Skip to main content

Build muscle and stamina with ‘fitness microdosing’ — the go-to for busy people

Incorporate short bursts of physical activity into your day with fitness microdosing

A man doing jumping jacks in his bedroom.
AntonioDiaz / Adobe Stock

Busy people usually don’t have time to head to the gym for a full-hour workout. Fitness microdosing involves splitting your exercise plan into manageable bite-size pieces. When you can’t block out the time for a longer workout session, you can perform quick bursts of movements and five to 10 minutes of physical fitness at a time.

What are the benefits of fitness microdosing?

man exercising in the office at work bulgarian split squat
Andrey Popov / Shutterstock

Fitness microdosing is an excellent way to improve your fitness over time and take your mind off the daily stresses. You’ll also get the rush of endorphins and boost of energy that exercise brings when you’re lagging and feeling sleepy any time of the day.

Recommended Videos

A break from the daily grind

daily grind man head in arms hands on desk laptop tired sleepy
Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash

Today, plenty of people spend many hours sitting behind a desk or looking down at a phone with a hunched and rounded spine. Fitness microdosing can improve your posture over time because it prompts you to step out from behind the desk or put the phone down and get moving and working your muscles. You’ll probably feel more refreshed getting back to work or resuming your daily duties after the exercise increases circulation and stimulates your brain. Research highlights how people who move more and engage in more physical activity scored better on memory and thinking tests. Exercise sharpens your brain.

How to incorporate fitness microdosing into your day

Calisthenics pushup to shoulder tap
Stígur Már Karlsson / Heimsmyndir / Getty Images

You can incorporate fitness microdosing into your day whenever it’s convenient for you. For example, if you’re at work or somewhere with stairs, you can start doing step-ups or you can perform Bulgarian split squats on a sturdy chair. Try setting a reminder to do high knees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, and 10 squats every hour or two in the afternoon.

It could be as simple as taking the stairs if you usually take the elevator or doing some squats while you fold laundry. Try to fit in sit-ups, push-ups, and planks before or after your morning coffee, depending on what suits you. These small changes make a bigger difference in the long run.

Fitness microdosing is a solution for the busy person

busy business man walking by water business suit sunglasses dressed sharp
The Lazy Artist Gallery / Pexels

Fitness microdosing is a worthwhile solution for busy professionals, stay-at-home parents, and other busy people. At the end of the day, some physical activity is better than none, and fitness microdosing is a convenient and rewarding way to get your body moving and boost your stamina and overall fitness.

Steph Green
Steph Green is a content writer specializing in healthcare, wellness, and nutrition. With over ten years of experience, she…
Does aerobic exercise help you maintain muscle mass? Researchers find out
Researchers measured the muscle mass of over 200 adults to assess the impact of aerobic exercise over time.
man running wearing black vest on treadmill cardio aerobic

You’ve probably heard powerlifters and bodybuilders warn against doing too much cardio and killing gains. Most people think of aerobic exercise as a way to shed pounds and trim the waistline, but building muscle, not so much. When we think about building muscle, most of us conjure up images like strength training, powerlifting, protein shakes, and chowing down on a big steak. While most of us know that aerobic exercise isn’t the main way to go when you really want to swell those muscles, recently, researchers wanted to explore if aerobic exercise helps you maintain muscle mass. Let’s look at the new research.
The study

In a study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, researchers set out to understand if aerobic exercise can help you maintain the muscle mass you already have, which is good to know, especially considering that people usually lose muscle mass with aging.

Read more
Light weights vs. heavy weights: Which approach is better for your fitness goals?
Discover which is ideal for building muscle
man powerlifting dead lift holding barbell competition

Whether you are a newbie in the gym or you are an experienced lifter who simply wants to see gains a bit faster, having an effective game plan in place is essential. What weights you choose with your lifts can make a big difference in your results. As a personal trainer, I have experimented with many lifting techniques, and light weights vs. heavy weights is one of them.

Keep reading to learn more about what weight you should reach for in the gym, as well as what strategies bodybuilders and powerlifters use!
Is it better to lift light or heavy weights?

Read more
Work every muscle with this complete full-body dumbbell workout — no gym needed
Increase your VO2 max, build muscle, burn fat, and torch calories with this full-body dumbbell workout
Man laying on workout bench doing chest presses with dumbbells

You can work your whole body from the comfort and privacy of home with a pair of dumbbells. While gym machines, kettlebells, resistance bands, and other gym equipment definitely have their benefits and uses, sometimes keeping it simple with two dumbbells is the way to go.

My first home workout equipment was a humble yoga mat and a pair of adjustable dumbbells. It allowed me to ease my way into it. A full-body dumbbell workout is an efficient way to fire up all of your major muscle groups, which is excellent news for those of us with a busy schedule. Let’s look at the ultimate full-body dumbbell workout and the benefits of using dumbbells.
The benefits of using dumbbells in your workout

Read more