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The skinny on getting fit in five

Elaborate fitness routines are getting increasingly condensed into 'short and sweet' workouts these days. But do these 5-minute rituals live up to the hype?

"A full workout in just seven minutes? Pssh, bring it on." That was just about everybody's reaction back in 2013, when the 7-minute workout was first introduced and found unprecedented success. Of course, once people started the timer, they found themselves huffing and puffing before they were even halfway through the set of 12 exercises. But the concept was still popular enough for the makers to introduce it as a free app, which now claims to have over three million users.
Now, whether they are 'active' users or not is debatable, but in the last five years, fitness enthusiasts the world over have been quick to jump on the 'short-and-sweet' bandwagon. And why wouldn't they, when "all you need to lose weight and get a flat tummy" is a chair and a wall? Or when your Facebook feed is constantly inundated with 3-minute workout videos that promise to tighten that arm jiggle or get you that much-desired thigh gap? A gym in Singapore even swears that all you need for a "bangin' bod" is 30 minutes with them every day - and that's including check-in and shower time!
The appeal of condensed fitness rituals is definitely on the up and up in recent years - and the reasons are fairly obvious. Says Dubai-based personal trainer Sven Welti (@VillainTraining), "Everything is getting shorter - from the time it takes to travel around the world to the time it takes to make a million dollars. So, logically, getting fit should get faster too, right?" Well, that is the idea. Plus, with the fast-paced life that comes from living in big cities, personal fitness is easily the first to take a hit in the interests of time conservation. You, therefore, want to believe it's possible to get fit in five minutes. But how effective are these mini rituals in the long run?
For one, exercise (of any duration) has been scientifically proven to be an excellent mood booster, so even five minutes of moderate workout can lead to a better state of mind. They're also a great way to get your heart rate up. Fitness trainer and ambassador for athletic apparel retailer lululemon Tala El Ajou, who likes to get in quick 10-minute workouts of her own in between seeing clients, says, "A lot of people believe that training sessions have to be at least an hour long, but a 20-minute workout can increase your heart rate intensely - and be just as beneficial as a longer workout. Basically, the more you move - even if it's 10 minutes - the better you'll feel. And if you're a newbie who's just starting out, you can still get a good workout done in a short duration without the high intensity [that usually comes with these quick workout routines]."

FITNESS ADVOCATES: (left to right) Sven Welti, Tala El Ajou, and Derryn Brown
Personal trainers unanimously agree that trying to use these short and viral 'quick fix' videos to lose weight will not get you very far at all. "The whole idea of losing weight through exercise, no matter what the duration, is completely broken thinking," says Sven. "Exercise equals muscle gain or loss, and nutrition equals fat gain or loss - keep these two separate in your mind and all will go well with your goals. There is, of course, plenty of overlap, especially with high-level athletes, but for most people looking to lose body fat, nutrition is the answer."
People feel like if they do 20 minutes of exercise, they can go and have a pizza, says Tala. "That's not really true. If weight loss is your goal, you have to couple it with a good diet. In fact, weight loss is 70 per cent dependent on diet, and only 30 per cent on exercise!"
Derryn Brown, a personal trainer at The Hundred Wellness Centre in Jumeirah, believes there are no shortcuts if your goal is to change the way you look. "Certain videos may lead you to believe that you can target specific areas [for weight loss], but if you're looking to change your body, a good diet is the most important factor. It's when you follow a clean diet with reduced calorie intake (than your normal portions) that you start seeing the scale drop every week." Losing anything from 500 grams to a kilo a week is great progress, she says, and you will see great changes in your physical appearance in 2-3 months - but anything that promises even quicker results should probably be approached with caution.
Despite these quick routines being designed specifically for the time-bound individual, many find themselves unable to sustain even these mini exercise rituals on a daily basis. Sven, who has experimented with the 7-minute workout as well as "dozens of other HIIT-style training methods", notes that this has to do with the modern world being an "extremely comfortable" place. "For most people, a year could go by without them having to struggle to do anything physically harder than taking off their pants," he observes. "So, for people whose biggest struggle is getting enough sleep, the mere idea of doing jumping jacks is painful - forget doing seven minutes of sustained discomfort. If exercise could be as comfortable as eating chips on the couch, everyone would do it. But exercise cannot - and should not - be comfortable, hence most modern, comfort-adapted people cannot handle it."
For those looking to get more active, the UAE's current 30x30 fitness movement is a great way to kick off that resolve. But if you haven't worked out in a long time, Tala suggests going to a fitness class or coach first - even if it's just for one session - to make sure your technique and form are right, and to prevent injuries. "Once you get that down, you can develop your own routine at home. Also, try to mix up your HIIT (high intensity interval training) routines with yoga or swimming. Doing short duration, high intensity workouts back to back can create massive tiredness and really catch up with you, so vary it up."
Fast fitness fixes are not long-term solutions. And although short routines are better than no routines at all, it's important to remember that fitness, at the end of the day,  really is a lifestyle - that goes beyond three-minute videos. Sven offers the raw truth of the matter: "Exercise is uncomfortable; if it feels easy and comfortable, you are probably doing it wrong. Becoming 'comfortable with discomfort' is what will lead you to healthy living."

Fitness in 3 steps
Do you sit at your desk for most of the day? Try this 3-step full-body workout routine, courtesy Derryn Brown:
1. Start with one minute of walking.
2. Then, go for one minute of reverse lunges, with your arms above the head, as you lunge back to open up the hips and stretch out those shoulders.
3. Lastly, do one minute of burpees (stepping them in and out or jumping them in and out - as per your ability).

Getting started
Sven Welti offers a few highly effective - and virtually free - exercises to kickstart your workout routine:
DAY 1: Every one of you works, or lives, in a building with several floors. Set a countdown timer on your phone for 3 minutes, and start walking up and down the stairs. Record the total number of floors climbed. (As you get fitter, you can try jogging, running and eventually sprinting up the stairs.)
DAY 2: Stretch for 30 minutes.
DAY 3: Burpees - as many as you can do in three minutes. Record the total number.
Day 4: Stretch for 30 minutes.
Day 5: Jump rope for 3 minutes. Record total number of jumps.
Day 6: Stretch for 30 minutes.
Day 7: Treat yourself to a hot bath with Epsom salt or get a full body massage.
Day 8: Repeat the cycle and aim to improve your scores. Or add any other form of exercise you like. For example, 3 minutes continuous of any one of the prescribed 7-minute workout exercises (pushups, sit ups etc) - always alternating one day of fitness with one day of stretching.
karen@khaleejtimes.com
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