tag:theconversation.com,2011:/uk/topics/fitness-2121/articlesFitness – The Conversation2024-03-11T18:34:34Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2192942024-03-11T18:34:34Z2024-03-11T18:34:34ZPaying people to exercise can be motivating, but the financial rewards don’t have to last forever to work<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580781/original/file-20240308-28-6wpn62.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C132%2C4442%2C3032&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Digital solutions like fitness apps have the same stumbling blocks as other exercise programs: it's hard to form healthy habits.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>If physical activity came in a bottle, it would be the most prescribed medicine of all. Just walking 10 more minutes a day may yield <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-00978-9">clinically significant</a> outcomes such as improved mental health, less pain and better sleep. It can also help prevent and manage more than <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955">100 chronic diseases</a> like cancer, arthritis and diabetes. </p>
<p>And yet, many people do not reap the benefits of just a little more movement — about 10 more walking minutes per day, or an extra 1,000 steps.</p>
<p>There are many digital solutions to help people meet physical activity goals, like fitness apps such as MyFitnessPal and Noom. Unfortunately, the challenges of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-science-behind-building-healthy-habits-can-help-you-keep-your-new-years-resolution-219947">forming healthy habits</a> remains, and use of fitness apps can fall into a familiar pattern reflecting the <a href="https://theconversation.com/got-health-goals-research-based-tips-for-adopting-and-sticking-to-new-healthy-lifestyle-behaviours-173740">difficulty of meeting new fitness goals</a>.</p>
<p>With apps, it might look something like this: the app is downloaded with the best of intentions and is used for a couple of weeks. Gradually, the app becomes neglected and begins to collect dust on a smartphone screen, and eventually is abandoned or deleted. </p>
<h2>Encouraging activity</h2>
<p>As a physical activity expert, I have made it my life’s work to encourage more people to be more active more often. A hunch eventually led me to explore the idea of actually paying people to exercise as part of my <a href="https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/71601/3/Mitchell_Marc_201511_PhD_thesis.pdf">PhD research</a>. That began in 2010 with a small group of cardiac patients. </p>
<p>Fast forward almost 15 years, and it turns out this idea — paying people to exercise — has legs. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-101662">Governments</a> and <a href="https://www.jnj.com/innovation/employee-benefits-that-help-make-johnson-johnson-a-great-company">companies</a> all over the world, for instance, have been paying people to exercise for years. And it works! Sort of. In the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-100633">short-term</a>, at least.</p>
<p>Predictably, when delivered on a population scale, paying people to exercise can get quite expensive, which is a critical limitation. I experienced this limitation firsthand while developing the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2019-101662">Carrot Rewards</a> app in partnership with Canadian federal and provincial governments from 2016 to 2019. </p>
<p>In 2019, due to some fiscal constraints, the financial rewards for exercise offered to Canadians for over a year via Carrot Rewards were mostly withdrawn in Ontario (Canada’s largest province) but not in British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador (the other two Canadian provinces where the app was available).</p>
<p>This natural variation in financial reward exposure set up an interesting behaviour experiment, which provided the opportunity to answer the question: Can financial rewards be mostly scaled back without negatively impacting physical activity?</p>
<h2>Phasing out financial rewards</h2>
<p>In <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.42663">our large study</a> of 584,760 Carrot Rewards app users, my colleagues and I found that physical activity improvements (about 1,000 steps per day, or 10 more walking minutes) largely remained in Ontario after financial rewards faded away. This was a notable finding, especially since many years of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.125.6.627">psychology research</a> suggested the opposite; that people revert to baseline behaviours, their “old ways,” once financial rewards fade. </p>
<p>One reason for this might be that rewards for daily physical activity achievements were provided for over a year before withdrawal began, which is likely enough time for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2216115120">habit formation</a>. </p>
<p>It may also be because the Carrot Rewards app rewarded the achievement of realistic and adaptive physical activity goals — which increase confidence — with micro-rewards worth only about US$0.05 per day.</p>
<p>Others have found that rewards as small as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2016.12.012">US$0.09 per day</a> have boosted physical activity in more controlled clinical trial settings. </p>
<h2>Applying rewards</h2>
