1 Minute Of *Intense* Exercise May Be As Effective As A 45 Minutes Work Out, According To Study

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This just in: a new study has found that one minute of strenuous exercise could have the same health benefits as 45 minutes of moderate activity.

Yes, that’s right… one minute.

60 seconds.

You could start and finish your workout in the time it takes to make a cup of tea.

High intensity interval training – affectionately known as HIIT – has been growing in popularity in recent years. These workouts consist of short bursts of intense exercise followed by light exercise or rest.

The study by McMaster University in Ontario compared two groups over three months; one group spent 45 cycling at an ‘endurance’ pace, the other group did 10 minute HIIT workouts with one minute of strenuous activity. At the end of the three month period, both groups reaped the same health benefits from the two very different workouts.

These resulting are encouraging. In the past, numerous studies have been conducted to find the optimal ratio of exertion to rest in a HIIT session – however, the findings are varied, with some studies recommending 10 minutes of strenuous exercise, and others seven, six or four.

Now, this is an exercise trend that we can really get on board with.