Buzz
The New York Times recently unveiled a speedy workout plan that can be done anywhere, even on days when visiting the gym isn’t feasible. I decided to give it a try, but honestly, am I the only one bothering with these?
On the surface, brief, high-intensity workouts sound appealing. If you’re not exercising regularly, it’s likely due to a perceived lack of time. But are people genuinely committing to these short routines? Sure, I can spare nine minutes and find some floor space, but is it worth sweating through my work clothes? And if I’m already changing, why not just go for a run or fire up Sworkit or Nike Training Club for a more comprehensive session?
The seven-minute workout, which sparked The New York Times’ fascination with ultra-short exercise routines, has an interesting backstory. It was featured in a scientific journal, but that doesn’t mean researchers verified its practicality or effectiveness. Instead, it was crafted based on insights from prior studies, aiming to deliver a compact strength session intense enough to double as cardio. The creators were trainers from a corporate wellness institute—essentially, professionals hired by employers to encourage employee fitness.
While we enjoy discussing these quick workouts, there’s little proof that people are eager to squeeze in a few minutes of strength or circuit training. The new nine-minute routine was introduced earlier this month, but after scouring social media, I found almost no one raving or ranting about their experience—just endless posts sharing its existence.
So, What’s the Verdict on the Nine-Minute Workout?
First things first, the so-called nine-minute workout actually spans 11 minutes. Just a heads-up before you dive in. It consists of nine exercises, each performed for one minute. Here’s the breakdown:
One minute of squats, followed by one minute of push-ups, and then one minute of mountain climbers.
Take a one-minute rest.
Next, one minute of forearm plank, one minute of jumping split squats, and one minute of single-leg hip bridges.
Another one-minute rest.
Finally, one minute of burpees with push-ups (yes, it’s intense), one minute of single-leg toe touches, and one minute of leg raises.
This workout feels like it’s caught in an identity crisis. The New York Times promotes it as a strength-building routine but also claims it’s designed around the principles of high-intensity interval training, or H.I.I.T.
In the end, it becomes a hybrid that doesn’t fully deliver on either goal. If you aim to build strength by exhausting your legs with split squats, you’ll likely finish before the minute is up. Conversely, if you try to stretch the exercises to fill the full minute, you’ll end up working at a pace too slow for true HIIT.
That’s precisely how this workout played out. For some exercises, a minute felt excessively long, while for others, it was too brief. Overall, it didn’t quite deliver the experience of a strength session or an interval workout. That said, it was decent for what it aimed to be—a quick activity that engages your body far more effectively than staying seated at your desk or couch for the same duration. However, if that’s your objective, there are more effective exercise routines out there than this somewhat clumsy one.
