New research reports that even a short, daily bodyweight workout can offer impressive benefits for people who have little time to exercise.

A recent study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that just five minutes of daily strength training for four weeks significantly improved physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals.

The exercises consisted of bodyweight eccentric exercises performed at home. Eccentric exercises are where muscles contract while lengthening, such as when lowering your body during a squat or a bench press.

For the study, 22 sedentary, but otherwise healthy, individuals, aged 32 to 69, undertook daily exercises consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops.

They were required to follow strict guidelines on how to perform the exercises. These included lengthening the eccentric (or lowering) phase of each repetition for five seconds, followed by the concentric (or elevating) phase for approximately one second. The chair squat, for example, would involve sitting down slowly for five seconds and standing up as normal.

This approach to strength training is a proven formula based on established principles, incorporating progressive overload through a combination of exercises that targets most muscle groups.

Adherence to the programme was impressive, at 91%, with participants completing 18-28 sessions over 28 days. There were no significant changes in body composition, resting heart rate, or blood pressure after 28 days of training. However, significant improvements were seen in overall physical fitness and mental health.

In terms of physical fitness for the overall group, the ability to perform the isometric mid-thigh pull improved by 13%, push-up endurance improved by 66.1%, sit-ups by 51.1%, and sit-and-reach flexibility by 9.1%, while the three-minute step test heart rate decreased by 4.8%.

Mental health scores also significantly improved, by 16% overall, and a subjective vitality assessment by 20%.

The researchers concluded that, overall, a five-minute daily exercise routine over four weeks significantly improved physical fitness and mental health in sedentary individuals, suggesting that even a small dose of exercise performed daily can be of real benefit. The high levels of adherence to the programme are reassuring, indicating that new long-term habits were being formed.

This accessible routine could provide a gateway to regular exercise participation for people who are sedentary, helping individuals overcome barriers associated with perceived lack of time, said lead researcher Professor Ken Nosaka, from Edith Cowan University, Australia.

For people who have desk-bound jobs, another study found that taking five-minute walking breaks every hour could make a significant difference.

Researchers at the University of Colorado found that it helped boost people’s mood, increased energy levels, and decreased their appetite. In the study, participants who took short walks every hour reported feeling better than those who either sat all day or took a longer walk in the morning.

Notably, the five-minute breaks didn’t significantly affect their ability to concentrate.

For people who want to take their exercise a step further, a study led by Dr Keith Diaz, from Columbia University, found that taking five-minute walking breaks every 30 minutes significantly reduced blood sugar spikes and lowered blood pressure, compared to prolonged sitting. Participants also reported that their mood had improved and they felt less tired.

People who are time poor, but have ambitions to improve their exercise performance, may want to check out the work of Dr Martin Gibala, professor of kinesiology at McMaster University, Canada, and author of The One-Minute Workout.

He argues that short bouts of intense exercise — such as one minute of hard effort within a 10-minute routine — can significantly improve cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, and muscular endurance.

“Intensity is more important than duration,” Gibala wrote.

“Relative to all sorts of health benefits, it is more time efficient to exercise hard for a short amount of time than it is to exercise easy for a long amount of time.”

His signature ‘One-Minute Workout’ goes as follows:

• Warm-up: 2 minutes easy cycling or jogging
• Sprint: 20 seconds all-out effort (e.g., cycle, sprint, stair run)
• Recover: 2 minutes of light movement
• Sprint: 20 seconds all-out
• Recover: 2 minutes of light movement
• Sprint: 20 seconds all-out
• Cool-down: 3 minutes of light activity

According to Gibala’s research, the results are similar to those of 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise.

We are often told that being fit demands hard work, dedication and, above all, time. Or does it?

The research suggests that less time is required than you think.

• Dr Catherine Conlon is a public health doctor

Researchers in Thailand explored the effects of Asparagus officinalis supplementation alongside HIIT to investigate whether the two could work synergistically.

They reported that the combination “has the potential to improve cardiovascular and respiratory function and serve as a preventive strategy against cardiovascular and respiratory disorders in obese and overweight individuals.”

Botanical extract for cardiovascular health

High-intensity intermittent training (HIIT), which involves short bursts of intense exercise and recovery periods, has been found to improve muscle performance and cardiopulmonary fitness. However, little research has evaluated its impact on cardiovascular and pulmonary function in obese individuals, according to the researchers of the new study.

Ecdysteroids (arthropod steroid hormones) have demonstrated anabolic, fat-reducing, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties, and 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), which comes from Asparagus officinalis, has been shown to improve physical performance and muscle strength in healthy populations.

Previous studies have found that 20E supplementation reduced body weight, fat, cholesterol and inflammation, and improved muscle strength and bone health in obese individuals. However, the researchers noted that no previous studies have explored the combined effects of HIIT and 20E supplementation on cardiovascular and pulmonary function in obese and overweight individuals.

Study details

The researchers recruited 72 obese and overweight male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 30 with a BMI over 22.9 kg/m². They were randomized into four groups: the control group, the HIIT group, the AOE (A. officinalis extract) group which received 1.71 mg/kg/day, and the combined HIIT and AOE group. The HIIT Program consisted of three sessions a week, and participants in the AOE and HIIT and AOE groups received capsules and logged their intake twice daily via an app.

The researchers assessed heart rate (HR), HR variability, endothelial function, blood pressure (BP), BP variability, pulmonary function and volume, respiratory muscle strength, chest expansion and body composition at the beginning of the trial and 12 weeks post-intervention.

Results indicated that combining HIIT with 20E supplementation improved heart rate variability, endothelial function andexpiratory muscle strength after 12 weeks, which in turn was found to benefit lung function and exhalation.

While the 20E group did not experience any significant changes, the researchers suggested that 20E can support molecular pathways related to protein synthesis, inflammation reduction and cardiovascular protection. These effects were more pronounced in the HIIT and AOE group, where the systems activated by the exercise potentially allowed 20E to further improve muscle remodeling, vascular function and autonomic regulation.

The HIIT and AOE groups also showed increased blood flow and enhanced vascular responsiveness, and in comparison to the HIIT group, they showed improved vasodilation, allowing for increased blood flow to tissues. The 20E group did not display significant signs of improved endothelial function.

Resting blood pressure (BP) significantly decreased only in the HIIT group, however, the researchers noted that 20E appeared to reduce BP variability further when combined with HIIT, “suggesting a synergistic effect that may help reduce BP variability”.

“A 12-week HIIT program combined with A. officinalis extract supplementation improved HR variability indices, potentially lowering cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis risk via increased endothelial function,” the researchers concluded.

“It also enhanced expiratory muscle strength, lower-chest wall expansion and, consequently, pulmonary function. The clinical implication is that utilizing HIIT in conjunction with supplementation with A. officinalis extract containing 20E at 1.71 ± 0.24 mg/kg/day daily for 12 weeks is safe and could be an option for individuals who are obese or overweight.”

They added that future research should assess blood lipid profiles, blood glucose levels and inflammatory markers in order to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of action.

Source: Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology. 2025, 10(2), 202. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/jfmk10020202. “Effects of High-Intensity Intermittent Training Combined with Asparagus officinalis Extract Supplementation on Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Function Parameters in Obese and Overweight Individuals: A Randomized Control Trial”. Authors: Padkao, T. et al.