Which Are Better: Mini Workouts or One Long Boxing Workout?

How long do I have to work out to achieve my desired results? Does working out longer mean I’ll reach my goals faster? Here, we will evaluate the pros and cons of mini workouts vs. longer duration workouts to see if one method is “better” than the other.

Hint: Sometimes both are best!

Mini Workouts

The latest buzz in the fitness industry is the idea of quick, calorie-burning mini workouts that get your heart rate elevated just enough to produce a sweat. Fitness expert and Nike Master Trainer, Joe Holder, actually coined the term “exercise snack” when talking about these workouts: brief, usually 15-minute long, routines that still have the long-term health benefits of your more traditional long workouts.

Pros

• Time efficient

  • Usually 10-20 minutes long

• Improve base-level strength

• Improve sleep quality

• Improve coordination and body control

• Reduce stress

• Improve blood sugar levels

  • This study shows that mini workout routines were more effective to stabilize blood sugar levels than longer training sessions

• Can be done multiple times per day

Cons

• Poor program structure can lead to poor workout results

• Doing too much or too little HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) vs. LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) training

  • Too many HIIT sessions can negatively affect health, leading to impaired mitochondria, spiked cortisol levels, and increase stress on joints

  • LISS cardio may lead to burnout and overuse injuries

• Many routines are HIIT-based which often means higher impact

  • These can be tough for older individuals or those with compromised joints

Hour-Long Class Sessions (Boxing/Kickboxing)

Hour-long fitness classes, or "meals", can be some of the best exercise that you can get. The main benefits of a longer workout session are the ability to build your endurance, work your full-body, and practice your technique for a fitness specialty, for example: boxing, kickboxing, MMA, etc.

Pros

• Increase cardiovascular endurance

• Increase work capacity

• Great for sport-specific training

  • In order to master a sport, extensive time is needed for certain disciplines

  • Allow you to focus on different boxing techniques

    • Punches

    • Slips

    • Combos

• Allow for full warm-up, cool down, coaching, and proper recovery during workouts

Cons

• Time commitment

• Endurance

  • Most people need to build up their endurance for long workouts

• Need adequate recovery

• Rest between sessions is crucial

• Cause mental fatigue

  • When this happens, injuries are more likely to occur

Things To Consider

Ultimately, the optimal workout length comes down to you on an individual level and what works best for your schedule and goals. Consider your experience, timeframe, and resources, and ask yourself:

• Do you have time for regular, full boxing classes?

• Are you getting adequate rest between workouts?

• Do you know where to find mini workouts?

  • Quick online searches can yield thousands of “exercise snacks” making it overwhelming to choose

Mix It Up!

We know that no day will be exactly the same. Some days you may have time and want to get in a good 45-minute, 10-round boxing workout, and other days you may only have time to get in a quick 15-minute kickboxing session before starting work. So we say mix up your training each week and add both workout lengths. Here are some examples of how to incorporate both styles of sessions.

• 2-3 hour-long sessions per week

  • Example: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday split

• 2-4 mini sessions on days in between

  • Example: Monday, Friday sessions

Something Is Better Than Nothing

Keep your workouts fresh and fun. At the end of the day, remember, any workout is better than none!

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