No time or inclination to exercise? This 11-minute workout gets you fitter | fit and healthy

Since the pandemic, scientists at McMaster University and the Mayo Clinic say strength exercises that use only your own body weight have become popular. It makes perfect sense, because fitness centers have had to close their doors due to the pandemic, so that people can no longer use equipment like cross trainers or treadmills. Lots of sports fans took advantage of this and started working at home.

According to scientists, workouts are often combined with interval training. This means just as much: a very intense workout for a very short time. “Several studies have already shown that such exercise has a tremendous impact on your physical condition,” kinesiology professor Martin Gibala answers. “But the main focus has been on people who walk or cycle indoors. A combination of strength training and interval training has not been sought.”

The new research, published in the “International Journal of Exercise Science,” changes that. Gabala and his team created a program that included doing “burpees” and “quadruple jumps.” In total, the routine takes 11 minutes, including a minute of warm-up and cool-down. For the rest, you do not need any materials.

Twenty healthy but not very athletic men and women were invited to participate in the study. Half of them had to exercise according to the Gabala program for six weeks, three times a week. The rest had to do absolutely nothing. Six weeks later it turned out that the athletes had made a huge leap. They were fitter and their condition improved by 7 percent. Their legs were also a little more muscular. No change was observed in the control group.

“I’m glad my expectations came true,” says Gabala. “We now have evidence that 11 minutes of exercise can make a difference.”

This exercise was performed in the study. Linda Archila, who participated in the study, explains each exercise in a video.

• 1 minute of jumping jacks to warm up. Stand straight and jump with your legs spread apart. At the same time, move your arms above your head.

• 1 minute burpee (no push-ups)

• 1 minute leisurely walk on site

• Jog in place for one minute, raising your knees as high as possible

• 1 minute leisurely walk on site

• Squat jumps for one minute

• 1 minute leisurely walk on site

• Jog in place for one minute, raising your knees as high as possible

• 1 minute leisurely walk on site

• 1 minute squat jumps

• 1 minute leisurely walk on site to cool off

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