The New York Times seven-minute workout

Our first step in becoming antifragile is to deepen our connection with what matters most to us and who we are at our best. This brings us the clarity, calm, and confidence to deal with anything that happens.

One of the four ways we recommend for achieving this deeper connection is exercise. Exercise not only keeps us healthy and happy but also helps us to process the stresses we can so easily feel in a churning world. And as we deepen our connection with our body, so we deepen our connection with ourselves.

But when we all live such busy lives, how can we find the time for exercise?

John Ratey, psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, says that useful exercise needn’t take long:

“Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your mood, memory and learning. Even ten minutes of activity changes your brain.”

And if you don’t have ten minutes, The New York Times has now published a series of exercises that take just seven minutes to complete. In the Scientific Seven Minute Workout, described below, the only equipment you’ll need is a wall and a chair.

Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, founder of BlueSky, and chairman of Block, says he starts each day by performing this workout three times — which takes him 21 minutes.

And the latest research is now showing that Exercise Snacking might be just as good for you as a 30-minute session, and possibly even more beneficial.

Would you benefit from taking more exercise? Could you fit just seven minutes of exercise into your day? Or twenty one? Or would it suit you better to “snack” on two minute ‘micro-workouts’ spaced throughout the day? Find what works for you.

Diagrams for the Scientific SEVEN-Minute Workout :

For people who prefer to work with weights, the ‘Advanced Seven Minute Workout’ is also available. And a free app provides step-by-step instructions and timings for both.

If neither of these suits you, the NY Times also offers alternatives lasting one minute, four minutes, or ten — and repeating cycles of just 10, 20, and 30 seconds. 

Adapted from Inner Leadership: a framework and tools for building inspiration in times of change.

You can sign up to daily posts here.

You can buy the book here and the workbook here.

(And remember: you can’t learn to swim just by reading about swimming, you also need to do the practice.)

Photo By Internet Archive Book Images via StockPholio.net