5 min workouts??

chantalemarie
chantalemarie Posts: 65 Member
edited November 16 in Fitness and Exercise
this may sound ridiculous but I am legitimately curious... can someone work out for 5 min a day and still get a good work out in? like if it's an intense workout, does it count? and I'm not trying to get out of doing the work or anything so please don't reply with stupid comments, I have been working out an hour each night for about 4-5 nights a week, but I am curious of these quick workouts that aren't as long. even not necessarily 5 mins but like under half an hour... does it work? is it just as efficient?

what's the best time of the day to work out as well? I've read morning, I've read 5 pm, and I've seen people do night time...

Replies

  • dalhectar
    dalhectar Posts: 52 Member
    If I did 60 8-count burpees in 5 minutes... that's only 81 calories. Not bad for 5 minutes of effort, but if I can run for an hour that's 600-700. I find it easier to do lower intensity cardio for a much longer duration for a greater calorie burn.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I don't think there is any data linking 5 min of exercise to improved health. I have seen at least one study that showed that 10 min intervals just as effective as 30 min if the overall amount of exercise was equal (one 30 min session vs. three10 min sessions throughout the day).

    If you mean strickly calories burned or improving fitness, I'm sure 5 min > nothing.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Maybe if you lift up a car or something?
  • chantalemarie
    chantalemarie Posts: 65 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    Maybe if you lift up a car or something?

    LOL this made me laugh. but no, unfortunately not that strong
  • MsSquatAlot
    MsSquatAlot Posts: 238 Member
    chantalemarie wrote: »
    this may sound ridiculous but I am legitimately curious... can someone work out for 5 min a day and still get a good work out in? like if it's an intense workout, does it count? and I'm not trying to get out of doing the work or anything so please don't reply with stupid comments, I have been working out an hour each night for about 4-5 nights a week, but I am curious of these quick workouts that aren't as long. even not necessarily 5 mins but like under half an hour... does it work? is it just as efficient?

    what's the best time of the day to work out as well? I've read morning, I've read 5 pm, and I've seen people do night time...

    I workout 5 days a week, twice per day. Cardio every morning (at least 30-45 mins depending on what time I get to the gym and what my schedule looks like) If I have time to get in a solid weight workout, then I do that also. Again, all based on schedule. I do not believe 5 mins is long enough to do anything more than change my shoes. Haha
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    you can get some quality hiit in 5 mins. circuit of burpees, mtn climbers, jump squats; or maybe some battle ropes/chains; or sprints...
  • jiigglybutt
    jiigglybutt Posts: 345 Member
    I was wondering this as well. Not wanting to replace full on work outs for little 5 minute ones, but I would like to know that the little routines I do before my showers or when I get out of bed in the morning aren't completely pointless
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    edited April 2015
    A five minute workout doesn't sound like a workout. Sometimes I need up to three times that amount of time just to stretch out prior to a workout.

    IMO, if a five minute workout is a workout, then the word workout has lost all its meaning.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    chantalemarie wrote: »
    this may sound ridiculous but I am legitimately curious... can someone work out for 5 min a day and still get a good work out in? like if it's an intense workout, does it count? and I'm not trying to get out of doing the work or anything so please don't reply with stupid comments, I have been working out an hour each night for about 4-5 nights a week, but I am curious of these quick workouts that aren't as long. even not necessarily 5 mins but like under half an hour... does it work? is it just as efficient?

    what's the best time of the day to work out as well? I've read morning, I've read 5 pm, and I've seen people do night time...

    The best time of day to workout is the time when you will do it consistently.

    For me exercise is another lifestyle change. I don't exercise a ton now....I exercise the same amount that I feel I can do for many years to come.

    That said, try to make something consistent. You can start small....but build on it. I started with 90 minutes a week, I tracked it on a calendar. As I became more fit, I added more minutes. I'm older and was way out of shape. I like being more fit now, than I was at 40. Fitness is a use it or lose it proposition.

    Google the 7 minute workout.....or try some 10 minute workouts (10 Minute Trainer, 10 Minute Solution, etc).....as you go along, hopefully you will find that you want more.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I suppose 5 minutes of doing something is better than doing nothing, but I personally don't think you're going to get much of anywhere from a fitness standpoint just doing 5 minute workouts.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    When I'm away from a gym for long period of times I do a very short workout for an isolated body-part which can easily be done in 5 mins.
    For example I'll do three sets of push-ups to failure, or 3 or 4 sets of curls, squats...etc.
    I find I do not lose my strength and can get a great pump in a very short period of time. It helps keep my muscles active when life gets in the way and a full workout is not possible.
    Cardio is a different story. I would think duration is needed for any heart benefits, and burning calories (even at intense intervals) needs time. Running stairs can give you a great workout in a short period of time but I haven't heard of too many experts advocating getting much benefit out of these real short workouts.

