FastExercise: The Simple Secret of High-Intensity Training

by Michael Mosley, Peta Bee (Contributor)

Just ten minutes a day, three times a week, can change your health for life.

Hailed as “a health revolution” by the New York Times, Michael Mosley’s FastDiet—also known as the 5:2 diet—gave the world a healthy new way to lose weight through intermittent fasting. Now, Dr. Mosley addresses the essential complement to the FastDiet—FastExercise—teaming up with leading sports scientist Professor Jamie Timmons and super-fit health journalist Peta Bee to turn conventional wisdom on its head when it comes to working out. Responding to the latest research on high-intensity training (HIT), FastExercise dispenses with the practice of boring, time-consuming regimens, demonstrating that all it takes is half an hour a week to lower blood glucose levels, reduce your risk for disease, help you lose weight, and maximize your overall health.

Throughout the book, the authors offer a range of workouts that take just ten minutes a day, three times a week, and can be done anytime, anywhere. Whether it’s pedaling at high resistance while waiting for your kettle to boil or holding a plank during commercials, research has shown the extraordinary impact that ultra-short bursts of HIT can have, whatever your age or level of fitness.

Throughout, Michael Mosley and Peta Bee break down the science behind this radically different approach to exercise and give you the tools to take advantage of the most flexible and efficient method out there. It’s a practical, enjoyable way to get maximal benefits in minimal time, short and fast, something that can become a sustainable part of your routine, as instinctive as brushing your teeth. The benefits are innumerable, and the time to start is now.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Fitness, Reference, Self Help, Science, Food and Drink

209 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 19, 2013

About the author

Michael Mosley was a British television journalist, producer, and presenter who worked for the BBC (amongst other broadcasters) from 1985 until his death in 2024. He was probably best known as a presenter of television documentaries on biology and medicine, and his regular appearances on The One Show.

Born in Kolkata, India, the son of a bank director, Mosley studied philosophy, politics and economics at New College, Oxford, before working for two years as a banker in the City of London. He then decided to move into medicine, intending to become a psychiatrist, studying at the Royal Free Hospital Medical School (now part of UCL Medical School).

Becoming disillusioned by psychiatry, upon graduation Mosley joined a trainee assistant producer scheme at the BBC in 1985. Since then he produced and presented many documentaries on science and/or medicine. He was an advocate of intermittent fasting and low-carbohydrate diets who wrote books promoting the ketogenic diet.

Mosley died on the Greek island of Symi on 5 June 2024.

Reviews

[K. Bartholomew · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's ok, but there are definitely better books on the subject. Try HIIT - High Intenstity Interval Training Explained, by James Driver, by far the best book on this subject and I've read a few now.

As for this book, it most definitely requires more detailed explanations and more actual exercises to do - It is lacking in this regard. Novices will be left with little clue on where to start or how to progress. Intermediates to advanced people will not be satisfied either for there is not really anything new here.

[Nigeyb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book shortly after reading "The Fast Diet: The Simple Secret of Intermittent Fasting: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, Live Longer" by Michael Mosley & Mimi Spencer. I have recently started applying the 5:2 diet principles suggested in "The Fast Diet" (restricting calorie intake to 600 calories for two days a week) with impressive results.

I also watched the Horizon programme made by Michael Mosley on High Intensity Training (HIT). If you've seen the programme you probably don't need to buy the book. The basic messages are very simple:

- A diet combined with exercise is more effective than either done alone
- People with good levels of aerobic fitness are much less likely to get heart disease, cancer, diabetes or become demented
- Maximum benefit from exercise is via short bursts of high intensity activity followed by recovery periods (three bursts is sufficient to get a dramatic benefit)
- Build in strength exercises to a HIT programme
- Fast exercise will be fully effective only if you lead an otherwise active life

As with "The Fast Diet" book, Michael Mosley details various research studies to explain how and why this regime is beneficial, and co-author Peta Bee adds specific exercise routines.

The book provides simple, easily achievable exercise routines, supported by persuasive arguments that encourage the reader to get active, and all achievable in a very time-efficient way.

As Michael Mosley states at the end of the book, "We were born to move. Some of us more reluctantly than others. So let's find ways to do it more. Fast."

