This 22-Minute Workout Has Everything You Need
Bryant Johnson puts Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg through her paces for a living. Johnson's got a workout for the rest of us, too. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption
Bryant Johnson puts Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg through her paces for a living. Johnson's got a workout for the rest of us, too.
J. Scott Applewhite/APListen to Life Kit
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It's easy to feel too busy to exercise — and maybe spending an hour at the gym isn't realistic. But what about finding time for a 20-minute workout at home? Well ... 22 minutes, to be exact.
That's right, if you have just 22 minutes, you can get an effective total-body workout. Why 22 minutes? The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults get about 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. If you're going to exercise every day, divide 150 minutes by seven, that's 21 minutes, 42 seconds per day.
"You can get a fantastic workout in 22 minutes," exercise and obesity researcher Tim Church explains in this episode.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, walks us through a full-body workout and explains the science behind effective exercise.
The good news: You can do this whole workout at home.
Here's what to remember:
- High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, maximizes your workout in the shortest time.
- Weight training is crucial for preventing injury and maintaining strength as you age.
- Include stretching to stay strong.
- Exercise is like medicine. Church can tick off the benefits for the brain: It reduces anxiety, depression, the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and slows the progression of Alzheimer's in individuals who already have it.
Here's how Johnson breaks down the 22 minutes:
- Five minutes of cardio, including short bursts of high-intensity work.
- Eight minutes of strength training, either with free weights or body weight — pushups, squats, rows.
- Five more minutes of cardio.
- Four minutes of stretching.
For more detailed examples of specific exercises Johnson includes in his workout, look no further.
This story originally published on December 15, 2018.
