When I first started working out, I’d huff and puff through 10 minute workouts on the elliptical before collapsing onto the nearest mat. Then, a trainer told me that any effort that lasts fewer than 30 minutes is all for naught. Ugh! Deflated, I lengthened my cardio sessions—but still wondered whether there was any truth to that arbitrary-sounding 30-minute rule. (I mean, why not 29?!)
I’m not the only one who was taught to believe that exercise should last for 30 minutes, minimum. Luckily, for anyone who’s just starting out (or short on time), the old more-is-better mentality doesn’t exactly stem from science. Research unequivocally indicates that any effort is better than no effort—even if you only have 10 minutes to go at it, says Melody D., obé Fitness’ director of programming and women’s health coach.
In fact, one study found that if every adult added just 10 minutes of daily physical activity to their to-do list, 110,000+ premature deaths could be prevented every year. Let’s talk about it!
The 30-Minute Workout Myth
The misconception that 30 minutes is the golden length for workouts seems to have sprouted from outdated exercise guidelines that recommended 20-30 minutes of exercise to achieve cardiovascular benefits, Melody says. “‘Thirty minutes a day’ made it easier to communicate and remember,” she explains—even though the messaging inadvertently led people to believe that shorter bouts of exercise are ineffective, forgoing movement altogether. (Whoops!)
Most health and fitness experts now agree this adage is dated: “People might miss out on the opportunity for shorter bouts of exercise if they think these bouts don’t ‘count,’” Melody warns, “but something is better than nothing when working to build or maintain fitness.”
Are 10-Minute Workouts Really Enough?
While a solitary 10 minutes of daily exercise may not be enough to stave off heart disease, maintain metabolic health, and reap all of the mental health benefits exercise can offer long-term, 10-minute workouts do count for something.
Most notably, those precious minutes contribute to your weekly minimum of 150 minutes of moderate activity (i.e., you can talk but not sing during the activity) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (you can say a few words but cannot hold a conversation). That’s the general recommendation for a weekly exercise quota to tap into all the perks listed above!
If you need a little science for convincing: A 2018 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that short bursts of activity accumulated throughout the day were associated with lower mortality risk, similar to longer, continuous bouts of exercise.
Research in the Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions has demonstrated that 10 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can improve insulin sensitivity and reduce body fat in overweight and obese individuals. A study in JAMA Psychiatry found that even short bouts of exercise, including 10-minute sessions, were associated with improved mood and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Finally, a 2019 review highlighted that three 10-minute workout sessions delivered the same health benefits as one 30-minute stretch of exercise (of the same intensity). Blood pressure, blood sugar, and cardiorespiratory fitness outcomes were all the same!
Splitting your activity into bite-sized sessions can also help you stick to a consistent routine and better handle higher-intensity training. And it gives you fewer excuses! You absolutely have time for a 10-minute morning Yoga, a 10-minute walk after lunch, and a 10-minute Strength session in the evening. That’s 30 minutes of daily exercise, right there.
What Fitness Goals Gotta Do With It
So science tells us that cumulatively, 10-minute workouts are “enough” to tick the boxes on various health benefits. But what about when you’re training for a race or competition—or looking to significantly improve strength, mobility, or power?
“The total amount of work performed and the amount of stress it creates (or doesn’t create!) on the body is what ultimately leads to adaptation or change,” Melody says.
In other words, if you’re looking to build muscle, the only way to do it is to truly tire that muscle out, but it doesn’t matter how long it takes to get the job done. “As long as each exercise set pushes you towards the threshold, the work could be spread out across multiple training sessions or even within one day,” she says.
The same goes for cardio queens looking to build speed or endurance: “A 5- to 10-minute intense sprint or high-intensity training session can reap equal rewards as a 60-minute low-intensity walk or jog, and can be much more time-efficient,” Melody says. (Ditto on six 10-minute walks taken throughout the day, which is comparable to one longer 60-minute walk, if a higher step count is your goal.)
Make It Worth It
If you want to make your 10-minute workout worth the effort of wrangling into a sports bra, “intensity really is key,” Melody says.
While that doesn’t mean you have to break a sweat, run out of breath, or lift to failure when strength training, “they are good indicators that you’re working at a moderate to vigorous level and working toward hypertrophy, aka muscle growth,” Melody says.
In any case, give it your all in a workout consisting of simple movements and minimal setup (to maximize exercise time) to ensure your 10 minutes of effort improves your heart health, metabolic efficiency, mood, muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, mobility, and energy levels.
Specifically, Melody recommends a few rounds of a simple bodyweight circuit, strength-training supersets (switching between two exercises that work different muscle groups, which minimizes the need for recovery breaks), or sprint intervals (30 seconds on and 30 off for 10 rounds).
If you don’t want to think about it, use a duration filter to find 10-minute workouts on obé. “Following a guided class takes the guesswork out so you can get moving right away,” she says.
The Bottom Line on 10-Minute Workouts
Updated guidelines from health organizations like the American Heart Association and the CDC now recognize that breaking longer exercise sessions into smaller mini-sessions throughout the day is just as effective as cranking one extra-long workout out. So whether you’re parking a little further from your destination for a few extra minutes of walking or squeezing in one of obé’s 10-Minute Express Classes, you can bank on some health benefits.
That makes a lot of sense considering the alternative: 10 minutes of doing absolutely nada for your body. “Ten-minute workouts contribute to improving your overall fitness,” Melody says. “Especially when done consistently and at the right intensity.”
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