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

I was surprisingly disappointed by this book. What should have been a clean and easy exercise program to accompany the FastDiet book (e.g., exercises and content focusing on weight loss) was instead mostly text describing why exercise is important, a couple of exercises with a few 'icon' like pictures, and then more discussions about why exercise is important. It's not set up for either those starting out or for those with a more advanced exercise regimen. As well, a lot of the exercises need gym equipment and aren't really suitable or even comfortable for those overweight (such as running or jumping jacks, both of which could really be damaging to knees, etc.).

The book chapters are broken down as follows: Truth about exercise, What is fast exercise?, Th workouts, Fast exercise in practice, Michael's guide to keeping active, Before you go..., Fast fitness, Fast strength. Out of 117 or so pages, about 20 actually show you the exercises. Most (if not all) you've seen before: jumping jacks, push ups, wall sit... Although the exercises are described with very simple illustrations, the author doesn't give you ways in which the exercises could be done incorrectly, assuming everyone does it correctly.

There is a LOT of text here and a lot to comb through once you've read it and just want to get back to the exercises. There is a lot that could have been done to make this much more friendly. The author's tone is great, knowledgeable yet encouraging, but I have to admit I was also put off quite a bit about everything being about him. I don't want to know about exercise that worked for him - I want to know about exercise that works the general population - I somehow doubt he is a near obese premenopausal 47 year old woman, for example. But I don't see a lot about male-female differences either.

So while I don't find this to be a bad book, I think a lot could of been done to make this easier to use, follow, and even be motivated. I appreciate the great information in the book, especially the latest information on how/why we do exercise and corrections from the aerobic days. But I want more show, not tell, or I end up sitting on my butt reading instead of exercising.

Reviewed from an ARC.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his 2012 BBC Horizon programme about weight loss that showed the benefit of intermittent fasting (and resulted in the book The Fast Diet) Michael Mosely also discovered the HIT exercise method. Studies show that HIT in which you do a few minutes of high intensity exercise 3 times a week is as or more effective than many hours spent going more slowly. What we have known as fat burning really isn't. This is fascinating and highly appealing.

He explains exactly how to do the HIT exercise. It can be done on any exercise machine that can quickly provide resistance or you can run, walk up flights of stairs, swim etc. Anything in which you can give your maximum effort for around 30 seconds at a time.

There are also some exercises for strength training which can be done at home. These are not detailed muscle group descriptions because that is not what this book is about. There are hundreds of those books on the market if you need one. This is about getting super fit in only a few minutes 3 times a week.

[Samantha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The exercises were too simplistic, and would not have benefited me as they weren't intense cardio workouts. There needs to be more evidence from genuine scientific studies not just experiments that a few friends in a sports science lab get up to. While I agree that HIT training is very beneficial, I think that people should not read this book and use the advice but hire a personal trainer or try a local HIT class as it is not for everyone.

[Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

I occasionally have the vague thought that I should do some exercise but I always remember just how much I hate it and squash the thought down hard.

Fast Exercise popped up on KU though and I thought I'd have a look because, realistically, I'm much more likely to motivate myself to do a few minutes of intense exercise than 45 minutes of mild/moderate exercise. I wouldn't be thrilled about doing either but at least HIIT's over fast...

This is a quick, easy read,* complete with self-experimentation à la Moseley and reference to various other trials. The science motivates but the authors also recognise that sometimes motivation does run low and talk about ways of persevering (e.g. through chipping away at obstacles and setting SMARTer goals) - something often rather lacking in exercise advice. They also don't promise - or even imply results that aren't realistic, which is sadly such a rarity.

Well worth a look.

*It only took me about an hour.

