Want the health benefits of strength training but not keen on the gym? Try ‘exercise snacking’

Exercise snacking involves doing multiple shorter bouts (as little as 20 seconds) of exercise throughout the day. Cavan-Images/Shutterstock^[6]

What does the evidence say about exercise snacking?

One study^[7] had older adults without a history of resistance training do exercise snacks at home twice per day for four weeks.

Each session involved five simple bodyweight exercises (chair sit-to-stand, seated knee extension, standing knee bends, marching on the spot, and standing calf raises). The participants did each exercise continuously for one minute, with a one-minute break between exercises.

These short and simple exercise sessions, which lasted just nine minutes, were enough to improve a person’s ability to stand up from a chair by 31% after four weeks (compared to a control group who didn’t exercise). Leg power and thigh muscle size improved, too.

Research involving one of us (Jackson Fyfe) has also shown^[8] older adults found “exercise snacking” feasible and enjoyable when done at home either once, twice, or three times per day for four weeks.

Exercise snacking may be a more sustainable approach to improve muscle health in those who don’t want to – or can’t – lift heavier weights in a gym.

A little can yield a lot

We know from other research that the more you exercise, the more likely it is you will keep exercising in future^[9].

Very brief resistance training, albeit with heavier weights, may be more enjoyable^[10] than traditional approaches where people aim to do many, many sets.

We also know brief-and-frequent exercise sessions can break up periods^[11] of sedentary behaviour (which usually means sitting too much). Too much sitting increases your risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, whereas exercise snacking can help keep your blood sugar levels steady^[12].

Of course, longer-term studies are needed. But the evidence we do have suggests exercise snacking really helps.

Just a few short exercise sessions can do you a world of good. eggeegg/Shutterstock^[13]

Why does any of this matter?

As you age, you lose strength and mass in the muscles you use to walk, or stand up. Everyday tasks can become a struggle.

All this contributes^[14] to disability, hospitalisation, chronic disease, and reliance on community and residential aged care support.

By preserving your muscle mass and strength, you can:

• reduce joint pain

• get on with activities you enjoy

• live independently in your own home

• delay or even eliminate the need for expensive health care or residential aged care.

What if I walk a lot – is that enough?

Walking may maintain some level of lower body muscle mass, but it won’t preserve your upper body muscles^[15].

If you find it difficult to get out of a chair, or can only walk short distances without getting out of breath, resistance training is the best way to regain some of the independence and function you’ve lost.

It’s even more important for women, as muscle mass and strength are typically lower in older women than men. And if you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis, which is more common in older women than men, resistance exercise snacking at home can improve your balance, strength, and bone mineral density. All of this reduces the risk of falls and fractures.

You don’t need heavy weights^[16] or fancy equipment to benefit from resistance training.

So, will you start exercise snacking today?

Read more https://theconversation.com/want-the-health-benefits-of-strength-training-but-not-keen-on-the-gym-try-exercise-snacking-232374