Today short duration workouts have become very popular;  more so from a marketing standpoint with trainers, fitness professionals and people selling ebooks online. BUT do these short duration workouts really work?  Can you really get much from a 15 minute or less workout session???

Nowadays people have limited time, busy schedules and are apparently "SHORT ON TIME" to exercise or workout. I prefer to say TRAIN, than workout. I see people in the gym all the time who are working out, but very few are actually doing what I would call TRAINING! 

We all have busy lives. SHORT ON TIME is an excuse... Make the damn time :)

Obviously someone who is just starting out with exercise after a long period of inactivity, will benefit from even a few short training sessions per week. Circuit training is a good method to consider in these cases. However, over time that individual will need to spike or increase his/her training volume and possibly frequency, depending on how frequent he/she is when they start out.

Even though it is understandable that getting in an INTENSE 15 minute or 10 minute session will be taxing and boost ones metabolism, training this way long term I do not believe is optimal. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying short intense workouts, like HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts, aren't any use. I feel short intense workouts, like HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts are useful, but should only be used infrequently and more so they should be performed in the manner of minature workout or training challenges.

Some people want to believe they can develop great physiques and burn fat quickly with short duration workouts. Basically they like to fool  themselves into thinking they can get the body they want with absolute minimal time.

The train less, gain more mentality...I wish it was that easy.

I'm not suggesting that in order to gain more, you need to train more. I'm suggesting that you  train optimally and use the right blend of exercises, intensity, volume of exercises, as well as training frequency!

For me I love to use workout finishers in my routines. My sessions last 45-60 minutes on average and some sessions I will perform a workout finisher (at the end of the session) that will last 10 minutes or less. Last night for example I did the following workout finisher:

• 20 x DB 1 Arm Floor Press (10 Each Arm)
• 20 x Alternating Split Squat Jumps
• 20 x DB Plank and Row (10 Each Arm)
  

REST = 30 seconds between circuits and did 4 total circuits. It was fairly brutal. However, if that was all my session entailed I would feel like I had done very little.

Take advantage of short duration session. Use them as mini workout challenges, workout finishers or on their own when you ARE REALLY SHORT ON TIME, or in combination with more regular slightly longer (45-60 minute) training sessions.

About the Author

Ian Graham