'7 THINGS I LEARNED DOING ONLY 7-MINUTE WORKOUTS FOR A WEEK'

7 minute workouts are big trade in the fitness world. From YouTube sensation, PT Lucy Wyndham-Read's seven-minute workouts that rack up over 96 million views each, to fitness apps that deal solely with seven-minute workouts, short bursts of exercise seem to be the new stretchy-lycra.

Not familiar? Well, it's really a does-what-it-says-on-the-tin type of phenomenon: exercising for seven minutes only. The type of workout varies, although the majority are HIIT-based, and can be scaled depending on what your fitness abilities are.

According to research, a 7 minute workout can reap some major rewards – with one study finding that seven minutes of bodyweight high-intensity exercise can improve your muscular strength, insulin sensitivity and V02 max. Woah.

Keep reading for a breakdown of their pros and cons, as well as what happened when I swapped my normal workout routine for seven days of 7-minute workouts.

What are the benefits of a 7 minute workout?

• Time-efficient
• Easy to fit into most schedules
• Great for beginners
• Non-intimidating
• Cardio fitness gains

'The benefits of seven-minute workouts are that they can easily fit into most peoples schedules,' explains Ste McGrath, owner and founder of Get Results Training. 'With many of us often feeling like there aren't enough hours in the day and therefore making excuses to not set aside time to workout, seven minutes is a very flexible and time-efficient way to build this into your routine.'

What are the drawbacks of a 7 minute workout?

On the flip side, the fact the workouts are so short can mean you don't make them a priority.

'The drawbacks of seven-minute workouts are that there is, of course, only so much you can fit in in this short space of time,' says McGrath. 'The fact that they're only seven minutes means that there's potential to keep pushing it back throughout the day and then perhaps not getting round to doing it.' Err, guilty as charged.

It is also true that, as with any 'generic' exercise approach (workout splits for the win), if you have very specific goals, 7-minute workouts may not get you exactly where you want to go.

Is 7 minutes of exercise a day enough?

Enough is a funny word because we all have different goals. If you're fresh as a green banana to exercise then seven minutes of exercise may be all you feel is realistic to commit to at the beginning. If you're a fitness lover, who requires a good 30-minute sweat every day to feel right then seven minutes probably won't be "enough".

Some guidelines we can work from are the NHS weekly activity guidelines – what the National Health Service recommend UK adults do every week to stay fit and well.

'The physical activity guidelines in the UK for adults aged 19 to 64 suggest that we should strive for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity or several short sessions of very vigorous-intensity activity,' explains Daine Mitchell, Maximuscle's fitness expert.

'Very vigorous activity includes HIIT, circuit training, interval running ie. all of the training we recommend for micro-workouts. With this in mind, one seven-minute workout daily may only just be enough to meet these guidelines, but if you pair these with increased general activity you will soon be at your target or above. You can do this by reducing time sitting, lying down or breaking up long periods of not moving.' says Daine Mitchell. (Daily walk anyone?)

Does a 7 minute workout help you to lose weight?

Here’s the thing – weight loss is dependant on many factors, including energy in vs energy out (the number of calories you consume in a day and the amount you burn doing various activities, including exercise). Doing a 7 minute workout regularly may help you to increase the number of calories you burn in a day, however, being realistic, it’s probably not going to make a huge difference if your goal is to lose fat.

To safely and sustainably lose weight, most experts would recommend first increasing your overall daily activity (so, upping your step count and standing time by walking whenever possible) and adopting a balanced and nutritious eating plan (after consulting with your doctor or another healthcare professional) which promotes a marginal calorie deficit that’s totally personal to you. It’s really important, if you are looking to lose weight, to seek the support of an expert (such as a doctor or dietician) where possible to minimise associated physical and mental health risks.

What are the exercises in a 7 minute workout?

A 7 minute workout can comprise of almost any and all types of exercises which target all muscle groups. The seven-minute workouts I tried for this challenge featured resistance movements including squats, push-ups and planks, and cardiovascular exercises, such as burpees.

A lot of seven-minute workouts focus mainly on bodyweight exercises for safety and efficiency. It’s not wise to rush through barbell movements, for instance, as you’ll increase your risk of injury.

7 things I learned doing a 7 minute workout every day for a week

Before this snappy experiment, I was used to exercising for anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes a day. It varied as the weather changed and outdoor walks became more accessible but a good week would see me do five 45 minute workouts per week along with a few power walks in the park.

However, I was becoming bored and didn't look forward to my workouts in the same way. There was nothing that seemed to have that spark – a malaise due to a year of working out at home, I'm sure. So, working out for seven minutes a day was set to be a challenge. Challenging in that I would have to pull back and give my all to something much shorter in length than I was used to.

Scroll on for the seven things I learned doing a 7 minute workout every day.

The weekly line-up:

• Monday: Fitness Blender's seven-minute interval training workout
• Tuesday: Seven-minute core and low-back strengthening workout
• Wednesday: Lucy Wyndham-Read's seven-minute workout for fat loss
• Thursday: HasFit's seven-minute standing ab workout
• Friday: Lower body strength circuit of squat variations, lunges and glute bridges
• Saturday: Karen Lloyd's 7-minute Pilates workout
• Sunday: Full body HIIT circuit of burpees, press-ups, squats, walk-outs, reverse lunges, sit-ups and planks

1. You've got to really push yourself

Unsurprisingly, you get out what you put in with seven-minute workouts. They're so short that there isn't the usual five to ten-minute 'ease in' period most workouts have. With that in mind, I had to show up ready to work. Fortunately, it's not that hard to motivate yourself to do seven minutes of exercise. 'Over before you know it,' was my mantra and it stuck fast.

