# 7 minute workout...does it work out?



## ae1905 (Jun 7, 2014)

businessinsider.com

When I first heard about the 7-Minute Workout, an app that promises the benefits of a sweaty bike ride and a trip to the gym in just a few minutes, I thought it was all hype.

But as it turns out, the app, well, works you out.

I tried it for the first time last year, and I'm still hooked, so I recently got in touch with Chris Jordan, the director of exercise physiology at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute and the person behind the Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout, to get some insight into how it works.

For me, the app is perfect for weekends, or when I can't make it to a yoga class, or as something fun to do with a friend at home.
*View As: One Page Slides*


*First thing's first — the entire workout really takes just seven minutes. I initially was skeptical I could accomplish this much in such a narrow time frame.*









Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute

*It consists of 72 exercises like jumping jacks, sit-ups, and push-ups. Ten require nothing but your body, and for others, you'll need a chair that can support your weight. The latest version of the app lets you do each exercise along with Jordan.*









Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute

*To do my workout, all I used was a yoga mat, the hardwood floor of my office, a wall, and a stool.*









Business Insider/Erin Brodwin

*The first four exercises I did — 30 seconds each of jumping jacks, wall sits, push-ups, and crunches, with 10 seconds of rest in between — were easy. I started to think the workout was all hype.*









Business Insider/Erin Brodwin

*But by the time I got to planks, I was starting to feel a bit winded. At this point, I'd also finished the step-ups onto a chair, the squats, and the triceps dips. Four more exercises to go.*









Business Insider/Erin Brodwin

*Next, it was running in place with my knees as high as I could get them, lunging, alternating push-ups and rotations (raising one arm in the air while balancing on the other), and side planks (aligning your body sideways and balancing on one hand and the side of one foot).*









Business Insider/Erin Brodwin

*Full set of 12 exercises complete!*









Business Insider/Erin Brodwin



*In the end, the workout was actually a workout. Still, I wasn't totally wiped, and I felt as if I could do a bit more. So I did a second set.*


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Business Insider/Erin Brodwin

*The idea of a workout you can do in minutes was originally envisioned by Jordan, an exercise physiologist. Here is personal trainer and study partner, Brett Klika, demonstrating one of the workouts.*













_Sources: American College of Sports Medicine's Health & Fitness Journal, 



_ 
*The concept behind the workout is interval training — short, intense periods of exercise broken up by brief periods of rest. Jordan told me he based the workout on his experience as a fitness consultant for the US Air Force in Europe.*









Flickr / DVIDSHUB
_Sources: International Journal of Cardiology, ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, Sports Medicine_

*The approach is less time-consuming than a traditional workout, but studies suggest it may be more beneficial for building muscle and protecting the heart. "High-intensity interval training can provide similar or greater benefits in less time than traditional longer, moderate-intensity workouts," Jordan said.*









Flickr/Nathan Rupert
_Sources: International Journal of Cardiology, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise_

*I'm satisfied overall with the 7-Minute Workout, and I've been doing it every so often since I first tried it as an addition to my regular yoga routine. But don't take my word for it — try it.*









Erin Brodwin / Business Insider


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## koalamort (Dec 21, 2012)

Yeah, I've done it before and I think it's great for anyone who doesn't have much space/time to do other workouts. Clearly it's different from long cardio/weight-training, etc. It helped me hold a plank position for a decent amount of time as well  
If you've never worked out/don't like working out, I think it's a nice and easy place to start.


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## The red spirit (Sep 29, 2015)

Is it faster version of HIIT?


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## ai.tran.75 (Feb 26, 2014)

I've done it before -bit worked for me , and they're fun and easy to squeeze in - however I do run around all day so unsure if it's only 7 mins of workout a day 


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## NAC (Nov 16, 2015)

Unless you live a busy life where it's your only option next to not working out at all, I wouldn't really recommend anyone to do just 7 minutes of workout, rather than simply taking time to do things properly.
Problem with these "do a lot of everything in a short time"-workouts, are that either they will be too low on intensity for each muscle, to bring any note worthy progress in terms of musclemass after just a few months(in those first few months it will be limited progress even for someone starting in bad/untrained shape). And if you actually do use high intensity for each muscle, you'll end up with same issue as seen in crossfit environments; that your execution and technique will suffer greatly because of the accumulated stress and exhaustion of trying to do so much within such short time, effectively being a highway to injuries, rather than results. Documented example from competetive crossfit: http://thebarbellspin.com/functional-fitness/pec-tears-at-regionals-23-and-counting/ Many of these are even experienced athletes, who are already conditioned to these kind of high intensity/short time workouts.

Do these kind of workouts with a lot of care for injuries and accept that you can't push all the intensity of a one hour workout into 7 minutes without risk. Instead, simply see it as a fine way to get some cardio- and muscle activation, for days where you were unable to perform a workout of normal length. There's nothing magical about the 7 minutes - if you got 20 minutes and are willing to use that time, do so instead.


