Source: D’Angelo Kinnard / D’Angelo Kinard
How long should you work out?
Thirty minutes might not seem long enough when it comes to reaching your fitness goals. But in the exercise world, more isn’t always better.
According to personal trainer Jeff Smith, intensity beats duration.
“If you’re working very hard, you can do it in an hour,” he said. “So the length of time is really irrelevant without looking at the intensity of the work.”
The government’s fitness recommendations aren’t meant to keep you in the gym for hours. It says adults ages 18 to 64 should exercise at a moderate intensity for at least 2.5 hours each week or at a vigorous intensity for an hour and 15 minutes a week.
When it comes to knocking out those workouts in 30 minutes vs. 60 minutes, Smith says to think of it like sprinting vs. jogging. What you spend on intensity, you make up for in time.
It’s why high-intensity interval training, or HIIT workouts, are so popular right now.
They can be as short as 20 minutes, and you not only burn more calories than a lower-intensity training session, but you keep burning calories in the hours after you’re done.
READ MORE: NewsNet5.com
Article Courtesy of Newsy and WEWS NewsChannel 5 Cleveland
Picture Courtesy of D’Angelo Kinnard