[Fotini · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨

[Yasseen · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Yes. I know. Medics keep telling us about exercise. I have no time for gyms and, anyway, I hate tread mills and riding bicycles that get nowhere”----Many people’s response to the suggestion that they might benefit from exercise.
They know exercise is essential for good health, but much of what it involves puts them off, especially the time factor. So they should find fast exercise or “high intensity training,” a refreshing idea. It only takes a few minutes a day and can be done almost wherever you happen to be: at home, on the way to the office, in the office itself, climbing a flight of stairs, or while taking a breath of fresh air in a public park.
Basically, it involves doing extremely short, intense bursts of whatever exercise you choose to do (three or four minutes, say) interspersed with short, more relaxed periods of the activity.
Dr Michael Mosley, a British medical doctor, now a well-known BBC science presenter, was, as he says, a “borderline diabetic” and first looked into claims that by changing his pattern of eating, he could lose weight and boost his insulin.
He tried it out—eating normally five days a week and reducing his intake of calories on two. He not only lost weight, but found that the level of glucose in his blood returned to normal. (He Yasseenmade a documentary on it for the BBC and wrote a book, “Fast Diet,” jointly with another author.)
Diet and exercise
He then became curious about the relationship between exercise and health. Diet and exercise, are, as he says, complementary to each other. Scientists in Britain, Scandinavia and the US had found that short bursts of high intensive exercise were as effective as long sessions in a gym.
Professor Jamie Timmons, a specialist in Systems Biology at Loughborough University’s sports research department, told him that three minutes a week of intense exercise would give him most of the benefits of traditional methods.
He went for it and found thatamongst the improvements to his health were increased endurance, reduced body fat and better insulin sensitivity. So he carried on.
He was motivated by his dislike of exercise. His co-author Peta Bee, on the other hand, loved exercise. She was a long distance runner and had once run for Wales. She took up intensive exercise because, in herown words, “at 45, a busy working mum, I no longer have the time or, to be honest, the inclination, to spend more than an hour a day working out.”
Roger Bannister
High Intensity Training (HIT) or Fast Exercise was used by Roger Bannister before the famous race in 1954 in which he became the first person to run a mile in under four minutes. In his pre-race training sessions he would run flat out for about a minute, covering quarter of a mile. Then he would jog for two to three minutes and follow that up with another sprint. He would repeat this cycle ten times before ending his training session for the day.
Little was known about HIT when Bannister ran his three-minute mile. Today, HIT is important for all athletes whether they compete in long distance or shorter events. It allows them to run, swim and cycle faster for longer.
But athletes are exceptional people. What can it do for lesser mortals?
This book targetspeople who are unfit, overweight, or have had a history of heart disease, stroke or diabetes. HIT, say the authors, will get you aerobically fitter,boost your insulin sensitivity, build muscle tone and let you lose some fat faster than standard exercise.
Workouts
Theygive a useful list of workouts with illustrations for “fast fitness” and “fast strength” for busy working peopleand also provide ways to measure the impact ofyour effort on yourself.
Tiny proof-reading errors do not detract from the book’s message and the authors’ enthusiasm for their subject. Sitting for long hours, they say, is positively dangerous. “The chair is not simply a useful bit of furniture, it is a killer.”They recommend a stand-up desk.
Comfortingly, they urge us to walk as the easiest way to becoming more active although it isn't a great calorie burner. “Walking, they say, “is good, but Fast Walking is better.” This requires alternating walking quickly with walking slowly. They point out, moreover, that however little it reduces the fat on one’s tum initially, it all adds up in the end.
I have been fast walking for the last three weeks and I do feel fitter.
I don’t use a stop watch.I reckon the time taken to put one foot in front of the other as a second and have been doing eight bursts of two minutes each of fast walking, sometimes more, counting each step. I do six or seven slow steps between the fast bursts on a half hour’s jaunt round several blocks of flats near where I live.
This means getting out of the house preferably before 8am and the start up of the serious Cairo traffic.

[David Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be extremely useful primarily due to its accessibility and simplicity. I know that some exercise enthusiasts and experts have said that it is not the definitive word on HIT (High Intensity Training) but, with respect, I think they are missing the point. This is not a book for elite athletes (just as well for me!) but the average person approaching middle age looking for some proven methods to try to improve fitness and slow (or even reverse) the deterioration in health.

One of the strengths of the book, for me, was in the way it presented the research behind the case for HIT. It cites just the right amount of studies i.e. there is not endless reference to studies with similar results which could end up just losing the reader's interest. The findings were also presented in a very easy-to-understand terms.

Another area where the book does well is in designing simple-to-understand and simple to follow programs. I've read many fitness and health books with otherwise compelling messages which fell down when it came to translating the principles into practicality.

