Is Five Minutes Enough?

When we think of exercise, it calls to mind getting the running trainers on, taking a dip in the pool or making a round trip to the gym.

On the flipside we have the stretching, calming and relaxation side which can be seen as the water to the fire, the yang to the yin or the slow to the fast.

Fundamentally what we set out to do is to move our bodies in a way which develops one or more aspects of fitness and health.

Using our body to develop itself and help with our mental state really boils down to one word:

Movement

When we ask ‘is five minutes enough?’ it’s essential that we remember the purpose of our endeavour:

To increase health/fitness capacity

When we do anything for five minutes we have to focus on the quality.

In a way then, we do ourselves a favour as five minutes per day adds up to 30-35 minutes a week of the highest-quality movement that we can plan.

Also, one daily five-minute session allows us to squeeze it in at almost any point during the day.

Right before the morning shower would be great for the higher-intensity type of movement, whereas just before bed would be ideal for the stretching/calming type of activities.

Practically speaking you can actually get enough ‘work’ done in a five-minute window to stimulate the body enough in order to create a response.

Ultimately that means you’ll have to recover and get a benefit from the time spent.

From doing six sets of 30 seconds per exercise to five minutes of swimming.

You could do 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups and 10 squats for five minutes.

Or even a five-minute jog around your local area.

It will give you such a boost in energy, mental capacity and alertness that it’s worth finding the small amount of time for a genuinely huge benefit.

So the next time you’re in a hotel with no gym, pressed for time during the day or feeling rushed off your feet, take a moment to breathe and remember that anything you do is better than not doing anything at all.

Even if it’s one five-minute exercise session and one five-minute stretch a few days after - it all adds up.

If you want to create a training programme or get advice on how to fit exercise into your busy life, then contact us here and one of the team will get back to you.