Probably the most frequently asked question we get is, “Just how long is long enough for a good workout?” Well, that depends on just what your goal is. An effective workout can range from several hours to as little as 4 minutes using varying degrees of intensity. All workouts are NOT created equally.
If you are training for a marathon, going for a 15 minute run is a good start but at some point you are going to have to put in some serious running time.
If your main goal is to lose weight, running hundreds of miles outside or on a treadmill will help but it’s an awfully slow approach. You are better off using very shot, very intense workouts to get your metabolism revved up and racing, speeding fat loss. (I remember that after training for several months 5 to 6 days a week using long runs so that I could do a marathon, I still had a higher body-fat percentage than in a month of doing short, high intensity interval training.
If you are training for a sport, any sport, or for general overall fitness, it is best to mix up your training so that your body is constantly adjusting to a new regiment. This keeps you in tip top shape with less overall effort. (Remember, if you do the same workout day in and day out, your body will get used to it and will not have to work as hard. This means, you will begin to burn calories slower. Why? Survival 101. The body is designed to use as little energy as possible so that it can survive longer. If you wish to change your body composition, change up your workouts.)
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to exercise. All exercise is beneficial in some way, (despite what shady companies that hock crap products may say). However, with a little thought about what your ultimate goal is going to be, you can build your exercise around it and drastically increase your results.
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