Frequently
Asked Questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about 12 Minute Athlete:

How long are the workouts on your site?

I've never heard of this exercise before! How am I supposed to do it when I don't even know what it is?

What if I don't have the equipment in your workouts?

Why do your workouts include equipment? Do you get money from endorsing other products?

How often should I work out?

You only put up new workouts three days a week. What am I supposed to do on the other days?

What is HIIT?

Don't I need to rest muscle groups in between workouts?

What if I injure myself?

How can I accelerate my weight loss?

Why is it called the 12 Minute Athlete? I'm not an athlete.

What else do you do aside from these workouts?

What should I do if I hit a plateau?

What if I have a question that's not in the FAQs?

 

Q: How long are the workouts on your site?
A: The 12 Minute Athlete workouts range from 10-20 minutes long. Most are only 12 minutes.

Q: I've never heard of this exercise before! How am I supposed to do it when I don't even know what it is?
A: I've put together a handy compilation of videos for every exercise listed on the site so you'll always know how to do the exercises in the workouts. Check out the videos here (I also link to individual videos within the posts).

Q: What if I don't have the equipment in your workouts?
A: I've put together a handy page of bodyweight workout substitutions that you can refer to whenever you don't have a piece of equipment required for a workout. Check it out here.

Also, the one thing you really need for these workouts is an interval timer. You can get the official 12 Minute Athlete iPhone app here. Or, you can get this  Gymboss one (great for traveling) or go to this website for a free one. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the Gymboss interval timer (free), or HIIT Interval Training Timer for Android (also free). So don't let not having a timer be an excuse for not doing the workouts.

Q: Why do your workouts include equipment? Do you get money from endorsing other products?
A: Certain equipment can make your workouts more challenging, varied, and fun. I only include equipment in the workouts that I personally use and love. That being said, there's no need to buy any equipment if you don't want to. All of these workouts can be done using only your bodyweight.

Yes, I get a small affiliate fee every time someone purchases a product via my site. But I only talk about products that I believe in 100% and that I own myself!

Q: How often should I work out?
A: I recommend you work out four to six days a week for optimal results. If you're just starting out, you might want to limit it to three days a week to begin with. And even if you're a seasoned athlete, you should take at least one day off a week.

Q: You only put up new workouts three days a week. What am I supposed to do on the other days?
A: You have several options:

• Do the Fitter Faster Stronger 5 day a week program and get in the best shape of your life before you know it.
• Browse through the archives and pick out 2-3 other workouts do complete during the week.
• Do the week's workouts twice.
• Do something fun outside (play a sport, go for a hike, etc.).

Always remember to write down your scores so you can keep track of your progress. And don't forget to take at least one rest day a week!

Q: What is HIIT?
A: High intensity interval training (HIIT) is any sort of aerobic activity that alternates periods of high and low intensity training. In other words, it means you'll be working really hard for short periods of time.

Q: Don't I need to rest muscle groups in between workouts?
A: No. This is only true for heavy bodybuilding, where they're lifting extremely heavy weights to build individual muscle groups. We advocate whole body training, which is different. The body was made to move every day—and to use the muscles as a whole. So as long as you're not injured, you don't need to rest individual muscle groups.

Q: What if I injure myself?
A: Take a few days off and see how it feels. Try doing some active recovery in place of the workouts. Your body needs rest in order to repair the muscle tissue.

Q: How can I accelerate my weight loss?
A: Be consistent in your training and eat real, good food as much as possible. You won't lose weight as quickly this way as you would doing a crash diet, but the weight loss has a much greater chance of being permanent since you're establishing a habit rather than temporarily starving your body.

Plus, you'll be feeding your muscles, which means your metabolism will increase. And a toned look is much more desirable than a skinny fat look anyway.

Q: Why is it called the 12 Minute Athlete? I'm not an athlete.
A: I believe everybody is an athlete. Read why here.

Q: What else do you do aside from these workouts?
A. Depending on my mood, you'll find me:

• Boxing
• Practicing gymnastics
• At Krav Maga
• Hiking
• Walking my dog
• Biking around San Francisco
• Swimming
• Surfing
• Going on adventures

That being said, this other stuff is just for fun because I enjoy doing it. I depend on these workouts to keep me in shape so I can do this other stuff. I don't engage in any other HIIT or deliberate exercise—and you don't have to either.

Q: What should I do if I hit a plateau?
A: Plateaus are super frustrating, but they're also inevitable - we all plateau at some point in our training. Here are some tips on how to deal with plateaus.

Q: What if I have a question that's not in the FAQs?
A: Feel free to get in touch here!