Starting again

Do 10-minute workouts count?

Yes. The World Health Organization says any amount of physical activity is better than none, and in 2020 it dropped the old rule that activity only counted in blocks of at least 10 minutes. A short workout you actually do is worth far more than a long one you keep putting off.

By Bjørn Lundell, founder of Oreuma · 11 October 2026

What the guidelines say

The WHO recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and that everyone benefits from muscle strengthening. Older guidance said that activity only counted in bouts of 10 minutes or more. The 2020 guidelines removed that requirement, and researchers summed up the new message as "every move counts".

In practice that means a 10-minute bodyweight session on a Tuesday evening counts. So does the walk to the shop.

Why short is a strength when you're starting again

• It's easier to start. Ten minutes is a small enough ask that tiredness and busy days stop being reasons to skip.
• It protects the first week. Short sessions make it hard to overdo it, which is the most common way comebacks end.
• It builds the habit. Showing up three times a week matters more early on than how long each session lasts.
• It leaves you wanting more. Finishing with energy left makes the next session easy to say yes to.

Making a short workout count

Cover the whole body: a squat, a push, a hinge like a glute bridge, something for your core, and a bit of mobility. Keep the rests short but real. Do it two or three times a week, and add a few minutes only after it starts to feel comfortable.

On low days, a short session is a win, and it keeps the thread going.

If you have a heart or lung condition, are pregnant or recently gave birth, or are coming back from an illness, injury or surgery, check with your doctor or a physiotherapist before you start. Stop if something hurts sharply, and get help if you feel chest pain, faintness or unusual breathlessness.

How Oreuma does it

Oreuma builds a fresh bodyweight session each day, roughly 10 to 30 minutes, and you pick Light, Steady or Extra. Every finished session counts as progress, whatever its length. There are no streaks to protect and no reps to count.

Sources: WHO physical activity fact sheet · "Everything counts": messaging from the 2020 WHO guidelines

More on starting again

• Getting back into exercise
• Why you keep quitting
• Workouts without streaks
• How long it takes to get back
• Starting again after 40
• After the holidays
• What Oreuma does after a break