Latest studies show that lesser exercise volume will lead to favourable fitness and weight control results, as opposed to over-training or spending longer workout hours.

Aside from the written facts, stories from successful weight maintainers can always attest to the short and long-term benefits of how moderate training will positively affect ones lifestyle, and how over-exercising can lead to performance, recovery and weight issues.

A recent study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that long-time runners improved their running performance, health status and emotional well-being after a 50-per cent reduction in their total training over the span of seven weeks.

They followed a 10-20-30 training concept, a programme that can be completed in 20-30 minutes including warm-up. While the programme consists of varying intensities, rest periods and shorter workout duration (20-30 minutes), individuals with different fitness levels and exercise backgrounds can perform this type of training.

The 10-20-30 concept

Start with a 1-km warm-up at low intensity.

Perform 3-4 blocks of 5 minutes running, interspersed with 2 minutes rest.

Each block consists of 5 consecutive 1-minute intervals divided into 30 seconds of low-intensity run, 20 seconds of moderate-intensity run and 10 seconds of near maximal-intensity run.

Over-exercising is counterproductive to a workout lifestyle that can be sustained long-term because your body fails to adjust and recover in response to the huge load that you give to your body. The longer and the more intense the workout, the more time the body needs to recover. This can take several days, weeks or even months, depending on the individuals response to the training load.

This is primarily the reason you cannot join all the run and/or triathlon races every week and exert a race pace effort, especially if you are not a professional athlete. The shorter recovery time you need, the more frequently you can work out, the more calories you burn, because you might just need a day or two of rest per week.

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To keep fit and manage weight–exercise less