- 10 min read
Working out is important for health and well-being. But you’re busy.
Work, school, taking care of the kids, wanting to spend time with friends and family, etc., can leave you feeling strapped for time.
It doesn’t help that you might feel tired from all you have going on and don’t know if you can commit to an hour (or more) of working out several days throughout the week.
That said, you don’t want to give up on your health and wellness goals just yet. And you shouldn’t.
Are short workouts effective? Is it worth committing to 15-minute workouts if that’s all you can do during the day?
Short Workouts Are Worth Doing
Short workouts can be effective if they’re well-planned and focused on achieving specific training goals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that some activity is better than none. In fact, their weekly activity recommendations for general health and wellness are very achievable when you break it down.
The WHO recommends adults 18+ get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity weekly for general health and wellness. At least two days of your training regimen should also involve strength training.
They note that bumping up to 300 minutes weekly can lead to more benefits, but you should do what you can manage. [1]
When you break that down, you could do 5 high-intensity 15-minute training sessions or 5 moderate-intensity 30-minute training sessions each week to meet that goal.
Most people can fit in 15-30 minutes of working out without too many issues if they plan their day right.
Definitions of Moderate and Vigorous Intensity Exercise
How do you know if your training is moderate or vigorous intensity?
The CDC recommends doing the talk test as a simple way to tell which range you’re in.
They state that if you can talk but not sing during the activity, then it’s likely that you’re in the moderate intensity range.
For vigorous intensity, the CDC states that you should feel like you can only say a few words without pausing to breathe. [2] It should feel like you’re pushing yourself but not so uncomfortable that you can’t maintain your current training pace.
Putting Numbers to the Intensity Levels
You can also put some numbers to the intensity levels rather than going by feel using percentages of your maximum heart rate.
The formula to calculate your maximum heart rate is: Maximum Heart Rate = 220 - Your Age. For example, someone who’s 35 would have a max heart rate of 185 (220 - 35 = 185).
The Mayo Clinic makes the following recommendations to determine your exercise intensity level based on your maximum heart rate:
Moderate-intensity exercise is 50-70% of your maximum heart rate.
Vigorous-intensity exercise is 70-85% of your maximum heart rate. [3]
Certain cardio machines have a built-in heart rate sensor that you can use to monitor it. Otherwise, many smartwatches, such as Apple Watches and Fitbits, can track your heart rate.
Examples of Effective Short Workouts and Their Benefits
Several types of moderate and high-intensity workouts are effective in short durations and provide health benefits.
Popular Moderate-Intensity Training Options
The CDC recommends several moderate-intensity training options that you can perform for 150 minutes per week for health and well-being. [2] Those include:
Brisk Walking
Brisk walking at 3+ miles per hour, but not race walking, falls under the moderate intensity range for most people. Regularly walking has several health benefits, such as:
All these benefits of walking are why you see so many health recommendations bring it up and the popular goal of hitting 10,000 daily steps. However, even if you can’t hit the 10,000 steps goal, every bit of extra movement helps. For example, a study from the European Society of Cardiology showed that even as little as 4,000 daily steps had some health benefits and greater benefits with each extra 1,000 steps taken. [9]
The Mayo Clinic states that the average American walks 3,000-4,000 steps per day. [10] And a study from the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity mentioned that brisk walking amounts to about 3,000-4,000 steps. [11] Therefore, taking a 30-minute brisk walk could double the average person’s daily step count on their workout days, which is a terrific step in the right direction.
Water Aerobics
Water aerobics is another great choice that can benefit people young and old. Many YMCAs and local community centers also offer water aerobics classes, which is great for guidance and socialization.
One 12-week study in 2018 assessed the impact of performing water aerobics twice weekly for adults and older adults. Some key benefits seen after completing the program were moderately increased explosive strength in the upper limbs, reduced body fat, and reduced systolic blood pressure and triglycerides. [12]
Additionally, the AARP states that water aerobics can:
Reduce symptoms of arthritis and joint stiffness
Improve cardiovascular health
Reduce stress
Enhance energy levels
Improve balance [13]
Bicycling
Bicycling slower than 10 miles per hour on flat terrain generally falls under the moderate-intensity category for most people.
A study published in September 2023 found that even casual and moderate-paced cycling has many benefits, such as:
Reducing the incidence of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Improved mental health and well-being
Reduced risk of mortality from any cause
The study mentioned that the biggest potential for health gains is getting people into cycling who currently don’t participate in it regularly. Therefore, simply starting and taking a bicycle ride regularly (even for short durations) has the potential for many benefits. [14]
Doubles Tennis
Doubles tennis, where you cover one-half of the court and a partner covers the other half, generally falls in the moderate training category.
A study from the Journal of Sports Health in 2019 analyzed the health profiles of 43 tennis players and 47 non-tennis players. The tennis players primarily participated in doubles games and occasionally practiced singles.
