Unlike junk food, these snacks are healthful Tiny bursts of strenuous exercise yield big benefits Martin Gibala and colleagues at McMaster University in Ontario have investigated the effects of brief, high-intensity exercise periods to improve cardiorespiratory fitness. A recent study featured 'exercise snacks' of stair-climbing. Twelve, sedentary, apparently healthy young adults participated in a study…
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A Little Strenuous Exercise Makes a Big Difference
Strenuous activity predicts greater longevity Shift some of your easy walking to fast walking Physical fitness experts tout the benefits of moderate-intensity activity. Perhaps emphasizing "moderate" makes exercise seem more accessible to more people. But a study from Australia showed that strenuous physical activity conferred greater health benefits than less strenuous activity. Researchers used data…
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Why Don’t Older People Exercise More?
It’s not that exercise lacks benefits What about costs, lack of time, physical limitations? Regular physical activity reduces risks of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, falls, cognitive impairments, osteoporosis, and muscular weakness. By contrast, the sedentary lifestyle that typifies many older people predicts premature onset of ill health, disease, and frailty. Physical activity is safe for healthy…
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Cardio Benefits of High-Intensity Interval Training
Better cardio in less time Overweight and diabetic people can benefit One of my previous posts extolled the benefits of interval training (IT). To refresh your memory, IT refers to periods of movement, such as running or stair climbing or rowing, with each movement period followed by a recovery period, such as walking slowly. IT…
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