The latest studies on fitness and health suggest that exercising LESS may actually benefit our bodies MORE. Or at least equally to longer workouts.
A New York Times blogger recently posted this article about a study involving a group of out-of-shape men: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/1-minute-of-all-out-exercise-may-equal-45-minutes-of-moderate-exertion/?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0 In this study, researchers found that a ten minute workout, involving only 1 single minute of intense exercise, provided the same results as a 45 minute workout at a moderate pace.
What can we glean from this study? If your goal is to get your workout over as fast as possible, you might be in luck! Because it looks like short but INTENSE workouts are just as effective as longer, less intense ones.
What is the BEST workout for you? Without a doubt, I'd say whatever workout you will actually do. If you absolutely HATE sprinting, then an intense workout is probably not your thing. No matter how effective it might be, if you're not going to do it, it's no good. Maybe you enjoy long walks in the woods. Or punching things. Or shaking your groove thang. If you're having fun and you want to keep going back day after day, then you've found the right workout for you.
Bottom line: high intensity interval training may be very effective, especially if you're short on time. If your goal is to get fit while putting in the least amount of minutes, this is definitely the way to go. But if you've got time to stop and smell the roses (so to speak) find the workout that calls to you. The one that puts a smile on your face. Because even if your dance class is an hour long, it's an hour well spent when you love every minute.
A New York Times blogger recently posted this article about a study involving a group of out-of-shape men: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/1-minute-of-all-out-exercise-may-equal-45-minutes-of-moderate-exertion/?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=0 In this study, researchers found that a ten minute workout, involving only 1 single minute of intense exercise, provided the same results as a 45 minute workout at a moderate pace.
What can we glean from this study? If your goal is to get your workout over as fast as possible, you might be in luck! Because it looks like short but INTENSE workouts are just as effective as longer, less intense ones.
What is the BEST workout for you? Without a doubt, I'd say whatever workout you will actually do. If you absolutely HATE sprinting, then an intense workout is probably not your thing. No matter how effective it might be, if you're not going to do it, it's no good. Maybe you enjoy long walks in the woods. Or punching things. Or shaking your groove thang. If you're having fun and you want to keep going back day after day, then you've found the right workout for you.
Bottom line: high intensity interval training may be very effective, especially if you're short on time. If your goal is to get fit while putting in the least amount of minutes, this is definitely the way to go. But if you've got time to stop and smell the roses (so to speak) find the workout that calls to you. The one that puts a smile on your face. Because even if your dance class is an hour long, it's an hour well spent when you love every minute.
Comments
Post a Comment
Please share your helpful questions and comments here! Thanks for being part of this balanced community!