<p>What does this mean for those who have fitness apps collecting dust on their home screens? </p>
<p>In a nutshell, this new research suggests people can potentially take a short dose of financial reward to increase physical activity, and once that activity is established (it usually takes about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2216115120">six to 12 months</a>), it may be maintained longer-term with much less expensive financial reinforcement. </p>
<p>So practically speaking, if someone is interested in this approach, it would make sense to seek out financial rewards for exercise — as an impetus, a nudge, a spark. </p>
<p>Some governments have financial rewards-based mobile health programs, such as <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-pilot-to-help-people-exercise-more-and-eat-better">England</a> and <a href="https://www.totalwellbeingdiet.com/au/">Australia</a>. Employers may offer financial rewards as part of their extended health benefits, which is common in the <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/06/03/2013-12916/incentives-for-nondiscriminatory-wellness-programs-in-group-health-plans#:%7E:text=The%20reward%20for%20a%20health,to%20prevent%20or%20reduce%20tobacco">United States</a> </p>
<p>If neither of those options are available, there are commercially-available financial rewards-based fitness apps like <a href="https://sweatco.in">Sweatcoin</a> or <a href="https://waybetter.com">WayBetter</a>. With Sweatcoin, goal achievements earn coins that can be redeemed for commercial products in Sweatcoin’s online store. With WayBetter, you deposit some of your own money and earn it back plus some if you achieve your goals.</p>
<p>While financial rewards may not work for everyone, our research and that of others is increasingly suggesting they may be one way of stimulating and sustaining a more active lifestyle.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219294/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marc Mitchell provides consulting services for Caterpillar Health Inc. He also receives funding from SSHRC.</span></em></p>Offering financial incentives for exercise may be one way of stimulating, and sustaining, a more active lifestyle. Research suggests that even after rewards stop, exercise gains mostly persist.Marc Mitchell, Associate Professor, School of Kinesiology, Western UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2192352024-01-15T19:02:49Z2024-01-15T19:02:49ZThinking of using an activity tracker to achieve your exercise goals? Here’s where it can help – and where it probably won’t<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568548/original/file-20240110-16-1b9rum.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4500%2C2943&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sporty-man-running-jogging-park-active-2293505867">MalikNalik/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s that time of year when many people are getting started on their resolutions for the year ahead. Doing more physical activity is a popular and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13668-016-0175-5">worthwhile</a> goal. </p>
<p>If you’re hoping to be more active in 2024, perhaps you’ve invested in an activity tracker, or you’re considering buying one.</p>
<p>But what are the benefits of activity trackers? And will a basic tracker do the trick, or do you need a fancy one with lots of features? Let’s take a look.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-i-improve-my-motivation-to-exercise-when-i-really-hate-it-10-science-backed-tips-179761">How do I improve my motivation to exercise when I really hate it? 10 science-backed tips</a>
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<h2>Why use an activity tracker?</h2>
<p>One of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-01001-x">most powerful predictors</a> for being active is whether or not <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140673621026301">you are monitoring</a> how active you are. </p>
<p>Most people have a vague idea of how active they are, but this is inaccurate a lot of the time. Once people consciously start to keep track of how much activity they do, they often realise it’s less than what they thought, and this motivates them to be more active. </p>
<p>You can self-monitor without an activity tracker (just by writing down what you do), but this method is hard to keep up in the long run and it’s also a lot less accurate compared to devices that track your every move 24/7. </p>
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<img alt="A female runner in the bush looking at a watch." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568549/original/file-20240110-15-9fx99i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568549/original/file-20240110-15-9fx99i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568549/original/file-20240110-15-9fx99i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568549/original/file-20240110-15-9fx99i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568549/original/file-20240110-15-9fx99i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568549/original/file-20240110-15-9fx99i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568549/original/file-20240110-15-9fx99i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">There are significant health benefits to being active.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/active-fit-retired-female-runner-taking-1784166416">Anatoliy Karlyuk/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>By tracking steps or “activity minutes” you can ascertain whether or not you are meeting the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians/for-adults-18-to-64-years">physical activity guidelines</a> (150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week).</p>
