The case for HIIT: Why short, intense workouts are so good for your fitness and longevity

• Short, intense workout could help you get fit faster, and boost your health, research suggests.
• A new study found 1-minute intervals of high-intensity exercise helped people recover better from stroke.

A few minutes of high-intensity exercise can make a big difference to your health, according to science.

Short bursts of exercise helped people make nearly twice the fitness gains, and recover better after a stroke, than more moderate workouts, according to a study published August 8 in Stroke, a journal of the American Heart Association.

The findings offer encouraging evidence that people can safely exercise at a high intensity after a stroke.

Plus, this study adds to a growing field of evidence that small-but-mighty workouts can pay big dividends for our health.

The new study, explained

Researchers from McGill University and McMaster University in Canada studied 82 stroke survivors, between 40 and 80 years old, who underwent an exercise program. Both groups used a stepper exercise machine, and worked out three days a week for 12 weeks.

Half of the participants were assigned a 19-minute, high-intensity workout — fully exerting themselves for one minute, followed by one minute of gentle exercise, then repeating the cycle.

The others did a moderate intensity workout — 20-30 minutes exercising at 40-60% heart rate, this kind of effort you might exert jogging.

By the end of the study, the high-intensity group saw their fitness level (measured by VO2 max) improve by twice as much as the moderate group. They also maintained the benefits at eight weeks of follow-up.

"With the right support and guidance, stroke survivors can safely and effectively engage in high-intensity interval training, significantly improving their overall health and recovery," Kevin Moncion, lead author of the study and physiotherapist at McMaster University, said in a press release.

'Exercise snacks' may help prevent early death

The significance of this study extends beyond stroke survivors.

Increasingly, research shows that small sessions of activity (sometimes called exercise snacks) can also prevent a stroke. There are other benefits, too: bursts of movement like taking the stairs may help you live a longer, healthier life, research suggests.

Multiple studies have found every minute can add up to lower risk of dying early from any cause, helping to stave off cancer and heart disease, and stroke.

An easy way to start fitting exercise into your day is trying "trigger workouts," quick sets of bodyweight squats, push-ups. Personal trainers recommend tacking on these micro workouts on to activities already in your routine, like making a cup of coffee or taking a bathroom break, to help you get healthier in a few minutes of movement at a time.