For many, fitness means spending hours in the gym, dripping sweat. But really, longer doesn’t always mean better.
Short, hard workouts can get you more gain, more consistency, and even better recovery than those long, marathon workouts, fact and evidence show.
At Kahma 24/7 Gym Clyde North, we see members get serious results in 20–30 minutes of training time; they’re not necessarily working harder, they’re just training smarter.
Research shows that more intense exercises (like HIIT and circuit training) will burn the same or even more calories in half the time compared to longer sustained work. Why? They keep your heart rate up and make your body go into EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), whereby you continue to burn calories long after leaving the gym.
Efficient workouts keep growth hormone, testosterone, and fat loss maximized, while very long workouts lead to increases in cortisol (the stress hormone), and that will only slow progress.
Your muscles need to be stressed to promote growth, but too much stress leads to overtraining, burnout, and injury. Short workouts provide sufficient stimulus without pushing you to the limit of your body’s capabilities, allowing you to leave feeling fresh and prepared for the next workout.
Life in Clyde North—and everywhere else—isn’t getting any slower. With work, family, and obligations, not everyone has two-hour gym marathons in their schedule. This is why time-efficient training is exploding in 2025.
Flexibility: You have the option to train before work, during lunch break, or late evening at Kahma’s 24/7 gym.
Consistency: A 25-minute workout is less likely to be neglected 4–5 times a week compared to two 90-minute sessions.
Sustainability: Shorter workouts eliminate mental obstacles—no more excuses about “not enough time.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Switching back and forth between spurts of effort and brief rest periods—perfect for burning fat and building endurance.
Superset Strength Training
Pairing exercises back-to-back (such as bench press and push-ups) maintains high intensity, reduces rest time, and builds muscle effectively.
Circuit Training
Switching between several exercises targeting various muscle groups provides a full-body workout in 25–30 minutes.
Short Doesn't Mean Easy
Here’s what you should know: shorter workouts are more challenging. You require:
Myth: “You can’t gain muscle in less than an hour.”
Fact: Research indicates 45 minutes of dedicated lifting is more than sufficient for growth.
Myth: “Cardio sessions have to be long to lose fat.”
Fact: Higher-intensity cardio in shorter periods of time can burn fat faster.
Myth: “More time = more results.”
Fact: Results come from quality, recovery, and consistency—not hours upon hours.
Target compound exercises—such as squats, deadlifts, and presses—that work multiple muscles simultaneously. Couple them with little rest and you’ll be surprised at what you can do in 30 minutes.
Following your workout, blood pressure and heart rate are higher. A cool-down procedure brings your body back to its resting state and promotes muscle repair.
Warm-Up (3 mins): Jumping jacks + bodyweight squats
Circuit (15 mins):
(Repeat 3 rounds, minimal rest)
Cool-Down (2 mins): Static stretches
The 2-hour training sessions are coming to an end. By 2025, the winners are going to be the ones who can maximize intensity, consistency, and efficiency.
At Kahma 24/7 Gym Clyde North, we have witnessed, firsthand, members transforming their bodies and minds through short, focused workouts that fit within their lives.
So, the next time you feel like you do not have time for the gym, remember: you do not need hours; you need effort.
