Gout and the 7 Minute Workout

How to Exercise in Just 7 Minutes?

This post is for those gout sufferers who say they don’t have the time to exercise, they’re always too busy and don’t want to get off the couch. Well for those that don’t have the time and are always too busy I have a solution for you but for for those that don’t want to get off the couch…well that’s something you need to figure out on your own cause if watching TV is more important to you, then your gout is only going to get worse with time.

So what is this exercise time-saving solution? The 7 Minute Workout for time-conscious individuals! Yes you’ve probably heard or read about it, it has made waves over the last few years in the media and studies have shown that it is a very effective training exercise program that lasts 7 whole minutes and includes squats, push-ups, sit-ups and lunges. If you can’t find 7 minutes in a day to exercise then there is something wrong with you. If you want to keep those uric acid levels in a normal level, keep your heart rate up, stimulate your metabolism,strengthen your bones and maintain a healthy weight, exercise will make all those things much easier for you.

The 7 Minute Workout Explained

So what’s this 7 minute workout about? Very simple. 12 exercises where you only use your own body weight and all you need maybe is a chair and a wall to do these exercises. It demands a high intensity effort combining a cardiovascular workout and strength exercises in about 7 minutes time. This is a scientifically tested exercise program that works. The science behind this exercise program basically states that there good evidence that high intensity interval training provides the same benefits as exercise that is done over a period of an hour or more but at a slower pace. The main benefit of course here is saving time, doing just as much but packed in 7 minutes. Research from McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada proved that even a few minutes of intense exercise at maximum capacity produces the same molecular changes inside the muscles as spending several hours on a bike or running. Other studies seem to show this as well.

So the 12 exercises are performed one after the other as you see here in the diagram and the researchers recommend you spend 10 seconds after each exercise to recover and catch a breath. Make sure to follow the correct order since the order it is created provides rest for either your upper body or lower body muscles. The exercises should be performed in rapid succession allowing about 30 seconds for each.

The goal of the 7 minute routine is to make it discomforting for you and unpleasant, that’s how you’ll benefit from this program. The upside of course is that you are done in 7 minutes or so and you can go back to what you were doing. The pattern of the program works your total body, lower body, upper body and core. There’s a good mix of aerobic and resistance exercises which is important for a healthy balanced exercise program.

The truth is you won’t be truly fit in 7 minutes but for those of you that do exercise on a regular basis and have days where you simply have no time, this offers a solution to keep you fit. For those that don’t have the time cause you work 12 + hour days or something else keeps you busy from exercising for 60 minutes or more, then this solution can keep you fit and more importantly healthy.

For better results the researchers do recommend if you have the time to repeat the 7 Minute Workout 2 to 3 times. If you can repeat it 3 times, that’s a solid 20 minute workout! I’ve done it 3 times before and trust me you feel it. I personally like to do the 7 minute workout and combine it sometimes with either a bike ride for 30 minutes or some weight lifting cause at the end all 12 exercises are effective. It’ll raise your heart rate take it from me and that’s what us gout sufferers need since we are at an increased risk of developing heart disease. Don’t forget that exercise may also lower your uric acid levels in the blood so you can  limit those gout flares.

A Few Words of Advice

A 7 Minute Workout won’t burn you much calories if you are looking to lose weight, you’re going to have to put more effort into exercising than that but it gets those that don’t exercise going. Once you start with 7 minutes, you’ll quickly notice after a few weeks that your body is going to crave even more exercise so you’re going to want to give it more. 7 minutes will become 20 minutes, 20 minutes will become 40 minutes and so on. Why? Cause you are going to begin feeling better and feeling better is addictive, it gets your blood moving, your heart pumping and your body sweating. You’ll feel more relaxed, sleep better, move better and you won’t to go back to your couch potato ways. Trust me!

Remember to talk to your doctor before embarking on the 7 Minute Workout since it is not advisable for elderly, if you are previously injured, suffering from hypertension or suffering from heart disease already. The truth is that it won’t take 7 minutes the first, second or third time you start the 7 Minute Workout unless you’re in great shape. So don’t panic, you’ll get there with practise.

Start slow and do all 12 exercises at your own pace at first, then speed it up as you get fit and more comfortable with the program. Nobody expects you to do this program in 7 minutes off the first bat. For those that don’t exercise much, remember that some exercise is better than no exercise. There are 1,440 minutes in a day, there are no excuses where you can’t spare 7 of them.