<p>It also allows you to track how you’re progressing with any personal activity goals, and view your progress over time. All this would be difficult without an activity tracker. </p>
<p>Research has shown the most popular brands of activity trackers are generally reliable when it comes to tracking basic measures such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.2196/18694">steps</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/jmpb.2019-0072">activity minutes</a>.</p>
<h2>But wait, there’s more</h2>
<p>Many activity trackers on the market nowadays track a range of other measures which their manufacturers promote as important in monitoring health and fitness. But is this really the case? Let’s look at some of these. </p>
<p><strong>Resting heart rate</strong></p>
<p>This is your heart rate at rest, which is normally somewhere <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/resting-heart-rate">between 60 and 100 beats per minute</a>. Your resting heart rate will gradually go down as you become fitter, especially if you’re doing a lot of high-intensity exercise. Your risk of dying of any cause (all-cause mortality) is much lower when you have a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28552551/">low resting heart rate</a>. </p>
<p>So, it is useful to keep an eye on your resting heart rate. Activity trackers are pretty good at tracking it, but you can also easily measure your heart rate by monitoring your pulse and using a stopwatch.</p>
<p><strong>Heart rate during exercise</strong></p>
<p>Activity trackers will also measure your heart rate when you’re active. To improve fitness efficiently, professional athletes focus on having their heart rate in certain “<a href="https://chhs.source.colostate.edu/how-to-target-heart-rate-training-zones-effectively/">zones</a>” when they’re exercising – so knowing their heart rate during exercise is important.</p>
<p>But if you just want to be more active and healthier, without a specific training goal in mind, you can exercise at a level that feels good to you and not worry about your heart rate during activity. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0000000000000437">most important thing</a> is that you’re being active. </p>
<p>Also, a dedicated heart rate monitor with a strap around your chest will do a much better job at measuring your actual heart rate <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-020-0226-6">compared</a> to an activity tracker worn around your wrist. </p>
<p><strong>Maximal heart rate</strong></p>
<p>This is the hardest your heart could beat when you’re active, not something you could sustain very long. Your maximal heart rate is not influenced by how much exercise you do, or your fitness level. </p>
<p>Most activity trackers <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2566167">don’t measure it accurately</a> anyway, so you might as well forget about this one.</p>
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<img alt="A hand with a smartwatch around the wrist stretching." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568551/original/file-20240110-29-8bym1o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568551/original/file-20240110-29-8bym1o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568551/original/file-20240110-29-8bym1o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568551/original/file-20240110-29-8bym1o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568551/original/file-20240110-29-8bym1o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568551/original/file-20240110-29-8bym1o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568551/original/file-20240110-29-8bym1o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Many activity trackers measure heart rate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/runner-stretching-leg-before-run-closeup-283094750">Maridav/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p><strong>VO₂max</strong></p>
<p>Your muscles need oxygen to work. The more oxygen your body can process, the harder you can work, and therefore the fitter you are. </p>
<p>VO₂max is the volume (V) of oxygen (O₂) we could breathe maximally (max) over a one minute interval, expressed as millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). Inactive women and men would have a VO₂max lower than 30 and 40 ml/kg/min, respectively. A reasonably good VO₂max would be mid thirties and higher for women and mid forties and higher for men. </p>
<p>VO₂max is another measure of fitness that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.3605">correlates well</a> with all-cause mortality: the higher it is, the lower your risk of dying. </p>
<p>For athletes, VO₂max is usually measured in a lab on a treadmill while wearing a mask that measures oxygen consumption. Activity trackers instead look at your running speed (using a GPS chip) and your heart rate and compare these measures to values from other people. </p>
