The Scientific Seven Minute Workout

Coach McKinley demonstrates a push-up. Photo by Hannah Lu
Coach McKinley demonstrates a push-up. Photo by Hannah Lu

Being fit and healthy is an important part of our lifestyle. It is what gives us the muscles and energy that we have to move, run, and play. Sometimes, you just want to get more fit. Whether it’s something that a PE coach has told you over and over again, a self-motivated goal, or a New Year’s resolution, we’ve all wanted to get more healthy and active than we are now. However, when it comes to the subject of buffing up or slimming down, people don’t know how to exercise efficiently. Although fitness seems to be a subject far from science, the two are actually more intertwined than you’d think!

The “Scientific Seven-Minute Workout” is a name coined to a series of exercises developed in a strategic order to maximize your workout results. This workout is an interval-based workout, depending on time spent on each exercise and time spent in recovery after each exercise. This differs from an AMRAP workout, in which under a set amount of time you complete As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP). Studies show that “even a few minutes of training at an intensity approaching your maximum capacity produces molecular changes within muscles comparable to those of several hours of running or bike riding.”

In this particular workout, the exercises are given at intervals of 30-seconds each, with a 10-second rest in between each exercise. With 12 exercises, that’s a total of about seven minutes. Each exercise is put in a specific order so that certain muscle groups are being worked while the others “rest”. What’s even better is that this workout is beginner-friendly and easy to follow. It only requires a chair and a wall, and all the exercises are basic and easy. “This workout… if done as prescribed, is great!” said Coach McKinley. “[It] gets you breathing hard (cardiovascular), and works all your muscles, improving strength and balance.”  

Studies show that 53% of American thirteen-year olds–especially girls–are unhappy with their bodies. In an ongoing study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, in a survey of 9 and 10 year old girls, 40% have tried to lose weight before. This is an astounding number at such a young age, and as social media dominates our life, the idea of a perfect body image grows thinner and thinner. A Kaiser Foundation study by Nancy Signorielli found that 56% of commercials aimed at teenage girls use beauty as a product appeal.

This number continues to grow as teenagers become more insecure about their body image. In a modern society like ours, the “perfect body” seems to be reached by excessive dieting and exercise. This can cause serious health problems, and eating disorders can become a problem. An estimated 5 million Americans are affected by eating disorders a year, and that number continues to grow.

One goal of the PE coaches here at Canyon Vista is to make all students feel comfortable about their own body image by leading a fit and healthy lifestyle. This can be achieved through exercising for at least 60 minutes a day, something that taking PE as an elective can do. “People, especially kids can get a twisted idea about what it looks like to be healthy from the media”, says Coach McKinley. “If someone wants to be fit, they need to do it for themselves, [and] no one else.” Many teenagers feel unsatisfied with their bodies and will work-out and diet simply to try to get thinner or more muscular. This should not be the end goal, as it can lead to eating disorders and many other health and metabolism problems. “Being fit does not have an end, it is a lifetime commitment.  Living a healthy lifestyle can lead to a healthy body weight, but more importantly it makes the person feel good,” said Coach McKinley. So the next time you want to look more skinny or toned, think about being fit instead. Being fit is different from being skinny or toned in the way that being fit is a lifestyle, and being skinny or toned does not necessarily suggest a strong and healthy body. What’s even better is that you can change your lifestyle in seven minutes.