The 20-minute Workout: How Cutting Time and Increasing Efficiency May Yield Better Results

How many times have you planned to fit in a workout, only to watch the day fill up with desk work, back-to-back meetings, family responsibilities, and sheer mental exhaustion? For many of us, carving out a solid hour to exercise feels less like self-care and more like another impossible item on an already packed to-do list.

That’s where exercise snacking comes in. As traditional, hour-long workouts are fitting less seamlessly into modern lifestyles, many people are turning to shorter intervals of movement instead. Exercise snacking relies on brief, strategic bursts of activity spread throughout the day, making fitness feel far more doable (and a lot less intimidating).

A Closer Look at What Exercise Snacking Is

Exercise snacking involves short, intentional bursts of physical activity spread throughout the day. Rather than setting aside a big chunk of time for the gym, movement is broken into multiple brief sessions throughout the day, typically lasting between two and 10 minutes. Examples of exercise snacks include doing a set of squats while waiting for your coffee to brew, climbing the stairs during a work break, or knocking out 30 to 60 seconds of lunges every two to three hours. Each “snack” is efficient, purposeful, and designed to fit into even the busiest days.

Why Exercise Snacking Works

Snackable workouts may sound minor, but they offer real health and fitness benefits.

ISSA certified personal trainer Jenny Liebl says, “Simply getting up and moving, walking to the mailbox, or even jogging to the mailbox can make a difference. Depending on the activity, movement throughout the day can positively affect fitness levels. Moving some is always better than not moving at all.”

Exercise snacking is especially beneficial for those who have desk jobs. Liebl explains how snacking throughout the day allows you to stand up, change positions, and move your joints out of prolonged flexion. “You can extend those joints, improve posture, get blood flowing, stretch, and activate your muscles, all of which help counteract the negative effects of sitting for long periods,” she says. “Getting up five, six, or seven times a day, or even just two or three times a day, can make a meaningful difference in fitness if they aren’t doing that already.” 

Those who incorporate consistent snacking into their routine are seeing results, too. Growing research shows that short, frequent activity breaks can stabilize glucose levels, support heart health, build strength, and enhance cognitive function, helping you feel overall better throughout your day.

In 2023, one study examined 26 female participants stair climbing in sets of 20-second bursts (followed by two-minute recovery periods). After four weeks of consistent activity, data revealed not only a reduction in BMI but an improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness.

When it comes to exercise snacks, efficiency matters most. You don’t need 45 uninterrupted minutes to see and feel the benefits; instead, utilize the intensity of your workout to make it more beneficial in less time.

What Movements Work Best for Exercise Snacking?

Always keep in mind: exercise snacking thrives on simplicity. These movement categories fit perfectly for these types of intervals:

Lower Body

• Squats or squat pulses
• Lunges (forward, backward, side)
• Stair climbs
• Calf raises

Upper Body

• Wall or countertop push-ups
• Arm circles or shoulder presses (with or without light weights)

Core

• Planks
• Glute bridges
• Seated leg lifts

Cardio Bursts

• High knees
• Jumping jacks
• March in place with arms overhead

Many of these exercises can easily incorporate weights and exercise bands to increase the intensity and help you build muscle more quickly.

(Pro tip: Exercise bands can also help you maintain proper form during certain exercises (e.g., squats and glute bridges), intensifying your workout and, as a result, getting the most out of each interval.)

Getting Started With Exercise Snacking

When getting started with exercise snacking, success comes down to balancing three key factors: how often you move, how long each “snack” lasts, and how hard you push yourself.

Frequency/Quantity

If you’re a beginner, it’s best to start slow. “I wouldn’t recommend six times a day for someone who’s starting from zero,” Liebl says. “Maybe we start with once or twice a day, build consistency, and then increase frequency over time.” As you add sessions, you can begin to spread them out throughout the day—morning, midday, afternoon, and early evening are handy checkpoints. 

Duration

However long you choose your “snacks” to be, Liebl says, depends on what you can realistically fit into your day. Whether you only have a minute to get in a quick set of squats between calls or a brisk 10-minute walk between meetings, every snackable movement that you do is better than none. Each activity can range from two to 10 minutes, depending on the type of exercise you’re doing and the time you have available. 

Intensity

The key to finding the sweet spot in your workouts, according to Liebl, is to make sure it’s realistic so it feels more approachable.

She recommends “starting slow and low, just like with any exercise plan.” Keep the effort easy to moderate while maintaining an elevated heart rate. If you’re more experienced, you can gradually increase the intensity of your workouts by increasing the weight, duration, and number of reps per set.

Is Exercise Snacking Worth It?

“Don’t knock it until you try it,” Liebl says. “Even if it’s just once or twice a day, get up and move around and see how you feel. You might think you don’t need to stand up from your desk, but once you do, you may notice your back feels better, or your knee pain improves. Just try it. If it works for you, great. If it doesn’t, that’s fine too. But chances are, you’ll feel some kind of benefit.”