<p>If you can run fast with a low heart rate your tracker will assume you are relatively fit, resulting in a higher VO₂max. These estimates are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01639-y">not very accurate</a> as they are based on lots of assumptions. However, the error of the measurement is reasonably consistent. This means if your VO₂max is gradually increasing, you are likely to be getting fitter. </p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-do-we-really-need-to-take-10-000-steps-a-day-109079">Health Check: do we really need to take 10,000 steps a day?</a>
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<p>So what’s the take-home message? Focus on how many steps you take every day or the number of activity minutes you achieve. Even a basic activity tracker will measure these factors relatively accurately. There is no real need to track other measures and pay more for an activity tracker that records them, unless you are getting really serious about exercise.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219235/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Corneel Vandelanotte receives research funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian Research Council, the National Heart Foundation of Australia, and the Medical Research Future Fund. He also receives funding from Health and Wellbeing Queensland and Wellbeing SA for delivering the 10,000 Steps program. </span></em></p>Activity trackers come with a variety of functionalities. While some are important, others you can pay less attention to.Corneel Vandelanotte, Professorial Research Fellow: Physical Activity and Health, CQUniversity AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2205112024-01-10T14:16:14Z2024-01-10T14:16:14ZHow to keep a new year’s resolution: ask yourself why you’re doing it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568451/original/file-20240109-25-hkhp4z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=87%2C21%2C6954%2C4032&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/keep-going-cropped-shot-female-fitness-2167544337">PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It is easy, in December, when surrounded by chocolate wrappers and leftover Christmas pudding, to decide to change your life when January comes around. It’s quite different when January arrives, bringing with it more darkness, more rain and possible feelings of <a href="https://www.keepingwellblmk.nhs.uk/self-help-resources/winter-pressures/january-blues">low mood</a>. </p>
<p>By now, it may well be that all the good intentions you had when browsing the Boxing Day sales for athleisure and sports equipment, signing up for gym memberships or committing to going <a href="https://veganuary.com/">vegan</a> for a month have started to fall by the wayside. </p>
<p>Our lives don’t magically change on the first of January any more than they do on any other day. Making a change takes work. </p>
<p>The key question to ask yourself when it comes to new year’s resolutions is “why”. Why have you decided to change the things you have, or to do the things you have? What has driven you to it, and why do you want to achieve it? </p>
<p>If the answer is “I don’t know”, or is related to external pressures from other people or society in general (“I feel like everyone else has joined a gym, so I should too”), then chances are the resolutions won’t be sustainable. </p>
<p>Our research, which uses self-determination theory, led us to this conclusion. This theory, grounded in psychology, tells us that motivation is key to continuing with an activity, but that motivation needs to come from within ourselves – to be what is known as autonomous or internalised. </p>
<h2>Find value in what you’re doing</h2>
<p>If you are undertaking something because you think other people want you to, or because you want validation from other people, you are unlikely to keep going. If the activity has value to you or is enjoyable, then you are more likely to persist, even in the face of difficulties and setbacks. </p>
<p>Let’s consider an example. Many of the most common resolutions relate to fitness, which is an area well served by <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/sms.13617?casa_token=p_wPzZAOXecAAAAA:GBmfJO4t0SGSINhN11SC8c3sLBNqdxthrZ3V-Wt8CkVtoWTTcncRwdm7kO2RpbIZqFYbTvrkQQPlJww">self-determination theory research</a>. </p>
<p>Some people might resolve to join a gym or take up running in January because they feel they’ve overindulged over Christmas, or because an offer pinged into their inbox and it seems like everyone is doing it. But they are substantially less likely to keep up the habit than those who make the same resolution because they feel that getting fit is important to them. </p>
<p>This second group of people have found <a href="https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5868-9-78">value in fitness</a> which aligns with their own sense of what is important, or right for them, or likely to lead to a positive outcome which they value. People who enjoy fitness are also more likely to keep going with it. If you think about the activities you engage in in your own life, whether or not they are resolutions, this is likely to strike a chord. </p>
<h2>Meeting your goals</h2>
<p>You might have set yourself a <a href="https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/topics/application-goals/">specific goal</a> as a resolution – such as to reach a certain level in a language. Again, your success depends on how important this goal is to you. </p>