Quite separate from HIT and the simple resistance programs, the advice about trying to mitigate the dangers of our sedentary lifestyle resonated powerfully. The research regarding the difference simply going for a stroll or getting out of your chair occasionally during the day will make to your overall health was an eye-opener.

[7jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5
This book is about the HIIT exercise method, which is a time-saving good-result way of exercise when you don't have time and/or motivation to do exercise long and often. You can do with an exercise bike, by walking or running, or bodyweight-exercises. This method fits people in various levels of health

--- digression: this book does not talk anything for those whose knees are not in the best shape, who need to do more research for right (leg) exercises, nor does it tell which exercises included have move that are not really for the different-kneed. But just a little changing around isn't a bad price, though it does make me drop the 0.5 here

---including those who have had issues with it lately. Just a few minutes of exercise, 3 times a week, can bring result, though one does have to pay attention to what one's eating also (but that's of course obvious).

The research done on HIIT stuff in discussed here, also what the writers have done with it. A number of exercises are shown, hints for daily everyday moving around are given, and some exercise/body health tests are also in there.
Yes, maybe some things are not there that I would've liked, but enough is, so this makes the book worth a look (and a keep). Especially if you can't/won't do much exercise besides what one has to; this book gives a good way to do it.

[Maureen Eyers]

A really good easy to understand introduction to HIT that will definitely change the way that i exercise

A really good easy to understand introduction to HIT that will definitely change the way that I exercise, in fact it will change my life and free up so much more time while making me more mindful of how I can incorporate more movement into my life

[Keith Mansfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall good. Concept itself is counter intuitive but well explained. If anything, too much explanation before the detail of how to exercise differently. As for the exercises, a bit muddled. Lot of repetition here which confused me a little. I'm giving it a go tho, so inn that sense I can't complain

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this advance copy thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher. It's a great introduction into the science and how-to's behind HIT. What's nice about FastExercise is that it is easily incorporated into one's day and doesn't take up a big chunk of time. Also, there's no sweating involved :)

[Michael Webb · Rating 3 out of 5]

quite short and lacking in exercise routine detail. Would have preferred a list of exercises for specific muscle groups or just more variety.

[Norina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cartea se bazeaza pe rezultatele ultimelor cercetari in domeniul sportului.
Cel mai eficient exercitiu fizic este HIIT - high intensity interval training, adica scurte intervale de intensitate mare alternate cu intensitate redusa.
E demonstrat stiintific ca aduce rezultate mai bune decat antrenamente prelungite si dese.
Exercitiul aerobic poate fi alergat, spinning, inot etc. Minimul pt rezultate:
- 40 de secunde (2X20 secunde), dintr-un total de 4-6 minute cu tot cu intervalele recuperare (pas lejer)
Nivelul urmator:
- 2 minute intensitate maxima (4X30 secunde), 2 min incalzire, 3-4 minute pedalat lejer intre sprinturi, 2 minute cool-down.

Pentru intarirea musculaturii fa strength exercise: exercitii obisnuite precum genoflexiuni, flotari, abdomene etc astfel: cat mai multe repetii timp de 30 de secunde, apoi 10 secunde odihna in timp total de 7 minute, de doua ori pe saptamana.

Se ard mai multe grasimi daca facem sport pe nemancate.
Consecventa e cheia si cel mai bine e sa exersem la aceeasi ora zilnic.
Fa o analiza SMART inainte sa te apuci, ca sa ramai motivat. Sa incepi e cel mai usor, sa continui pe termen lung e cel mai dificil.
Trebuie sa fim activi pe parcursul zilei: stai in picioare, foloseste standing desk, foloseste scaun fara speteaza, parcheaza mai departe, plimba-te in pauza de masa, ridica-te si mergi dupa fiecare 30 de min de stat la birou, evita liftul etc.

[Jenny Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful

I really enjoyed reading this as I like Michael's style of writing and I can understand what he's on about. Having seen his documentaries I could remember a lot of the tests he went through and how surprised he was at the results. This book has brought back a lot of info that I'd forgotten and added to it. I am currently trying out HIT exercises (I prefer using the cross trainer) but do it for far longer than I probably need to, based on what I've read, so it's nice to know that when time doesn't allow a longer workout I'm still benefiting from just a few minutes hard effort.

