A very common barrier to exercise-related benefits is that people feel they are too busy and don't have enough time to complete an effective session. Maybe you have deadlines at work? Have to prioritise family and friends? Or feel like there aren't enough hours in a day? Whatever the reason, it is extremely important to try to navigate around this so that you can reap the benefits of physical exercise, specifically resistance exercise. Additionally, people often think it is not worthwhile and that no benefits are to be gained from short sessions. However, this is a complete myth. In fact, numerous research outputs support the use of short-duration training sessions to gain strength and improve function (Source). Therefore, this blog will cover why and how short, effective sessions can still improve strength.

What Research Says About Time-Efficient Strength Training

Can Short Workouts Improve Strength? 

Training volume is a predominant mediator for physiological adaptations (Source). Therefore, a perception is that longer sessions need to be completed. Indeed, longer sessions may be more efficient, given that you can hit a targeted volume in fewer visits to the gym. However, that doesn't deny the ability of shorter duration sessions to be worthwhile. In fact, some research highlights that 'short bouts of accumulated exercise', where at least 10 minutes of exercise is completed at least twice per day, can provide benefits to skeletal, cardiovascular and brain health (Source). This alone contradicts the myth that you need at least an hour in the gym. 

Specific to muscular strength, studies show that lower volume resistance training (i.e., shorter durations) can still increase strength and muscle hypertrophy (Source). This style of training is called minimal or low-dose training and is becoming a growing research area with some of our own Exersci team being involved in primary research on this topic (Source). Furthermore, to provoke adaptations similar to those of traditional resistance training, researchers have established that by modifying other training principles, such as intensity, you may be able to overcome any decrements to shorter duration sessions. For example, one study assessed low-volume high-intensity training against a higher volume, also a high-intensity training programme. Interestingly, both groups provoked similar increases in strength, despite the differences in volume. This shows that short-duration sessions can be effective to increase strength.

How Short Sessions Work: Mechanisms of Adaptation

So, how may we get adaptations despite a lower training volume?

Firstly, it is important to note that although having a lower overall training volume may be common when you only complete short sessions, it does not have to be the case. The magnitude of muscular adaptations depends on how variables of a resistance training regime are combined, such as intensity, volume and frequency. Indeed, you may not have enough time to complete an hour-long session 3 nights per week. However, you may be able to stack sessions by increasing your frequency, whilst completing shorter-duration sessions. Therefore, by the end of the week, your weekly volume may not be so much lower. The repetitive bouts of mechanical tension and metabolic demand that result from exercise are likely the mechanisms responsible for improved function from 'exercise stacking' (Source).

Furthermore, it is plausible that the benefits found from high-intensity, low-volume exercise come from induced neural adaptations. Higher intensity exercise induces greater neural adaptations (Source). Thus, by incorporating shorter sessions, you may be able to complete exercises at greater intensities due to less fatigue and subsequently enhance motor unit recruitment (muscle activation) and neuromuscular adaptations. Additionally, considering that mechanical tension is a key driver of physiological adaptations (Source), providing high-loads on the working musculature, despite being for a shorter duration of time, increases in muscular hypertrophy and strength remain promoted. 

How to Structure Short, Effective Strength Sessions

If you are completing shorter-duration sessions, it is important to try to optimise your time. Here are some things to consider: 

• Exercise type
• Intensity
• Frequency 
• Duration

When completing short sessions, it is important to try to engage a range of muscle groups. It is unlikely that you will be able to complete accessory movements (targeting a single muscle) within a short session. Therefore, you should opt for multi-joint movements. That way, there is a greater activation of a range of musculature, whereby mechanical tension and metabolic stimuli are placed on more of the body. This encourages full-body adaptations.

To maximise results in shorter sessions, focus on higher-intensity exercise. As mentioned before, when altering one aspect of training, it is beneficial to modify other variables to compensate for the lack of time completed in the exercise. Furthermore, progressive overload should always be incorporated into your training. For instance, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you aim for rep ranges of 8-12 reps, whereby when you feel able to perform 2 more reps (14 reps), you should increase the resistance. This allows for a progressive and continuous stimulus to be placed on the working muscles to provide continuous adaptations.

Lastly, frequency and duration are also important factors. Duration is highly dependent on what you have available. Research has shown that exercise bouts of as little as 10 minutes can improve health, albeit when stacked for 2 or more times (Source). Again, frequency is highly dependent. Considering you are completing shorter-duration sessions, increasing the frequency is definitely reccomended, thus you should be aiming to complete more than 3 sessions per week. 

Short session: Example Routines

Quick 15-Minute Strength Circuit

• Goblet squats (Adjustable dumbbells) - 3 × 10 reps

• Mace 360 swings - 3 × 8 per side

• Split stance press (Barbell/Adjustable weight set) - 3 × 8 per side

• Anti-rotation hold (Resistance band) - 3 × 20-30 sec

Morning or lunch-break option

• Dumbbell deadlifts (Dumbbells/Adjustable dumbbells) - 3 × 10 reps

• Bench press or floor press (Barbells/Dumbbells or Adjustable weight set)- 3 × 8-10 reps

• Kettlebell swings (Kettlebells/Adjustable kettlebells) – 3 × 12 reps

 

Conclusion

It is extremely common for other aspects of life to interfere with your training routine. In many cases, people feel they dont have enough time to train and are unfortunately berated by fitness influencers and online coaches, despite having little time to complete training. The fact of the matter is that you may not have enough time, or it may be important for you to prioritise the time you do have on family and/or friends, etc. So, what should you do? Well, resistance training plays an integral part in your overall well-being and should NOT be completely neglected. The research shows that short bouts of exercise are still effective in improving strength and function. This blog also presented ways in which you can optimise your training time, for example, increasing frequency and/or intensity. 

So, are you ready to make every minute count? Explore some of Exersci's versatile equipment, such as our adjustable weight sets, to maximise your time-efficient training routine. Shop Exersci now!

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