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<img alt="Woman taking notes from laptop" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568581/original/file-20240110-29-iei1pf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568581/original/file-20240110-29-iei1pf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568581/original/file-20240110-29-iei1pf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568581/original/file-20240110-29-iei1pf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568581/original/file-20240110-29-iei1pf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568581/original/file-20240110-29-iei1pf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568581/original/file-20240110-29-iei1pf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Why have you decided to learn something new?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/focused-young-african-american-businesswoman-student-1361068373">fizkes/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>Think about <a href="https://web-archive.southampton.ac.uk/www.llas.ac.uk/sites/default/files/nodes/6063/700_reasons.pdf">your reasons</a>. If it is because you think you “should” be able to speak another language, then you might not last that long – especially once the novelty has worn off and the effort required has stepped up. If you’re preparing for a trip, and you think <a href="https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5px045mw">knowing the local language</a> will help you when you are there, then you are more likely to sustain the habit – at least until the trip arrives. </p>
<p>Whether you continue beyond that is another question, as you will have met your original goal. Without another upcoming trip to the same destination, you might find that the habit you’ve created becomes harder to sustain. </p>
<p>So, with all this in mind, what can you do to ensure you keep your new year’s resolution? Well, firstly, try and make it something you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it before you start, think about what you can do to make it enjoyable. If you’ve resolved to get fit, but the gym is not working for you, try something else – perhaps swimming, running or yoga. </p>
<p>If you want to learn a language, but it’s turning out to be <a href="https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Some-goals-just-feel-easier-Self-concordance-leads-to-goal-progress-through-subjective-ease-not-effor.pdf">hard work</a> rather than fun, try a TV series in your target language (with subtitles) or studying with a friend. </p>
<p>And make sure you’re in it for the right reasons. If you’re only doing something for other people, and not for yourself, then your motivation is likely to be poorer quality and <a href="https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2009_VansteenkisteSierensEtAl_JEP.pdf">harder to sustain</a>. A friend may have cajoled you into joining the gym, but if you start to look forward to the camaraderie of a spin class, your motivation will become more internalised. </p>
<p>And one final note. If you decide your new year’s resolution isn’t working, <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4614-6806-6_8">allow yourself flexibility</a>. It’s ok to shift your goals, or put them on hold.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220511/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>If the answer is “I don’t know”, chances are your resolution won’t be sustainable.Abigail Parrish, Lecturer in Languages Education, University of SheffieldKimberley Jane Bartholomew, Associate Professor in Education, University of East AngliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2185102024-01-09T19:15:38Z2024-01-09T19:15:38ZWanting to ‘move on’ is natural – but women’s pandemic experiences can’t be lost to ‘lockdown amnesia’<p>The COVID-19 pandemic was – and continues to be – hugely disruptive and stressful for individuals, communities and countries. Yet many seem desperate to close the chapter entirely, almost as if it had never happened. </p>
<p>This desire to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2023/03/13/brain-memory-pandemic-covid-forgetting/">forget and move on</a> – labelled “<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/be70b24e-8ca0-4681-a23b-0c59c69a2616">lockdown amnesia</a>” by some – is understandable at one level. But it also risks missing the opportunity to learn from what happened.</p>
<p>And while various official enquiries and royal commissions have been established to examine the wider government responses (including in New Zealand), the experiences of ordinary people are equally important to understand.</p>
<p>As researchers interested in women and gender roles, we wanted to capture some of this. For the past three years, our research has focused on what happened to everyday women during this period of uncertainty and disruption – and what lessons might be learned.</p>
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<h2>Pandemic amnesia</h2>
<p>Individual memory can become vague as time goes on. But this can also be affected by broader narratives (in the media or official responses) that overwrite our own recollections of the pandemic.</p>
