Micro workouts (think short, simple, and beginner-friendly) are the perfect way to ease into fitness, build confidence, and actually enjoy the process, without eating into your day or your budget. As the proud owner of a shiny new Oura ring, I’m now obsessed with micro workouts as a way to bump up the scores on my daily ‘activity goal’ achievements. Squats while brushing my teeth? Absolutely. I’ve got an electric toothbrush so that’s a full two minutes of non-stop arduous squats, twice a day. It’s called ‘habit stacking’– look it up.

What is a micro workout?
Micro workouts focus on the basics. No machines, no confusing choreography, just straightforward movements that use your own body weight or simple, cost-effective exercise tools like a resistance band. They’re short bursts of activity lasting up to ten minutes, so they’re easy to fit into a chaotic day (even if you’re squeezing in exercise between laundry loads or during a work-from-home lunch break). You can even break it down further into short bursts of one-to-two-minute ‘exercise snacks’ (and I’m not talking about protein bars) spread throughout the day. Could it get any easier than that?

The main problem with starting a new fitness regime is that people think they need to go all-in right away, but small steps really do lead to big changes. Short workouts don’t just suit busy schedules, they support consistency, one of the biggest predictors of long-term fitness. Short sessions are easier to stick with, and they add up fast. You might not have 45 minutes to spend in a gym every day, but ten minutes between meetings or school pick-ups is totally do-able. Micro workouts also align with (also currently on trend) menstrual-cycle based training, postpartum recovery, and perimenopausal energy fluctuations. Apps like 7 Minute Workout and WithU offer tailored short workouts for when you’re pushed for time or low on energy.

Just move
Turns out intensity matters more than duration, especially when you’re short on time. A growing body of research supports the idea that short, structured workouts can deliver major benefits. A landmark McMaster University study showed that a ten-minute workout with one minute of hard effort (3 x 20-second all out cycle sprints) produced similar benefits to 45 minutes of steady continuous cycling when done consistently (three times a week) over 12 weeks.

Micro workouts are all about removing the pressure. You can work out at your own pace, in your own space – no gym crowds or judgment. Even powering up and down the stairs for five minutes on your lunch break (yes, you may get some funny looks) can be classed as a micro workout and a time-efficient strategy to improve cardiorespiratory fitness.
Progress is power – just aim to move more than you did yesterday. And the best part? Ten minutes really can be enough. Enough to shift your mood. Enough to get the circulation going. Enough to get you feeling stronger, more mobile, and more energised.

 No, it won’t replace a long run or a full body gym session every time, but it’s a powerful tool for encouraging regular movement. So, next time you’re tempted to skip your workout remember, doing a little is better than doing nothing at all.

Read more of Sally’s advice in our July issue which includes step by step micro work outs.

Words: Sally Dixon