The study found that tennis players displayed significantly better upper-body musculoskeletal function than nonplayers. Tennis players also showcased improved handgrip strength, lower body fat percentages, and less accumulated forearm fatigue during exercise.
Additionally, the tennis players demonstrated greater lower body function. They had less body fat, reduced thigh muscle fatigue during exercise, and improved knee extension strength. [15]
Ballroom Dancing
Recreational ballroom dancing offers a fun way to get in some additional exercise. Whether you attend short classes to practice and learn, have a fun night out with a partner, or even just dance in your living room, it can have many benefits.
A study from the International Journal of Exercise Science found that participating in 30 minutes of recreational dancing met established energy expenditure requirements to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. [16]
General Gardening or Household Chores
To give you extra motivation to complete some tasks on your to-do list, general activities and household chores like gardening, mowing the lawn, or raking leaves can all provide moderate-intensity levels of exercise.
A review by the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that general gardening could:
Lower blood pressure
Increase vitamin D levels
Improve mental health
Enhance cardiovascular health
The study mentioned it’s a great option for older adults or people with injuries or disabilities to still achieve movement without the physical stresses of traditional gym-based exercise. [17]
Additionally, other outdoor chores like mowing the lawn or raking and bagging leaves can strengthen muscles throughout the body and have a lower risk of injury compared to more intense exercise like running. [18]
General Strength Training
General strength training usually falls under the moderate-intensity category. The Mayo Clinic recommends using a weight or resistance level that tires your muscles after a set of 12 to 15 reps where you need a short rest break in between. [3]
Research from the British Journal of Medicine found that just 30-60 minutes of strength training each week reduced mortality rates of all causes, cancer rates, and risk of diabetes. [19]
The Mayo Clinic also mentioned that doing 20-30 minute strength training sessions 2-3 times weekly was enough to build strength and muscle. Therefore, you can build muscle and improve your health with short strength-training routines. [20]
Popular Vigorous-Intensity Training Options
The CDC and other sources also mention several vigorous-intensity options that can have positive effects when working out just 75 minutes weekly.
Race Walking, Jogging, or Running
Picking up the pace by race walking, jogging, or running can all have health benefits in short, high-intensity training.
A study in 2015 found that a little bit of running each day goes a long way. Just 5-10 minute running sessions done regularly throughout the week improved participants’ cardiovascular health and reduced cardiovascular mortality risks. Even participants who ran less than 6 mph saw benefits. [21]
Swimming Laps
Most people who start swimming laps notice that it gets their heart rate elevated in the high-intensity range.
Lap swimming can have several benefits, including:
Improving balance
Enhancing weight control
Improving flexibility
Increasing endurance and cardiovascular health
Lowering blood pressure
Lowering stress
Reducing fall risk
Sharpening thinking and cognitive function [22]
Singles Tennis
Participating in singles tennis is more intense than doubles since you have to cover a much bigger portion of the court.
A study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that singles tennis gets many peoples’ heart rate into the vigorous intensity range. The research found that both doubles and singles tennis had similar benefits in improving cardiovascular health, reducing obesity rates, and enhancing overall physical fitness when weekly activity needs are met for the intensity level. [23]
Aerobic Dancing
Aerobic dance classes and groups generally provide a higher intensity level than recreational ballroom dancing.
Research published in July 2023 assessed participants who performed 60 minutes of aerobic dancing weekly for 12 weeks. The results suggested that it could help improve memory, balance, flexibility, grip strength, and subjective well-being. [24]
Jumping Rope
Jumping rope isn’t just for kids. Adults can benefit from it, too. Even jumping rope for just 10-15 minutes is pretty intense and will get your heart rate elevated.
A study in 2019 assessed the effects of skipping rope on collegiate males, with most of the sessions being in the vigorous-intensity range. It found that participants had noticeable increases in VO2 max, which measures how much oxygen your body can use at high intensity levels. It indicated improvements in overall cardiovascular fitness and aerobic capacity. [25]
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
HIIT workouts consist of very intense bursts of exercise followed by a short rest period. For example, you may sprint for 30 seconds, walk for 1 minute, and repeat for the desired time. Many of the forms of exercise listed above can be performed in a HIIT format.
A review in 2021 found that HIIT workouts can improve exercise capacity and metabolic health markers in healthy adults of all ages. [26] Another study from the World Journal of Cardiology found that since HIIT workouts are short and easy to fit into the day, they tend to have higher adherence rates to achieve weekly activity needs. [27]
Short Workouts Can Improve Your Health and Well-Being
Based on all the evidence, it’s clear that many forms of exercise can be performed in short durations and benefit health and well-being.
When beginning a new workout program, it’s important to start slow and not push yourself. You can even gradually work up to achieving the weekly activity level recommendations. The most important thing is starting to get active, building good habits, and doing what you can.
References
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