<p>Political calls to “<a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/11/8/340">live with the virus</a>”, and <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018849569/sick-and-tired-of-the-sickness">media hesitancy</a> to publish COVID-related stories due to perceived audience fatigue, can create a collective sense of needing to “move on”. Looking back can be seen as questionable, or even attacked.</p>
<p>Indeed, misinformation and disinformation have been used, <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Risk/Lupton/p/book/9781032327006">in the words</a> of leading pandemic social scientist Deborah Lupton, to “challenge science and manufacture dissent against attempts to tackle [such] crises”.</p>
<p>But as the memory scholar <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/17506980231184563?casa_token=Wrs8pMKoFqcAAAAA:N9DN9rb9XNopHSIF2af2q8z4Ue457oW6l-mqPtBlmUQSy6dw53DYhQWxgk8BLe3SyWIzlkXTnvAPrYw">Sydney Goggins has put it</a>, such “public forgetting leads to a cascade of impacts on policy and social wellbeing”.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/jacinda-arderns-resignation-gender-and-the-toll-of-strong-compassionate-leadership-198152">Jacinda Ardern's resignation: gender and the toll of strong, compassionate leadership</a>
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<h2>A gendered pandemic</h2>
<p>Responding to the rapidly changing social, cultural and economic impacts of the pandemic, feminist scholars have highlighted the particular <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/Articles/10.3389/Fgwh.2020.588372/Full">physical and emotional toll</a> on women worldwide.</p>
<p>This has included <a href="https://academic.oup.com/biomedgerontology/article/77/Supplement_1/S31/6463712">social isolation and loneliness</a>, increased <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15487733.2020.1776561?src=recsys">domestic and emotional labour</a>, the rise in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7262164/">domestic and gender-based violence</a>, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13545701.2021.1876906">job losses and financial insecurity</a>. Black, Indigenous, minority and migrant women have <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/08912432211001302">felt these impacts</a> particularly keenly.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.777013552598989">same trends</a> have been observed in Aotearoa New Zealand. And whereas some countries embraced pandemic recovery strategies that recognised these gender differences, this <a href="https://theconversation.com/nz-budget-2021-women-left-behind-despite-the-focus-on-well-being-161187">hasn’t been the case</a> in New Zealand.</p>
<p>The gendered abuse of women leaders – former prime minister <a href="https://theconversation.com/jacinda-arderns-resignation-gender-and-the-toll-of-strong-compassionate-leadership-198152">Jacinda Ardern</a> and scientist <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/atthemovies/audio/2018913516/review-ms-information">Siouxsie Wiles</a>, for example – have been well documented. But the experiences of ordinary women, their struggles and strategies to look after themselves and others, have had much less attention.</p>
<h2>Experiences of everyday women</h2>
<p>Our study involved 110 women in Aotearoa New Zealand. We set out to understand how they adapted their everyday practices – work, leisure, exercise, sport – to maintain or regain wellbeing, social connections and a sense of community.</p>
<p>Despite many differences between the women in our sample, there were also shared experiences. We referred to the ruptures in the patterns, rhythms and routines of their lives as “<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gwao.12987">gender arrhythmia</a>”.</p>
<p>The women responded to the psycho-social and physical challenges, such as disrupted sleep or weight changes, by creating counter-rhythms – taking up hobbies, exercising, changing diet.</p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-pandemics-disproportionate-impact-on-women-is-derailing-decades-of-progress-on-gender-equality-180941">The pandemic’s disproportionate impact on women is derailing decades of progress on gender equality</a>
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<p>The pandemic also prompted many to reflect on how their pre-pandemic routines and rhythms had caused various forms of “alienation”: from their own health and wellbeing, meaningful social connections, ethical and sustainable work practices, and pleasure.</p>
<p>The disruption of the pandemic caused many to reevaluate the importance of work in their lives. As one reflected: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>COVID-19 has made me reassess what is the most important thing. Is it making money? Actually, no, not at all.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Others were prompted to question and challenge the gendered demands on women to “do everything” and “be everywhere” for everyone:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I think as women, because we’re so good at multitasking, we just put so much on our plates. I think we need to learn just to say no, because we’re not superhuman. And ultimately, all of this responsibility is weighing us down.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Our research also highlighted how the pandemic affected women’s relationships with <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1755458623000270?casa_token=KcmGBPnpKLQAAAAA:MmQhDue20CoR0f6lK8rjWfxtBSHsjpzjbJu8tIc03StdccyCvduAs3CUVPwk18rPbklx3_j8DEo">familiar spaces and places</a>. Leaving home for a walk, run or bike ride became important everyday practices that proved highly beneficial for most women’s subjective wellbeing. </p>