'Due to their short length, to get the most out of them you'll want to go hard and as such the risk of injury is something to watch out for, advises Eastnine trainer, Kimmy Modlinger-Ali.

'Low-level intensity for seven minutes isn't going to provide results. The shorter the time frame the higher the intensity should be generally speaking,' advises McGrath.

2. If you're a beginner, they're a great way to get started

I had already tried a seven-minute workout before, Lucy Wyndham-Read's to be precise, so I already knew they were a popular option for beginners and people just getting into fitness. What I didn't realise was that they are also great for people who have fallen slightly out of lust with working out too.

Mitchell helped to explain why this is: 'Seven-minute workouts can be a fantastic way for beginners or those with a sedentary lifestyle to become fitter. They are the perfect time frame to develop the habit of exercising regularly, which can be extremely motivating and rewarding.'

'A common mistake I often see with those starting fitness is trying to do too much too soon which usually leads to giving up on their goals and reverting back to their previous lifestyle.

'For those that have been exercising for a while, seven-minute workouts can also be a brilliant way to maintain current fitness levels when life becomes a little crazy and getting to the gym or squeezing in a longer session can become difficult,' he explains.

3. Some types of exercises are better suited to a 7 minute workout than others

Because of how short the workouts are, seven minutes felt like an accomplishment after I'd done a high-intensity workout. But the day I did a short strength circuit, it really didn't feel like enough.

With most strength training workouts and especially lower body strength workouts featuring activation circuits to engage muscles before working out, seven minutes felt like a warm-up.

'Some of the most effective types of exercise you can do in a short time frame are workouts that are generally higher in intensity. Think Tabata (20 seconds of work followed by ten-second rest), HIIT circuits, running intervals, or continuous seven-minute AMRAPs (as many rounds/reps as possible),' says Mitchell.

4. They won't necessarily help to change your body composition but you can improve your fitness

We all know that losing weight well (that means safely and sustainably) comes down to moving more, good nutrition and looking after your stress and sleep hygiene. But can seven minutes of movement alone be enough to help people lose body fat? It depends, the experts say.

'Seven-minute workouts, when combined with a calorie deficit, a well thought out nutrition plan and other activity throughout the day can be an effective way to lose body fat,' says McGrath. 'As a singular approach, without incorporating the other factors outlined, then no, it would not be enough.'

But don't be disheartened. While you may need longer workouts and more variation to lose body fat, there are still fitness gains to be made with short, sharp workouts.

'You can actually do a lot in seven minutes,' says McGrath. 'There are effective ways that you can use this time to improve your fitness by focusing on high-intensity short workouts. If you keep doing them you should see yourself increase the number of reps you're able to do within the seven minutes overtime.'

5. They can help build self-confidence

Keeping a promise to yourself is a great way to build self-confidence and self-trust. And keeping your promise to work out, even for seven minutes, is a great way to get started, especially if you're at the beginning of your fitness journey.

'A seven-minute workout is a great way to start to get fit,' says PT Modlinger-Ali. 'They say it takes 21-days to form a habit, so seven-minute workouts are the perfect way to get into a routine and really keep your motivation high. Once you're there, they're also great for helping you mix things up and get that burst of endorphins when you need them.'

I found writing down my plan for the week and ticking each workout off as it went really buoyed me for the rest of the day. Small wins – tick!

6. It was difficult to prioritise form

One of the downsides of the workouts being so short is that it's quite difficult to prioritise form. The intervals are speedy and the workouts being over and done with so quickly, stopping to think (and correct) form basically goes out the window.

Plus, not warming up and cooling down got pretty dull after the second day, when my knees started to throb. Longer workouts have the luxury of built-in warm-ups and cool-downs to make sure your muscles are adequately ready/repaired.

7. They shouldn't be a like for like replacement for a more robust workout plan

Whilst there are many upsides to doing such short workouts – it gave me much more time back in my day, for example – I knew in my heart that it wasn't to be a long-term relationship. By the end of the week, I felt rested and energised but not like I had become any stronger. More, that I had maintained the fitness I had already had.

'Seven-minute workouts are great for days you're short on time and can’t fit a full workout in. But use them as a tool rather than to replace more traditional training sessions,' advises personal trainer and Barre instructor, Aimee Victoria Long. 'You want your body to be "active" for at least 30 minutes per day.'

Need some inspiration for your next workout plan?

• This four week HIIT plan for beginners is a great place to get started
• Kayla Itsines four week home workout guide will get you fitter and stronger
• Alice Liveing designed a 28-day fitness challenge to help you grow familiar with the basics of strength training

Verdict

I'm going to be straight with you, whilst they were enjoyable, and a good buddy in my valley of fitness motivation darkness, seven-minute workouts aren't the be-all and end-all for me. What they are is a great tool to have in my back pocket when on holiday (remember those?) or when life and work get very busy and carving out my usual exercise time becomes too hard. I'd give them a... seven out of ten. Geddit? Ok, I'm done.

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