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## ninjahitsawall (Feb 1, 2013)

Was going to say before I got to that part of the article, it sounds like it's based on the concept of interval training. In researching workouts for myself I leaned more towards this type because I am trying to gain weight (more so lean mass, but really overall), and to do so you're supposed to minimize cardio and less intense, longer workouts, and instead focus on anaerobic ("bodybuilding"), higher intensity activity. 

I do similar workouts to this but they are organized in rounds, like 4 exercises repeated 3 times or something, 30-45 sec each with only 10-20 second breaks (depending on the routine), totalling 20-30 minutes including warmup and cooldown. Im usually maxed out by the end. Haven't tried this one, but I'd imagine it's similar since she says she was able to repeat it (14 mins)


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## EndsOfTheEarth (Mar 14, 2015)

So high school gym class circa 1970's basically. Revolutionary.


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## titanII (Jan 11, 2017)

HIIT is awesome. This ain't HIIT...


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## ninjahitsawall (Feb 1, 2013)

titanII said:


> HIIT is awesome. This ain't HIIT...


lol it's HIIT "inspired".


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## la_revolucion (May 16, 2013)

My opinion is that this is great for people going from completely sedentary to dipping their toe in the water of fitness. However, you will quickly level out of this, and if you are hoping for that rocking beach body, this isn't going to get you there. You will eventually need to up your program for further results or to at least combat boredom if you find that you actually want to do more.

On a more personal note, I am in general not a huge fan of workouts that are advertised as "quick and easy" and are too generically short-term. It's one thing if your short-term goal as an experienced athlete is to shave down a time or increase your weight lifting load. It's another when you are a beginner and need to adopt a long-term and sustainable fitness plan. I think it messes with people's expectations a bit.


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## Caveman Dreams (Nov 3, 2015)

ninjahitsawall said:


> lol it's HIIT "inspired".


Not yet tried a HIIT class but am aiming to do so soon.

Ive gone class mad now Im at a gym not far from where I work. Find I push myself more.


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## pwowq (Aug 7, 2016)

Caveman Dreams said:


> Not yet tried a HIIT class but am aiming to do so soon.
> 
> Ive gone class mad now Im at a gym not far from where I work. Find I push myself more.


Put on shoes, warm-up jog 5 min, run like mad for 1 minute, rest 1 minute. Do 3 repetitions per session 3 times per week. Increase by 1 repetition every 3rd week until you hit 5 repetitions. Then start over at 3 repetitions, 2 minutes. 

Have fun for 6 months now. 

Preferably you add this HIIT-workout to your regular workout schedule.


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## brightflashes (Oct 27, 2015)

I had a back injury which made it dangerous for me to be as active as I would have liked there for a few years. When I was able to finally bounce back from that, I found that the 7 minute workout was very effective for someone who is generally out of shape and is getting back into exercising. I don't know how it would affect someone in the long term because I actually enjoy working out longer than 7 minutes. After about 3-4 months of the 7 minute workout, I had extended the workout to about 15 minutes and at around 6 months, I was back to my previous level of activity (three aerobic days/three flexibility/toning exercises/1 day of rest).


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## Sylarz (Sep 4, 2014)

I feel lazy if I only work out for an hour. If it works for you, power to you.


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## Pisces_infp (Jul 27, 2017)

Hiit!


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## Kittens Are Awesome (Jun 11, 2017)

Sylarz said:


> I feel lazy if I only work out for an hour. If it works for you, power to you.


What do you mean by only work out for an hour? You mean an hour per day or an hour per week?


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## cuddle bun (Jun 2, 2017)

I'm a big fan of "don't let perfection be the enemy of action" (something I have to remind myself of constantly because I have some perfectionist tendencies)

so without looking up any details about 7 minute workout I think it's probably a good thing.

kind of like "the best camera is the one you have with you"...the best exercise is the one you're doing


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## ShatteredHeart (Jul 11, 2014)

7 Minute workout, showed me some decent gains early on, but after 2 wees, I hit a wall. It's not really meant as a training regiment, its more for maintaining when you don't have the ability to do your daily workout routine. I transitioned to Neilaey.com (now Darebee.com)

Under the "90 days of action" program, I was able to shed almost 30 lbs. Id doesn't require any equipment, but does need a little more space than & minute.


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## Sylarz (Sep 4, 2014)

Kittens Are Awesome said:


> What do you mean by only work out for an hour? You mean an hour per day or an hour per week?


Per day

well per work out, 3-5 times a week.

But that's lifting weights, so for cardio anything less than 30 minutes and I feel lazy.


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## ae1905 (Jun 7, 2014)

The best time of day to exercise, according to the creator of the viral 7-minute workout
Best time of day to exercise or workout - Business Insider Deutschland


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