Here’s a big statement to kick things off:
Ten minutes of strength training a day is better than most workout plans out there.

I know — it sounds bold. Even a bit controversial. But after years of working with women across all ages and stages, I genuinely believe it.

Because what most women actually need isn’t a longer session, a fancier gym, a better program, or more motivation.

What we need is something that actually fits into our lives.
Not into an ideal version of life — but into the real, messy, full one we’re already living.

That’s why I love 10-minute strength training blocks.
Not only are they enough, they’re often more effective.

But… is 10 minutes really enough?

If you’re thinking:

• “Ten minutes? Surely that won’t move the needle.”

• “Isn’t exercising every day a lot?”

• “Don’t we need rest days?”

• “Can I actually work hard enough in that time?”

You’re not alone — I’ve had all those thoughts too.

We’ve been conditioned to believe that exercise has to be hard, long, and even a bit punishing to count.
If we’re not sore for days, it must not be doing anything, right?

Let’s flip that today.

Because what really matters is that your movement is:

• Consistent

• Intentional

• Integrated into your actual life

And that’s exactly what 10-minute training blocks allow us to do.

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Why short daily strength training works

1. It’s doable — even on your busiest days

Ten minutes isn’t overwhelming. It doesn’t require a huge mental load. It cuts through the biggest barrier that stops most women from exercising: the idea that we need time we don’t have.

2. It builds consistency and momentum

When you show up for 10 minutes regularly, you start stacking wins.
You stop “starting again.”
You stop quitting when things aren’t perfect.
You stop believing the story that says it doesn’t count unless it’s long and exhausting.

3. It improves recovery — not just results

Most of us are juggling a lot. When you’re not smashing yourself for 45 minutes, your body actually recovers better. You feel energised because of your workouts, not wrecked by them.

4. It supports your body, spine and joints daily

From a physio point of view, short bursts of daily movement are a game-changer — especially for back or neck pain. Most women are stuck in static positions all day (hello, desk jobs and parenting postures). Moving daily, even briefly, changes load, posture, and pressure on your body.

5. It creates a rhythm — not an event

We’ve made exercise too much of a “thing” — a box to tick, an event to psych ourselves up for.

But movement used to be part of everyday life.
Now, we have to be more intentional. But that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. When exercise becomes a daily rhythm — like brushing your teeth — it sticks.

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What my “ideal” week of movement looks like

Let me be clear: some weeks I do one 10-minute block and that’s a win. Life is life.

But when I’m in a good groove, here’s what my upper limit looks like — my “all” version on the all-or-something scale:

🔸 Daily GLOW10 strength sessions

Yes, I follow my own program — I’ve spent so much time crafting it for balanced, progressive training over the week that I just press play and go. No decision fatigue.

🔸 2 x 10-minute sprint intervals (HIIT)

Short, intense cardio sessions that boost metabolism, heart health and support hormone balance, especially for women over 40.

🔸 10-minute mobility blocks

Especially helpful when I’m glued to my computer — mobility breaks help me avoid headaches and ease body stiffness.

🔸 Short walks (yep, 10 minutes counts!)

These are mood shifters. A quick walk after a meal or between work blocks resets my brain, boosts digestion and helps me shift gears.

So no, I don’t do long gym sessions. Not because they’re bad — I run longer classes and they’re amazing — but this rhythm suits my life. And it supports my strength, energy, and clarity far better than my old gym routine ever did.

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But does any 10 minutes count?

Here’s the thing — not all 10-minute workouts are created equal.
You can faff around for 10 minutes and call it a workout… but to make it effective, it needs intention.

That’s why I use my SHE GLOWS framework — a method I teach inside the GLOW10 Tribe and in my 1:1 work with women. It’s all about building a positive, sustainable relationship with movement.

Today, I want to focus on just one part of that framework:

E = Exercise with Intention

To get real results in just 10 minutes, you need to:

• Know your goal

• Choose exercises that reflect that goal

• Understand how to work smart within that timeframe

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

💪 Strength training

• Choose a weight that challenges you by the final rep

• Follow principles of progressive overload — gradually increasing load, reps or difficulty over time

• Make sure you’re covering different movement patterns across your week

🧘 Mobility

• Focus on areas that give the best return (often it’s not your sore spot — e.g. hip or thoracic mobility for lower back pain)

• Use breath and control — it doesn’t need to be fancy, it just needs to be targeted

❤️ Cardio

• Use high-intensity intervals with full rest between sets

• No treadmill or gym needed — bodyweight exercises or a bike in the backyard works just fine

🚶 Walking

• If it’s for your headspace, skip the podcast

• Notice your surroundings, get sunlight and fresh air

• It supports digestion, posture, mental clarity, blood sugar regulation — yes, really

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Want help getting started?

If you’re curious to try this yourself, I’ve created a Strength Training Starter Kit — a week of 10-minute strength workouts you can plug into your week. No equipment needed, no fluff, just an easy way to train with intention.

👉 You can grab it via the show notes or right here.
(Link: Add once published)

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Before you go:

What would one intentional 10-minute block look like for you today?
How could it shift your body, your energy, or your mindset — even just by 1%?

Your body doesn’t need perfect.
It doesn’t need ideal.
It just needs you to show up.

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Next up on the podcast: I’ll be sharing more about the SHE GLOWS framework and how to habit-hack your movement so it actually becomes part of your life — even when it’s busy.

Until then, go gently, and keep showing up.