Anabelle Smith: Why you should try a micro workout today

A micro workout is a mini workout that can have big benefits for your health. It’s efficient, short and sweet, and gets right to the point.

It ranges from five to 30 minutes, depending on how many circuits and exercises you aim to complete. It’s a short burst of exercise that’s focused on getting the heart rate pumping, and it’s handy if you’re time-starved or just want to get the endorphins going in a short period of time.

Take it from me – I can’t sit still on an overseas flight for hours on end. I love getting up and walking around the plane, finding space to do calf raises and squats that just takes me five minutes. It gets my body moving and my blood and endorphins flowing so I don’t get off the flight feeling horrible.

While a micro workout may not have the same results as a seven-day training regime, it can help keep you interested in exercising more, as it’s an achievable goal you can accomplish every day. Plus, it’s much better for your body when you have a little exercise every day – no matter how much¹ – compared to doing nothing.

Once you start putting those five or ten-minute blocks into your day, you’ll feel more and more motivated, which makes it so much easier to implement exercise into your week.

Let’s use a staircase as an analogy, with our goal to reach the top (our peak fitness goal). If we’re starting from the bottom, a micro workout is a little step up – not too much, not too little, but just right for you. Lots of people fall into a common trap of exercising too much too fast; they either burn out, lose interest, or set unrealistic goals for themselves. Sure, they can leap up a few stairs, but more often than not, they don’t last very long, and they simply walk back down.

Everyone’s on their own fitness journey, and will have their own fitness goals. Even if you’re sticking with a slower pace, you can still get the benefits on the way. Instead of thinking about unrealistic and unachievable goals, think about how every little small step helps contribute to your health overall.

1. 10 pushups
2. 20 second handstand hold against a wall (or a plank)
3. 10 tricep dips
4. 30 second dish hold (also known as a banana hold)
5. 20 crunches
6. 20 pike ups
7. 10 squats
8. 10 lunges (each leg)
9. 10 jump squats

After I finish this set, I usually have a break for about 30 seconds to a minute, and I’d repeat this circuit three to five times. By the end of the workout, your heart rate should be pumping, and your muscles should feel fatigued.

Remember, every occasion that involves you getting active still counts. Whether you’re doing calf raises under your desk, walking the dog or chasing after your kids, these all count as physical activity and shouldn’t be discounted.

Workouts don’t have to be glamorous or overly structured. They exist to get your blood pumping and your muscles activated – even the smallest actions you take can go a long way.