Exercise snacks: Get in shape

What is a micro-workout or exercise snack?

Nano-workouts, micro-workouts, exercise snacks... Have you ever heard these terms? They all encompass the same concept: they are very brief, intense exercises of less than a minute, designed to be performed throughout the day, break up your routine and take advantage of any opportunity to activate the body.

Exercise snacks have gone viral due to their multiple advantages... And they're not just psychological! Physical activity has been shown to help prevent and control diseases related to sedentary lifestyles, such as rheumatic diseases, heart disease or stroke, among many other conditions.

Here are some benefits of exercise snacks:

• They allow you to exercise without having to go to the gym.
• You do not need sports equipment to carry them out, since you only need your own body.
• You don't need to organise your day around sports, rather this physical exercise adapts to the situation you are in: office, work at home, travel, etc.
• For those whose lives are very sedentary, micro-workouts or exercise snacks can be the ideal solution for physical exercise.
• These exercise snacks improve the cardiovascular system, strength and balance in the core area, as all parts of the body can be involved.

Examples of exercise snacks

Considering the busy pace of modern life, we provide you with examples of exercise snacks that are very easy to do at home or in the office.

• Forget taking the lift: opt for the stairs instead of the lift, both to go up and down.
• Walk fast: incorporate bursts of speed during your daily walk, whether on your way to work or when returning home.
• Wall push-ups or wall pilates: if you have to get up from the chair for a moment, take the opportunity to do 10 standing wall push-ups to strengthen your back and arm muscles.
• Squats: When you get up, take the opportunity to perform 10 quick squats. This way, you strengthen your leg muscles and glutes.
• Stretching: Get out of the chair every hour and stretch your muscles. How? Stand on tiptoes and stretch your arms upward.