Many people believe that you can only get fit if you spend extremely long stints at the gym several times a week working out. According to the scientists at Liverpool John Moores University and the University of Birmingham, new research has found that you can get the same results in less than a third of the time it would take on at the gym.
Currently, it is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UK Department of Health that people do (of all ages) get some sort of physical activity three to five hours weekly. This is to increase health and fitness and also prevents chronic diseases, thereby creating a longer life.
However, during today’s fast paced business savvy world, many people do not find even the minimum of three hours a week to workout.
For this study, existing research was looked into and added to by replacing endurance with two types of interval training. These two types of interval training exercises are called High Intensity Training (HIT) and Spirit Interval Training (SIT). They can contribute greatly to one’s health just by doing three sessions of SIT (90 minutes a week), which is as effective as doing five sessions of traditional endurance exercise (five hours a week).
LJMU researcher Matthew Cocks says, “One mechanism involves improved delivery of insulin and glucose to the skeletal muscle and the other involves improved burning of the fat stored in skeletal muscle fibres. Additionally, we found a reduced stiffness of large arteries which is important in reducing the risk of vascular disease.”
Due to the findings of this study, Professor Wagenmakers (who watched over the entire study) predicts that the HIT and SIT will be great alternative exercises that will prevent hypertension, diabetes, blood vessel disease and other obesity and aging related chronic diseases.
“SIT involves four to six repeated 30 second ‘all out’ sprints on special laboratory bikes interspersed with 4.5 minutes of very low intensity cycling. Due to the very high workload of the sprints, this method is more suitable for young and healthy individuals. However, anyone of any age or level of fitness can follow one of the alternative HIT programs which involve 15-60 second bursts of high intensity cycling interspersed with 2-4 minute intervals of low intensity cycling. HIT can be delivered on simple spinning bikes that are present in commercial gyms and are affordable for use at home or in the workplace.” Describes LJMU researcher Sam Shepherd.
It is because of the lack in time that many people are not physically active when it comes to exercise. Researchers predict that HIT and SIT can help to solve this issue.
Sam Shepherd says: ‘A pilot study currently ongoing in the Sports Centre at the University of Birmingham has also shown that previously sedentary individuals in the age-range of 25-60 also find HIT on spinning bikes much more enjoyable and attractive than endurance training and it has a more positive effect on mood and feelings of well-being. This could imply that HIT is more suitable to achieve sustainable changes in exercise behavior.”
HIT is perfect for the person who loves to run outdoors or loves cycling at the local gym. It can contribute greatly to both elderly and obese people because this tends to be patients who have diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease.
