The Hype about Micro-exercising

Micro-exercise is the idea that you can capture great health benefits from small doses of workout

How do we define the value of 60 seconds? 10 minutes? Certainly these small blocks of time can be measured in terms of productivity, but what about in terms of the benefit to brain and body? All across America workers are saying (whether honestly or not) “we don’t have enough time to exercise.” On the flip side, your brain and body can’t afford not to exercise. Micro-workouts offer an exciting go-between that allows people to take advantage of small blocks of time throughout the day when they don’t have the time for a full work out. It is certainly tipped to become one of the great health trends in 2017. 

Why do it? Microexercise:

• Gets your heart rate up and blood flowing

• Recharges brain and body before returning to work

• Trains muscles that matter for posture

• Relieves muscles from the monotony of sitting for hours on end. 

• Encourages the elongation of muscles which are being conditioned into a state of constant contraction.

Micro-workouts should serve a purpose 

They should not take the place of a full workout routine, or become your only method of exercise. They should be used on days when you can barely escape the office; when you wake up feeling gym-shy or unable to move yourself to run. Micro-exercise is more along the lines of keeping a jump rope or a set of dumbbells under your desk so that when the opportunity strikes, you can seamlessly jump into a work out. A set of jumping jacks, push ups or lunges should be done thoroughly- it is worth following a 10 minute full-body yoga or Pilates plan. 

Micro-exercise, like chiropractic, is about optimization. 

The science is overwhelmingly in support of exercise for people who spend significant amounts of time deskbound. At Hayes Family Chiropractic, we support any initiative that gets your body moving during a day of heavy sitting. Give our office a call so we can start working together to create a plan for your fitness that keeps you free of the tension and dysfunction that accumulates from hours spent stationary. 

Dr. Chris Hayes, D.C.