You’re busy. You can’t always carve out 45 minutes to hit the gym. But new science says you don’t have to. Dubbed “exercise snacks”, short (5-10min) workouts can be as beneficial as longer bouts, the classic being 45mins. But is it?

A recent review of 11 studies across Canada, Australia, China and the UK shows that two or more short bursts of moderate-to-intense activity—each session under five minutes—can measurably improve cardio and pulmonary fitness in sedentary adults. Even without hitting WHO’s weekly benchmarks.

What They Did

They gathered data from 414 participants, ages 18 to 75, most of whom were inactive before the trials. These people were tasked with bursts of movement between 2 and 10 times daily, lasting up to 5 minutes each.
Moves varied: stair climbs, lunges, resistance work, tai chi for older or lower-fitness folks. The trials ran from 4 to 12 weeks.

Here’s the kicker — 83 % of participants stuck with the program. That’s higher than what many HIIT or long workout studies report.

And the improvements? Statistically significant gains in cardiorespiratory fitness, even though they didn’t hit standard exercise volume targets. Younger people saw bigger heart/lung gains. Older ones got better muscular endurance.

Why It’s Legit

This isn’t just a gimmick. The body responds to stress — and even small, frequent stresses add up.

Think of it like compound interest. Each mini bout nudges your circulatory system, breathing mechanics, capillary density, mitochondrial function. You may not get the jump you would from an hour session, but you chip away, day by day.

And psychologically? It’s easier to swallow. You’re not planning a workout — you’re fitting in rapid hits of effort. That means fewer skipped days.

Where It Falls Short

• These studies were short-term (max 12 weeks). We don’t yet know how “snacks” compare to full workouts over years.
• The biggest gains were in younger folks. For older, deconditioned individuals, the results were slower.
• It’s still not an excuse to never do long workouts. For hypertrophy, strength, mobility — you’ll need other bulk sessions.
• Intensity control matters. Move too softly, and you won’t trigger adaptation. Too hard, and risk injury if you’re unprepared.

How You Use It

If you’re inactive, or older starting small and slow is the way to go.

• Pick 2–4 times daily where you can interrupt your day (stairs, short hallway, back yard).
• Do 3–5 minutes of a move that gets your breathing up: lunges, bodyweight squats, push-ups, stair climbs.
• Scale down as needed: chair stands, light resistance, tai chi movements for older or novice trainees.
• Track consistency. Don’t fret about weekly totals—worry about showing up more days.
• Layer this on top of your normal programming, or use it as your foundation if you’re just getting off the couch.

In the end, you don’t need perfect conditions or hours of free time to see gains in heart and lung function. Two intentional, high-effort movement snacks a day will move the needle. It’s not full workouts, but it’s damned better than nothing — and for many, it might be the gateway to doing more.