<p>Some came to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/01937235231200288">appreciate physical activity</a> for the general joys of movement and connection with people and places, rather than simply to achieve particular goals like fitness or weight loss. </p>
<h2>Special challenges for young women</h2>
<p>As part of our overall project, we also <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13668803.2023.2268818?needAccess=true">focused on 45 young women</a> (aged 16 to 25). This highlighted the importance of recognising how gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic circumstances intersect. </p>
<p>Listening to their <a href="https://www.tepunahamatatini.ac.nz/2023/11/07/the-invisible-glue-holding-families-together-during-the-pandemic/">pandemic stories</a>, we found young women played important roles in supporting their families and communities. </p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-19-has-laid-bare-how-much-we-value-womens-work-and-how-little-we-pay-for-it-136042">COVID-19 has laid bare how much we value women's work, and how little we pay for it</a>
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<p>In particular, Māori, Pacific and others from diverse ethnic or migrant backgrounds carried increased responsibilities in the home, including childcare, cleaning, cooking and shopping. While many did so willingly, these extra burdens took a toll on their schooling, mental health and wellbeing.</p>
<p>For many young women, the pandemic was a radical disruption to their everyday lives and routines during a critical stage of identity development. They missed key milestones and events, and crucial phases of education and social development. </p>
<p>Many still grieve for some of those losses. And some are struggling to rebuild social connections, motivation and aspirations.</p>
<p>For example, some described being passionate and aspiring athletes before the pandemic. But social anxieties and body-image issues left over from lockdowns have been hard to shake, and have seen them <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2673-995X/3/3/55">struggle to return</a> to sport. </p>
<h2>The invisible work of migrant women</h2>
<p>We also looked deeply at the experiences of <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-38797-5_9">12 middle-class migrant women</a>, and how prolonged border closures created real anxiety about “not being there” for families overseas. </p>
<p>As one nurse working on the front line of COVID care in NZ explained:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>About a year ago, the cases of COVID in my homeland were increasing so rapidly. My family were not very well and I was depending on social media […] trying to reach out to them. I was really scared at that time, not being able to see your family when they really need you, not being able to be with them.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Some of the women in our sample also experienced <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14649365.2023.2275761">increased anti-immigrant sentiments</a> which further affected their health and wellbeing – and their feelings of belonging. As one said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I’ve become extremely sensitive. I cry about small things. My doctor said “go and get some fresh air, it’s good for you” […] I went outside for a walk, and someone shouted at me, screamed at me. I got terrified for my life. How do you expect me to have wellbeing when no one in the society accepts you?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This arm of the research suggests a real need for <a href="https://www.belong.org.nz/migrant-experiences-in-the-time-of-covid">investment in policies and support strategies</a> specifically for migrant women and their communities in any future global health emergency.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-zealanders-are-learning-to-live-with-covid-but-does-that-mean-having-to-pay-for-protection-ourselves-219698">New Zealanders are learning to live with COVID – but does that mean having to pay for protection ourselves?</a>
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<h2>Communities of care</h2>
<p>A key feature of our study was the highly creative ways women cultivated “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2043820620934268">communities of care</a>” during the pandemic. Even when they were struggling themselves, they reached out to friends and family – and particularly other women. </p>
<p>The majority of our participants were prompted to think differently about their own health and wellbeing, and what is important in their lives (now and in the future). </p>
<p>Throughout the pandemic, women have worked quietly, behind the scenes, in their families, communities and workplaces, supporting their own and others’ health and wellbeing. This invisible labour is rarely acknowledged or celebrated. </p>
<p>Many still feel the toll of economic hardship, violence and exhaustion. And less tangible feelings of disillusionment remain in a society that has so quickly “moved on” from the pandemic.</p>