[Alexandria Blaelock · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent resource on the why and how of HIT training in a quick and easy read.

Mosley starts with some exercise history and recent HIT research before Bee takes over with information of the cycles of sprint and recovery as well as how to adapt to other forms of exercise like cycling walking, running, stair climbing and machines.

There’s also a muscle strength cycle, hints on building up intensity and managing plateaus as well as some suggestions on why and how to incorporate more general movement into your day.

[Artie Rubin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In case you're unfamiliar with "fast exercise," the idea is (using an exercise bike as the example) to do quick spurts of *intense* pedaling and then return to a more leisurely pace. And the whole thing should take no more than 15-20 mins. And get this: you'll burn more calories this way than to ride an exercise bike at a moderate pace for an hour or more.

The details: your first 5 mins. will be a steady (but not arduous) warm-up . . . then you increase the intensity to as high as you can bear for 20 seconds. Then back to your regular intensity for 40 seconds. Then another 20 seconds at the arduous intensity. Then back to your regular intensity for 40 seconds. Five to six rounds of this, and a 5 min. cool-down at the end--and you're done.

(Believe it or not, you're not supposed to do more than five to six rounds because it would have no added benefit.)

I can tell you that it works! I also recommend the author's book on Intermittent Fasting: where you limit the hours you eat during the day, but during those hours you can eat whatever you want (just don't pig out). This one works too, at least for me.

The usual disclaimer: get your doctor's approval first before embarking on either of these.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear, not the best or inspirational book on HIT exercise.. a lot of scientific waffle about hunter-gatherers running around on set days and chopping wood on another.. everything in this book can be found for free on the internet.. I personally prefer 10 Minute Solution HIT Training where you can combine different workout sets and the lady on the video makes it unannoyingly fun.. I thought this book being in conjunction with his The Fast Diet book would add something new, but nah - glad I could return it back to the library..

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a huge fan of exercise. As such, I enjoyed this book about exercising harder but not longer. The authors are honest about the realistic benefits of exercise and do not attempt to overstate their claims. And the book seems to be backed by a lot of research on the benefits of brief, high-intensity exercise. The examples of exercises given in the book are all simple and easily incorporated into a person's schedule.

[Irlenem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast, fast exercise!

I found the information interesting. I have tried the bike every other day for a couple weeks. I’m now recovering from foot surgery and will try it again soon. I found the bike draining but in such short time. I must say I rather liked being able to do it all in about 10 minutes.

[mouli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hit and run

Great tips on how to use High Intensity Training to increase VO2 max, increase insulin sensitivity. Various exercise options help us pick what is appealing to us (cycling in my case). All set to try it out and see how much my fitness and strength can improve in the coming months.

[Elliot Richards · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read which changed my perception of what exercise actually is, how much to do and what kind of exercise would be ideal. So now I have something new to try over the course of the next six months, plenty of HIT/walking/rowing/running as well as to continue my strength exercises.

[Daniel B-G · Rating 3 out of 5]

It may be too soon to give this a rating, let's see how I do once I put it into practice at get results! Nevertheless, this looks like a good exercise regime for me and I should hopefully be able to get some value from it.

[Amir Talib · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Real Eye Opener. Essential and convincing.

Reading this book has made making exercise a keystone activity in my life more achievable. No more over-thinking and playing around with different modalities of exercises. This is it (for me).

[Catherine Rowntree · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy to read and understand. I’m pleased to learn I can exercise in shorter bursts and still get good benefits from it. Well backed up by solid research. The section on exercise and compensatory eating was very good and something I’m pretty sure I’m guilty of.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and to the point. Good introduction and motivation for HIIT.

[Carolyn Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative, interesting and helpful.

[Nik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book (as are all of MM’s books), I loved the scientific explanations in particular. This seems like a very do-able for anyone of any age, fitness, & level of busy-ness!

[Eric Kalnins · Rating 3 out of 5]

In contrast to Fast Diet, I found this book informative but ponderous to be honest.

10.20