Researchers at McMasters University have discovered that a very different approach to physical conditioning can be as effective as conventional techniques. A ’ low volume’ version of High-Intensity Interval Training — that requires only 20 minutes workout, multiple times per week — can be nearly as effective in conditioning:

Gretchen Reynolds via NYTimes.com

This modified routine involved one minute of strenuous effort, at about 90 percent of a person’s maximum heart rate (which most of us can estimate, very roughly, by subtracting our age from 220), followed by one minute of easy recovery. The effort and recovery are repeated 10 times, for a total of 20 minutes.

This could be a tremendous breakthrough, since so many people put off exercise due to time constraints. It is also another example of new research overturning conventional — and incorrect — wisdom: in this case, the idea that the duration of exercise is strongly correlated with its benefits.