Microworkouts: What? When? How?
And, most importantly, why?
Thank you Mark Sission! That’s where I first heard the term “Microworkouts.” I was like, what is this and why does it sound so enticing? Probably because it’s like eating an elephant, one small bite at a time. And do you know what small bites are like for me? TOTALLY DOABLE.
Often we can get hung up on what a workout “should” look like. Stop “shoulding” yourself! Take a bite of an elephant instead.
As described, Microworkouts are quick exercises, usually incorporating strength and bodyweight, that you do multiple times during the day. They can take a few seconds or a few minutes, they can be structured or unstructured, and you can roll them into the more mundane parts of your day, like watering your herbs, walking your dog, or folding laundry. These brief, at home workouts don’t seem like much while you’re doing them, but the effects seriously add up over time!
Do a few push-ups between folding your towels.
Do some squats as you water the plants.
Hold a plank during TV commercials or while waiting for your coffee to brew.
Our Box Canyon Booties group has often done a “burpee challenge” where we are challenged to do 50 burpees a day. Typically, I encourage everyone to do them first thing in the morning- as it serves as a shot of adrenaline to start the day and give the metabolism a boost. And imagine the effects and how they might compound if you did just 20 burpees, but instead did them every couple of hours?! Burpees would become crazy easy, and our metabolism would be stimulated all day, and our cognitive performance would increase. BONUS!
If you started by habit combining today, for example, you do 50 squats while you brush your teeth each day, 20 burpees before you make lunch, 20 push-ups before you have a snack, at the end of the week you would have an incredible amount of compound interest built up in the areas of building bodyweight strength and fitness.
Here are a few additional benefits of microworkouts:
You don’t have to line up childcare to run to the gym
You don’t have to worry about catching COVID from someone’s sweaty hands on the dumbbells
You don’t have to carve out time within your already busy calendar
Your kids get to see you being a good example of caring for your body
It makes your brain sharper and can curb stress/fatigue eating
You get stronger, a metabolism boost, and compound interest in your fitness
3 tips to help you make microworkouts work for you:
Habit stacking. i.e. “When I do this: brush teeth, wait for hot shower water, fold laundry, then I do this: 10 push ups, 20 burpees, 50 squats.”
Make it a reward. i.e. “When I get this email written, finish this meeting, wash the last of the dishes, I’ll give myself time to do a microworkout.”
Set up triggers. Set a reminder on your phone, place a sticky note on the fridge/bathroom mirror/computer, put a dumbbell in a place where you’ll see it frequently to remind you to get moving.
Don’t forget to give yourself a little reward for completing your desired number of microworkouts throughout the day as well. YOU DID IT!! Enjoy a refreshing Topo Chico! ;)
