The 10 Minute Workout
There is some good news for busy moms who have a difficult time fitting in the recommended five 30 minute moderate intensity aerobic workouts into their weekly schedule, the 10 minute workout. Recent studies have shown that breaking down the recommended 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity aerobic exercise into 10 minute increments can be as effective as the working out for 30 minutes at a time. Brisk walking, doubles tennis, and the Wii Fit ‘Advanced Step’ game are some examples of moderate aerobic exercise. A weekly fitness plan should also include two 20- 30 minute strength-building exercise sessions that work out all the muscle groups. These strength training workouts can also be broken down into 10 minute exercise sessions.
The tough part is making sure you don’t skip too many of those 10 minute workouts, so it is best to try to get into some type of routine. For example, you could fit in 10 minutes of brisk walking in the morning, 10 minutes after lunch, and 10 minutes after dinner five days a week. Be careful not to exercise too late, though, or you may have trouble falling asleep. On the other two days you could take care of the strength training by working out the upper body in the morning and the lower body in the afternoon. Just be sure to leave at least 48 hours between the strength training workouts to allow the muscle groups time to recuperate.
If you are training for an event like a 5K, you will want to work up to longer workouts to build endurance and stamina. The 10 minute aerobic workouts will help you keep fit and healthy, but will not be enough when you are training for such an event. Before beginning any new exercise program, share it with your doctor to make sure it is right for you.
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