14 DAY TRIAL // Individuals who are too busy to spend at least 30 minutes for a traditional training session several times a week should not be worried about their health. In a recent study, experts at the McMaster University found that people who exercise strenuously for shorter intervals of time have the same health benefits from physical activity as people who have the time to stay for the whole work-out session at the gym.
In conclusion, several minutes of strenuous training is all that it takes to stay fit and healthy. There is no need to spend a whole hour to exercise moderately, when you can spend a few minutes of high-intensity training and use the time left for other necessary duties you might have to fulfill.
Martin Gibala, associate professor of kinesiology at McMaster University and leader of the study pointed out: "The most striking finding from our study was the remarkably similar improvements in muscle health and performance induced by two such diverse training strategies."
The current study involved 16 college students who were divided into two groups: 8 of them had to perform 4 to 6 exhausting cycling sessions lasting for 30 seconds each, while the other 8 exercised continuously - but moderately - for 90-120 minutes. All 16 participants had to perform six such training sessions throughout a 2 week period.
Results showed that subjects in both groups showed similar muscle and health improvements at the end of the study, despite the common (mis)belief that those who exercise moderately for longer periods of time benefit more from physical activity.
"Our study demonstrates that interval-based exercise is a very time-efficient training strategy. This type of training is very demanding and requires a high level of motivation. However, short bursts of intense exercise may be an effective option for individuals who cite 'lack of time' as a major impediment to fitness," concluded Professor Gibala.