Increasing research is touting the benefit of interval training and high intensity workouts. There is no question the harder you exercise the more calories you burn. The high intensity workout encourages more muscle fiber formation which provides greater strength and conditioning while increasing the metabolism to burn more calories in the form of carbohydrates and fat. However it is not for everyone. People who have been sedentary or struggle with chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, asthma, emphysema need to use a great deal of caution before trying this type of exercise. Consultation with your health care provider before starting any exercise program is prudent to avoid injury or serious side effects.
Interval training is not new among serious athletes. Coaches have long understood the beneficial effects of changing workouts in an alternating fashion to incorporate different training styles not only to prevent boredom but because of the beneficial outcomes. Cross-training between aerobic activities, strength training, and flexibility typically provides a more balanced approach for virtually any sport or recreational activity. It also makes a great deal of sense for the average person trying to maintain weight and a healthy lifestyle.
A recently published study of high intensity training has even gone as far as demonstrating the benefit of this type of intense exercise for as little as six minutes a week. They studied "all-out" intense exercise periods of 1-2 minutes rotated three times with brief breaks in between. The amount of energy burned and positive stimulus to muscle building was as great as much longer workouts. These short workouts for even six minutes a week produced increased endurance, strength, and weight loss. Keep in mind that most exercise studies are carried out with young healthy adults and often elite athletes. So some perspective and word of caution is appropriate before deciding to take the leap of faith yourself. High intensity workouts may increase risk of injury and may not be good idea for people who have been sedentary and are just starting an exercise routine. Moreover, underlying chronic conditions like heart disease, arthritis, lung problems or diabetes should be carefully considered before starting a program of exercise regardless of intensity. Consulting your health care provider and determining a plan that is both safe and efficient for you is of utmost importance. What we can learn from the increasing body of information is that there may be ways to modify exercise programs so they are more efficient and accessible to everyone.
Small amounts of exercise have been shown to benefit everyone at any age or gender. Although there are differences in metabolism between men and women largely due to the effects of estrogen, both men and women can benefit from interval training as long as it is sensible and appropriate for their personal level of conditioning. Working out too much, too fast in an attempt to make up for lost time will not only be unsustainable, but risk injury. A good rule for intensity is to calculate your target heart rate while staying in a safe zone. The maximum heart rate is subtracting your age from 220. Staying in a safe zone for exercise would mean staying at 60 to 75% of the max. heart rate. If you are 40 years old: 220-40 = 180. Taking 60 to 75% of 180 means you need to keep your heart rate between 108 and 135 beats per minute.
This is an estimate of how vigorously to exercise. Other individual considerations may be physical ailments or chronic illness that limits your ability to move reasonably. For a generally healthy adult these estimates work well. Exercise routines that are low impact also are preferable. High impact sports or running may be too traumatic to joints for even healthy individuals to engage in high intensity exercises frequently. Swimming, cycling, or use of an elliptical trainer is more suitable for interval training and safer. If training several times a week, alternating between hard days and easy days, provides time for recovery and healing while recruiting more muscle fiber production. Remember to alternate type of activities as well which requires use of different muscles groups. A sensible dynamic warm up to warm muscles and increase circulation prior to exercise is helpful. Stretching with focus on maintaining range of motion and flexibility is also an important part of conditioning program. Yoga is an excellent discipline for strength and mobility while focusing the mind.
There is no single formula for workouts. The message is varying the intensity and type of activity is beneficial. In addition short interval workouts of greater intensity can provide both short and long term health benefits. A more efficient exercise program may be accessible that enables people to exercise more frequently for shorter periods of time, while achieving healthy benefits. Exercises must be tailored to the individual needs of each person. Your general condition and medical background should be evaluated by a health care provider prior to starting any exercise program.
As a physician with over thirty years of diverse clinical experience, Dr Kaler recently published the Owners Manual for Injury Prevention by Bruce Kaler M.D. It is a user friendly guide to understanding prevention and injury care. He also authored a mystery novel Turnabout by Bruce Kaler M.D. an engaging medical thriller and must read for all mystery buffs. Both are available through Amazon.com, Smashwords.com and many other retail outlets. Visit his website seattledoc.com seattledoc.com.
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