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BOUNTIFUL — Finding time to workout is hard. But a new workout craze might be a solution.
For busy mother Elena Driggs, time is a hot commodity. "When I heard about the 15 minutes a week, I was like, 'What?'" she said.
It's called high-intensity interval training. Elena Driggs and her husband, Mike Driggs, jumped on a new trend.
"I'm always on the road, travel, a lot, but I can fit in once a week," Mike Driggs said.
They work out at Swift Fitness in Bountiful, part of a national franchise. The machines pack a punch in a short amount of time. Moving slowly, they cause resistance in both directions.
Owner Doug Cobabe opened the gym to fight his own struggles with obesity.
"I do it once a week for 15 minutes. You walk in and you wobble out because it works the muscles so well," he said.
A recent study in the Journals of Gerontology suggests short, intense workouts may help people of any age become healthier. Scientists studied old mice running uphill on treadmills for 10 minutes three times a week. Scientists found the old mice could endure high-intensity interval training and gain fitness and strength quickly, even if they start off feeble.
"It's quite beneficial," said physical therapist Linda Scholl with University of Utah Health. "The body gets to work extra hard at short interval and then it takes longer to recover so, therefore, your body tends to work harder during the recovery which makes your workout last, essentially, a little longer."
She said high-intensity interval training can help increase cardiac capacity and strength.
"When we push ourselves, we tend to grow and learn, and in that situation, our body learns as well," Scholl said.
We have a tendency to get stuck in a rut and do the same things over and over again. Like in our diets, variety in exercise is key.
–Linda Scholl, University of Utah Health
The training can tailor it to one's own abilities. "It basically can be anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes of intensity with variable rest," Scholl said.
Athletes have been doing high-intensity interval training types of workouts for a long time, along with other aerobic exercises. Cobabe and his team said a workout on their machines just once a week for 15 minutes is enough to see results.
But the American College of Sports Medicine says all adults should get moderate exercise for 30-60 minutes five days a week, or 20-60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise three days per week.
"We have a tendency to get stuck in a rut and do the same things over and over again," Scholl said. "Like in our diets, variety in exercise is key."
For Elena Driggs, the short workouts have a lasting effect.
"It works. It really works. You can see the results," she said.
If you have cardiac problems or questions about your health, consult a doctor before beginning any new workout regimen.
