How just 2 minutes of exercise can be as good as 30
JUST two minutes of high-intensity workout is as good at improving health as half an hour of less strenuous exercise, a study suggests.
Scientists found short bursts of activity had greater benefits for the body’s energy-producing cells – which help keep conditions including obesity at bay and stave off ageing.
The researchers studied a group of eight young adults as they did exercise bike sessions of varying intensity. In the first session, they did 0 minutes of continuous exercise at 50 per cent of their peak effort. A second session consisted of five four-minute bursts at 75 per cent peak effort, each separated by a minute’s rest.
Finally, they did four bursts of 0 seconds at maximum effort, each separated by four-and-a-half minutes of recovery.
The researchers then looked at the effects on the mitochondria – the energyproducing ‘powerhouses’ of the cells – in the thigh muscles of the participants. They found the four quick bursts of 0-second activity – totalling just two minutes of intense effort – produced the best results.
Study leader Mark Trewin, of Victoria University in Australia, said: ‘This suggests exercise may be prescribed according to individual preferences while still conferring beneficial metabolic adaptations.
‘There are important implications for improving our understanding of how exercise can be used to enhance metabolic health in the general population.’
The results echo those of an earlier study which found ten minutes of intense cycling was as good for heart health as 45 minutes of moderate pedalling.
Current NHS guidelines advise adults to do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity, or alternatively 75 minutes of vigorous activity, in addition to strength exercises.