An article came out the other day which stated that 1 Minute of intense cardio was just as effective as 45 minutes of moderate cardio. For certain parameters of aerobic fitness this might be true. Specificity, as always is the primary concern. In other words, what specifically, are we training for?
If you’re going to be a marathoner, or a wrestler, or a mountain climber, or a boxer, or really buff looking, or even in above average overall shape then 1 minute of cardio is just not going to cut it. The main benefit of a 1 minute high intensity burst is that it conditions the cardio-respiratory (heart and lungs) system to to be able to handle tough physical stress. This could keep you alive! I highly recommend this type of brief intense training.
But of course, this is only a small piece of the fitness puzzle. We have to also look at mobility patterns and movement capability, balance, stability, strength, and power, as well as skill level at your chosen activity. And remember “if you move, you’re an athlete.”
I do like the emphasis on time though. Who wants to train for more than 20-45 minutes per day? Most of us have a hard time even doing that.
Now let me present the exercise that could solve your weight training conundrum: the simple squat with overhead press Of course if you have back issues, or knee issues, or shoulder issues you may have to modify or use no weight.
Grab a simple weight, or a 1 year old, or a Cocker Spaniel and begin. Do 3-4 sets of 10, or try to do 1 minute without resting every other day. If you’re in poor shape, just try to do 10 per day.
If you just want a simple weight training workout you can do at home, that gives you the most bang for your buck, this is it. And if you do it enough, it could be all you need to do to be in decent shape. For example, if you did 50 of these 3 days per week and then walk on other days, you would be in much better shape than most people.
If you have questions, let me know.
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Squat with Overhead Press
 Part 1- Back Straight, Knees Slightly Out, Hips Back, Shoulders Back, Pull the Abdomen In, Breathe In Going Down |  Part 2- Keep Shoulders Back, Breathe Out and Press the Weight (Dumbell, Bar, Child, Medicine Ball, Log, Etc.) Overhead |
