Can I improve terrible cardiovascular fitness with 5 mins aerobic activity per day?

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  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    @WhitneyDurham777 could you post a link to the modified HIT protocol please.

    Cheers, h.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    The research shows you can get significant health benefits with just a few minutes A WEEK!

    http://www.bbc.com/news/health-17177251

    https://www.fast-exercises.com/

    https://youtu.be/iEc7QFc5vIQ
  • WhitneyDurham777
    WhitneyDurham777 Posts: 71 Member
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    @middlehaitch Here is one article that I found. Most of the training was resistance, at higher intensities. This is actually a summary article of a number of other papers on the issues. There was a paper out of the University of Alabama a number of years ago that showed that higher exertion didn't necessarily lead to higher injury rates. I am still trying to find it. Though my biggest concern with injury and the elderly or sedimentary would be ligament and tendon damage. I think the literature is a little less clear on this from my reading. It seems like most of the studies the training was resistance rather than aerobic or to narrow things down a bit more high impact. (running) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3117172/ Another talk I heard a number of years back and I need to see if I can find some references on this is that strength training did improve aerobic performance to some extent, and I have seen this a number of times in some of the athletes that I follow. I am not an expert by any stretch however. If I find the other references I will add them. Just running a bit short on time right now.
  • ksz1104
    ksz1104 Posts: 260 Member
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    I would second everyone who suggests seeing a doctor first. 2 minutes and getting winded is a little concerning. It may just be you are really out of shape but id rule something out first.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    @WhitneyDurham777, thanks so much for passing the info along. h.
  • Untitled_Unmastered
    Untitled_Unmastered Posts: 52 Member
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    Well, try and find out for yourself.
  • AleksDLem
    AleksDLem Posts: 2 Member
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    Get a heart rate monitor and aim for 30-40min of moderate exercise or 60-120min of light exercise daily at the very least. If you stand/walk a lot then a 30min walk in the evening might suffice while if you drive everywhere and sit all day then you'll have to go for a daily run. It is a lot easier to park your car further away, use the stairs, walk the dog for 15 more minutes than do nothing all day and try to cram 1-2h of light exercise in the evening.

    5minutes of even extreme exercise will give you no benefit whatsoever.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Of course you can improve.
    Nobody gets up one day and goes off to run a marathon. They train. They start slow. They go short distances. Over time, they go faster and further.
    We all start somewhere. We all wish we started further along than we are. But we are who we are. No shame in that.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
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    I only could do 3 minutes of exercise to start. Within two weeks I was doing 5 minutes twice a day, it's just about pushing every so slightly until you're at a point where you can advance significantly. Start with your 5 minutes, and when that feels easy do more. Progress looks different for everyone but when you compare you to you, you'll find it a lot easier.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    edited April 2017
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    lillywhite71 wrote: »
    I don't like how any exercise feels when it make me out of breath.

    That's not unusual for beginners. But as you get into better shape it will stop bothering you. It will also take a lot more for you to get out of breath! But like other posters have suggested, it's probably a good idea to check with a doctor before starting any rigorous exercise regimen.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    OP, you seem stuck on this idea that you need to end up out of breath to be improving your health, which isn't the case. If you don't really move around much all day, taking a nice 15 min walk where you get your heart rate up a little and breathe a little bit faster is an improvement. Then when that gets easy, add another 5 minutes, and then another, until you get to the recommended 30 minutes. Then take 5 of those minutes and pick up the pace a little, or go up a hill, and so on.

    Walking briskly on a flat surface every day will improve your cardiovascular health.
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
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    When we started walking it must have been a sight. It was hilly and we choose to walk around the neighborhood. DW couldn't keep her footing going downhill, I'd walk ahead of her for brakes. I couldn't walk uphill, my heartrate was off the charts.

    We saw change very quickly, although we were walking 30 minutes. Within a couple of months it was hysterical to look back at what we couldn't do. I no longer had to be the DW'S brakes and I could walk uphill with ease.

    Our first mile walk took 48 minutes, I have done it in twelve.
  • CoachJen71
    CoachJen71 Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Yes! I started with baby steps. Short mini walks now and then during the day. Now I can hike a few hours at a time.

    ____________________________________________

    Down 140lbs: My story.
  • lillywhite71
    lillywhite71 Posts: 14 Member
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    Some very inspiring examples. Hopefully I will come back and update one day.
  • dfwesq
    dfwesq Posts: 592 Member
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    Do check with your doctor.

    In answer to your original question, this article might help.
    https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/running-just-5-minutes-a-day-has-long-lasting-benefits/?_r=0

    Executive summary: even just little daily exercise can help people live longer.
  • FreyasRebirth
    FreyasRebirth Posts: 514 Member
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    Moderate intensity can be summarized as: easy enough to be able to hold a conversation, hard enough to that you can't sing.

    Improvement is the adaptation to a stressor. There are several ways to improve; the body can improve oxygenation with more blood, store more glycogen (quick-access fuel) in the muscles, and increase the muscles themselves. Even doing jumping jacks for a minute (while cooking, commercial break, waiting for the shower to heat up, ect) can make small 'stresses'.

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