  • Texas_boi
    Texas_boi Posts: 10 Member
    workout or abs?
  • chantalemarie
    chantalemarie Posts: 65 Member
    well I do this 5 min squat video (which really kicks my but when I do it as squats are HELL) but I just wondering about other areas as well, cardio or anything really to get rid of a layer.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
    edited April 2015
    chantalemarie wrote: »
    well I do this 5 min squat video (which really kicks my but when I do it as squats are HELL) but I just wondering about other areas as well, cardio or anything really to get rid of a layer.
    5 mins of "squat hell" isn't really much of a calorie burn. Almost nothing really. What you are experiencing is your own response to your present level of conditioning and not much more. As you become more conditioned, squat hell isn't going to feel as hellish as it once did.

    You can't cheat exercise.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    chantalemarie wrote: »
    well I do this 5 min squat video (which really kicks my but when I do it as squats are HELL) but I just wondering about other areas as well, cardio or anything really to get rid of a layer.

    Think of it this way: you burn extra calories when your heart rate is up. Period. In 5 minutes the most you could reasonably burn is 50 calories. *at most* If that's okay, then lucky you to only need 5 min a day!


  • carol051941
    carol051941 Posts: 1 Member
    chantalemarie wrote: »
    this may sound ridiculous but I am legitimately curious... can someone work out for 5 min a day and still get a good work out in? like if it's an intense workout, does it count? and I'm not trying to get out of doing the work or anything so please don't reply with stupid comments, I have been working out an hour each night for about 4-5 nights a week, but I am curious of these quick workouts that aren't as long. even not necessarily 5 mins but like under half an hour... does it work? is it just as efficient?

    what's the best time of the day to work out as well? I've read morning, I've read 5 pm, and I've seen people do night time...

  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    carol051941 wrote: »
    chantalemarie wrote: »
    this may sound ridiculous but I am legitimately curious... can someone work out for 5 min a day and still get a good work out in? like if it's an intense workout, does it count? and I'm not trying to get out of doing the work or anything so please don't reply with stupid comments, I have been working out an hour each night for about 4-5 nights a week, but I am curious of these quick workouts that aren't as long. even not necessarily 5 mins but like under half an hour... does it work? is it just as efficient?

    what's the best time of the day to work out as well? I've read morning, I've read 5 pm, and I've seen people do night time...

    The time that works best for you. Same goes for eating.
  • nikkib0103
    nikkib0103 Posts: 969 Member
    One occasionally sees ads for workouts that claim incredible results in just 5 or 10 minutes a day. What they probably neglect to mention is that you won't see results til you have worked out 5 minutes a day for 2000 years. I imagine if you do 5 minute bursts of activity several times a day you might get somewhere but just 5 and done? Seems unlikely to me. But what do I know?
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    chantalemarie wrote: »
    this may sound ridiculous but I am legitimately curious... can someone work out for 5 min a day and still get a good work out in?

    Look at this way....is there any sport where you can excel by working out only 5 minutes a day?

    I'd say the answer is "no"...unless you radically downgrade your standards.

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    sofaking6 wrote: »
    Maybe if you lift up a car or something?

    How do you get to the point of being able to lift the car, on 5 minutes a day?
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    5 minutes is a WARM UP.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    A good tabata only takes four minutes, and it will be the worst four minutes of you life.

    That said, you’ll still need time to warm up and stretch after.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Doing proper squats for 5 minutes straight would just about kill me!
    Don't know if doing that many all at once is advisable or even helpful...
    Could it do more damage than good??
  • PlusSizeGal
    PlusSizeGal Posts: 26 Member
    you can.. look on youtube for 5 minute workouts, or do the 7 minute workout.. even if you have ten minutes you can do those workouts in an intense speed. I've searched on youtube and did a few myself for ten minutes.
  • chantalemarie
    chantalemarie Posts: 65 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    Doing proper squats for 5 minutes straight would just about kill me!
    Don't know if doing that many all at once is advisable or even helpful...
    Could it do more damage than good??

    it's a video that switches it up with 5 different kinds of squats, definitely couldn't do just regular squats that long. it has lunges + lifts, lunge pulses, double dip squats, static squats, squat pulses
This discussion has been closed.

Categories