You can do a lot in 60 seconds, from brushing your teeth to giving your dog a really good belly rub. But getting a workout? It seems like that should probably take longer than a single minute.
As it turns out, chopping your exercise into tiny, intense bits can be an effective way to sneak fitness into a packed schedule. And while these exercises can include structured moves like jumping jacks and squats, they can also be regular activities of daily living, such as climbing stairs or carrying groceries.
For people who don’t exercise regularly, these everyday moves—which researchers call vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA)—can be especially helpful. In fact, multiple studies suggest that sprinkling VILPA throughout the day is tied to fewer major cardiovascular events, including heart failure and stroke. A 2023 study in JAMA Oncology even linked VILPA to lower cancer risk.
Minute moves to try
When you repeat short, intense bursts of activity throughout the day, it adds up. And over time, it can make a real difference to your fitness. Here’s what to do if you’ve only got a minute (literally):
- Climb stairs at a fast pace
- Walk briskly (4 miles per hour) on a flat surface
- Run or play with children
- Vacuum or clean vigorously
Doing 60 seconds of more traditional exercise moves—lunges, jogging, or lifting weights—can also benefit your overall health, as well.
Of course, you’ll get more benefit from doing 5 or 10 (or more) minutes at a time. But on days when that’s just not going to happen, doing 60 seconds at a time is a savvy solution.
Sources: Ahmadi MN, Hamer M, et al. Brief bouts o... + 3
- Ahmadi MN, Hamer M, et al. Brief bouts of device-measured intermittent lifestyle physical activity and its association with major adverse cardiovascular events and mortality in people who do not exercise: a prospective cohort study. Lancet Public Health. 2023 Oct;8(10):e800-e810.
- Koemel NA, Ahmadi MN, et al. Can incidental physical activity offset the deleterious associations of sedentary behaviour with major adverse cardiovascular events? Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2025 Jan 6;32(1):77-85.
- Stamatakis E, Huang BH, et al. Untapping the Health Enhancing Potential of Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (VILPA): Rationale, Scoping Review, and a 4-Pillar Research Framework. Sports Med. 2021 Jan;51(1):1-10.
- Stamatakis E, Ahmadi MN, et al. Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity and Cancer Incidence Among Nonexercising Adults: The UK Biobank Accelerometry Study. JAMA Oncol. 2023 Sep 1;9(9):1255-1259.
