By Dr. Tara Pandiscia, PT, DPT, PYT
Do you feel like you don’t have time to exercise? Sometimes the thought of a long workout session can be overwhelming, especially when we are busy or tired. It might seem easier to just skip it altogether... We’ve all been there! Enter the “movement snack” concept! Adding in short bouts of exercise throughout your day can add up and help you meet your physical activity goals.
There’s even research to back it up - new research has shown that even just 1 minute of daily exercise can make a difference in functional strength! In the study, older adults were prescribed 30 seconds of squats + 30 seconds of push-ups daily. The results suggested that just this 1-minute exercise prescription was feasible and effective for improving functional physical fitness in older adults. (1)
You can add in movement snacks by adding in a 5-10 minute walk during your day, setting timers throughout the day to remind you to get up and move, or you could #habitstack and add in exercise with daily tasks that are already part of your routine, such as standing on one leg while in the checkout lane at the grocery store, holding a wall sit every time you brush your teeth, or every time you walk into the kitchen you do 5 squats or sit to stands. Try to find a way that works for you to make these snacks part of your everyday.
A few of our favorite “snacks” include squats or sit-to-stands, wall sits, one leg balance, push-ups (floor or counter level both work), walking, and planks. Maybe it’s 1 minute or 5 minutes, but it all adds up!
TheStudio@RTC is a Virginia Beach yoga studio featuring mindful performance and therapeutic yoga. Classes are taught by our expert yoga instructors and physical therapists.
(1) Sciamanna,C.N., Ladwig, M.A., Conroy, D.E., Schmitz, K.H., Silvis, M.L., Ballentine, N.H., Auer, B.J., Danilovich, M.K., (2021). Feasibility and impact of a 1-minute daily functional exercise regimen prescribed to older adults by their primary care physician. Preventive Medicine Reports, Volume 21, 101307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101307
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