SOMETIMES

 LESS is MORE

BUT

NOTHING

is a DISASTER!!

Jay reads, he shares....  "...... more does not always mean better when it comes to the health benefits of exercise, and raise questions about the intensity and duration of physical activity at different times of life." Research by German scientists found overdoing high intensity exercise may actually increase the risk of death from a heart attack or stroke in those with existing heart disease. And a Swedish study, also published online in the journal Heart, suggests that young men undertaking endurance exercise for more than five hours a week may increase their risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm in later life. After taking account of other influential factors, the most physically inactive were around twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke as those who were regularly physically active. And they were around four times as likely to die of cardiovascular disease and all other causes."1 "Better verbal memory and faster psychomotor speed at ages 43 to 55 years were clearly associated with better cardiorespiratory fitness 25 years earlier." 2 For the scientifically minded: HEART article 1  HEART article 2   source 1  source 2  Jay's BOTTOM LINE: As always, consult with a physician before you start or significantly alter any exercise program. You should be doing cardio 3 - 5 days a week for no more than one hour each day. You also need to do strength / resistance exercises and flexibility and balance exercises. And of course eat a balanced nutritional diet.

High Intensity Training

Click on the photo of Sommer Robertson to see why she likes High Intensity Training.

Click on the photo and listen to Bill Philips explain how to do High Intensity Training.

For you real science junkies read the study:

http://unsworks.unsw.edu.au/fapi/datastream/unsworks:1028/SOURCE01

Jay's Summary:

WALK: 2 minutes

JOG:    2 minutes

RUN:    1 minute

*Repeat FIVE (5) times. That’s 25 minutes. You (probably) don’t need more!

*ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING or CHANGING ANY DIET OR EXERCISE ROUTINE.

Counter Intuitive

In just one week, The New York Times published three articles about obesity and exercise. The titles of these articles may cause you to “SAY WHAT?”.

The headlines all seem to be counterintuitive. But those of us who know anything about exercise and fitness, read most of this and say DUH?! (and that’s not meant to insult or ridicule anyone.)

Just the same, it is interesting reading:

In ‘Obesity Paradox,’ Thinner May Mean Sicker

By Harriet Brown

Eating for Health, Not Weight

Opinion By Dean Ornish

For Weight Loss, Less Exercise May Be More

By Gretchen Reynolds

Jay’s “you should knows” (Two quotes from each of the above reference articles.):

• studies conducted by Steven Blair at the Cooper Institute in Dallas (those who’ve read my previous blogs should know this is the institute founded by Dr. Ken Cooper. Dr Cooper is the man who introduced the concept of aerobics), - shows that being fat and fit is better, healthwise, than being thin and unfit.

More often that not, cardiovascular fitness is a far more important predictor of mortality risk than just knowing what you weigh,” said Glenn Gaesser, author of “Big Fat Lies” and director of the Healthy Lifestyles Research Center at Arizona State University.

CARDIO

Which is best?

To stay healthy and reduce your risk for chronic diseases, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends either moderately intense cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes a day five times a week or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day three days a week.

If you have been reading Jay’s blogs (see Monday, September 26, 2011, Wednesday, February 9, 2011) you already know I say save your time – crank it up! - 20 minutes, 3 days a week.

However – if it is a choice between your favorite exercise and not doing something that might be more efficient – DO SOMETHING!!!

Choose your own:

Cardio Exercises, Ease of Use and Difficulties.

To see larger - click on the table

NO WAY TO RUN?

In 1970 Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper wrote;

”don’t worry about setting speed or distance records. As a general rule I advise against striving for speed, which increases strain and fatigue.

You can earn your points more safely and more comfortably by exercising at a slower rate for a longer time. (Dr. Cooper uses a point system and writes you need to average at least 30 points a week.)

with permission of Randy Glasbergen, cartoonist.

In 1999 Bill Phillips wrote:

“Despite what so many millions of people have been told, low-intensity, long-duration aerobic exercise is not the best method for ridding the body of excess fat.”

His Program involves performing only 20 minutes of aerobic exercise three times per week – no more, no less.

And then in 2010 Dr. Al Sears writes: