A New Exercise Method Proven to Make Workouts Fun

POPSUGAR Photography | Ericka McConnell
POPSUGAR Photography | Ericka McConnell

If somebody told you that there was a workout that didn't require much effort but was fun and yielded awesome results, you'd probably have some doubts . . . and understandably so, because it sounds way too good to be true! But according to The New York Times, there's a new exercise method that is scientifically proven to burn calories and improve athletic performance in less training time than traditional workouts. On top of all that, people who follow this method also enjoy their workouts more — it's pleasurable! No, you're not dreaming. Meet the 10-20-30 method.

In a nutshell, 10-20-30 training is a strategic sort of interval workout. It all starts with gentle exercise (be it jogging, biking, or another cardio activity) for 30 seconds, then a moderate pace of that same exercise for 20 seconds, culminating with 10 seconds of intense effort. After you finish this one-minute cycle, repeat the process four more times and rest for two minutes. Perform five more 10-20-30 intervals without rest periods in between, then cool down. In only 12 minutes, you've performed a high-intensity interval workout that improved the blood pressure, athletic performance, and mood of regular runners over two months of scientific testing.

While regular exercisers can obviously up the number of 10-20-30 sessions in their daily regimen, this 12-minute workout is a great way for beginners to fit effective, fun workouts into their everyday lives. You could even try the jog-run-sprint version of this method during your lunch break at work! If you're not totally sold on the method, try replacing one workout a week with a 10-20-30 session . . . your mood will improve and your run times will likely grow faster!