Fit in a flash
As life gets back to the norm, time is a currency that many of us don’t have enough of. With busy work schedules, a jam-packed social life and general life admin to contend with, something is bound to drop by the wayside. But you don’t have to let exercise be it now the ‘quickie workout’ is here to keep you on top of your fitness journey.Quickie classes, Huge Benefits
When done right and with appropriate intensity, a 30-minute or less workout can be an incredibly effective way to work up a sweat, get your heart pumping and get your muscles working.
While we would ideally have time to work out for an hour a day, a cheeky quickie can still deliver the same benefits that will have you fighting fit without infringing on your schedule – and in fact improve your day. A win-win all round.
What exactly are the benefits you ask? Don’t worry, Frame and our Head of Fitness Diana van Heerden have got you covered.
Save Time And Boost Energy
Let’s start with the obvious here, shorter workouts save you time and mean you no longer have an excuse to not workout when you can simply log onto Frame On-Demand for a 15-minute sweat-buster or visit one of our five studios for a 30-minute Quickie class.
In the time that most people spend browsing social media or making a phone call, you can get in an effective workout and check another thing off your to-do list.
“Lack of time is the number one barrier when it comes to developing a regular workout routine,” says Diana. “Short sessions with higher intensity can definitely be just as effective as longer sessions with lower intensities.”
Not only that but a quick workout can improve your energy levels. Researchers in the University of Georgia revealed that blood flow benefits from exercise which helps carry oxygen and nutrients to muscles, producing more energy.
They also found that partaking in low-to-moderate-intensity exercise for just 20 minutes-a-day, three days a week, can help improve fatigue and boost energy levels.
Ideal For Easing Into a Fitness Routine
If you’re starting your fitness journey and think an hour-long workout is too much to get your head around, then a quickie can help you feel more comfortable and less overwhelmed as you begin your campaign to fight fit.
Workouts 30-minutes and under make it easier to ease back into a fitness routine and provide a smoother transition. Of course, once you build your endurance, you can always up the ante into longer workout sessions, but given how much we squeeze into a Quickie class at Frame, you might just be convinced that 30 minutes is more than enough!
After all it’s not the time you put into your workouts, but the effort Diana explains.
“It is much easier to mentally commit yourself to a shorter session that you know will be over before you know it,” she shares.
“The more realistic you are with what you can commit to, the more chances you have to make it a habit. It takes 21 days to make a habit and 90 days to make a permanent lifestyle change.
“If you are new to exercise, you need to make sure you set yourself realistic and achievable goals. These short classes will keep you motivated.”
Good For Your Brain Health
While working out is good for your body, a quick gym sesh is good for your brain too. The link between exercise and happiness has been well-studied, and the results are incredibly positive – just like you after working up sweat.
A study from the University of Vermont found that just 20-minutes of exercise can boost your mood for a whooping 12 hours. Research also indicated that exercise of 10-minutes or more is not only good for your endorphins but your cognitive function.
According to a 2019 study published in the journal Neurology, adults who engaged in aerobic exercise improved their scores on tests of memory performance and had increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein in the brain responsible for cognitive processes.
We can’t think of a better reason to take a 15-minute break and get your body moving – your brain and your boss will thank you.
Help You Sleep Better
If you’re like one of the many millions across the nation suffering from disrupted sleep, then enjoying a micro-workout can help you feel more rested.
In one Mental Health and Physical Activity study, people who exercised at least 150-minutes a week (30-minutes across five days) were 65% less likely to say they felt sleepy during the day than those who exercised less or not at all.
Not only can exercise improve sleep quality, a high intensity workout also aids how quickly you nod off at night meaning less time counting sheep and more time catching ZZZs.
Diana explains: “Once you find the right intensity and the right balance of exercise routine, you will experience positive effects on your overall health such as decreased stress levels, boosted metabolism, you’ll find it easier to cope with everyday challenges and you will sleep like a baby after a high intensity session.”
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Improve Your Stress Levels
Completing a workout, especially when you’d much rather chill out, can give you a serious confidence boost – and majorly improve your stress levels.
Research by Harvard Medical School shows that undertaking a workout helps to curb hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, while also flooding your system with feel-good endorphins.
Getting active also ups the good-mood brain chemicals serotonin and dopamine. Although working out is putting low-level physical stress on the body, it is working hard behind the scenes – in your brain – to get you to chill out better than any Netflix binge.
“Each time you exercise you are releasing those sweet endorphins that Frame serves so well so the more often you get to fit it in your schedule the better effect it will have on your emotional state,” Diana adds.
Feeling inspired to squeeze in a quickie this week? Book a class now