<p>Acknowledging and addressing pandemic amnesia – personal and collective – is an important first step in documenting, learning from, and using these experiences to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953622008176">better prepare for future events</a>. Next time, we need to ensure the necessary support is available for those most in need.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>The authors wish to acknowledge the other members of the research team: Dr Nikki Barrett, Dr Julie Brice, Dr Allison Jeffrey and Dr Anoosh Soltani.</em></p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218510/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Holly Thorpe receives funding from a Royal Society Te Apārangi James Cook Research Fellowship.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Grace O'Leary, Mihi Joy Nemani, and Nida Ahmad do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>COVID was a ‘gendered pandemic’, with women carrying very different burdens to men. A three-year New Zealand research project aimed to overcome the urge to forget, and provide lessons for the future.Holly Thorpe, Professor in Sociology of Sport and Gender, University of WaikatoGrace O'Leary, Research Fellow, University of WaikatoMihi Joy Nemani, Senior Lecturer, Te Huataki Waiora School of Health, University of WaikatoNida Ahmad, Research Fellow, University of WaikatoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2146382024-01-08T00:43:25Z2024-01-08T00:43:25ZWhy are my muscles sore after exercise? Hint: it’s nothing to do with lactic acid<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551088/original/file-20230929-29-ua1o1p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C41%2C6989%2C4610&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As many of us hit the gym or go for a run to recover from the silly season, you might notice a bit of extra muscle soreness. </p>
<p>This is especially true if it has been a while between workouts. </p>
<p>A common misunderstanding is that such soreness is due to lactic acid build-up in the muscles. </p>
<p>Research, however, shows lactic acid has <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">nothing to do with it</a>. The truth is far more interesting, but also a bit more complex.</p>
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<p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cant-afford-a-gym-membership-or-fitness-class-3-things-to-include-in-a-diy-exercise-program-206204">Can't afford a gym membership or fitness class? 3 things to include in a DIY exercise program</a>
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<h2>It’s not lactic acid</h2>
<p>We’ve known for decades that lactic acid has <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27409551/">nothing to do with</a> muscle soreness after exercise.</p>
<p>In fact, as one of us (Robert Andrew Robergs) has long <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004">argued</a>, cells produce lactate, not lactic acid. This process actually <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">opposes</a> not causes the build-up of acid in the muscles and bloodstream.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, historical inertia means people still use the term “lactic acid” in relation to exercise. </p>
<p>Lactate <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1101141">doesn’t cause major problems</a> for the muscles you use when you exercise. You’d probably be <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpregu.00114.2004?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&">worse off</a> without it due to other benefits to your working muscles. </p>
<p>Lactate isn’t the reason you’re sore a few days after upping your weights or exercising after a long break.</p>
<p>So, if it’s not lactic acid and it’s not lactate, what is causing all that muscle soreness?</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551620/original/file-20231003-27-586dxa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman clasps her lug in pain." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551620/original/file-20231003-27-586dxa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551620/original/file-20231003-27-586dxa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551620/original/file-20231003-27-586dxa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551620/original/file-20231003-27-586dxa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551620/original/file-20231003-27-586dxa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551620/original/file-20231003-27-586dxa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551620/original/file-20231003-27-586dxa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Regular training will gradually build the muscle adaptations necessary to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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</figure>
<h2>Muscle pain during and after exercise</h2>
<p>When you exercise, a lot of chemical reactions occur in your muscle cells. All these chemical reactions accumulate products and by-products which cause water to enter into the cells.</p>
<p>That causes the pressure inside and between muscle cells to increase.</p>
<p>This pressure, combined with the movement of molecules from the muscle cells can stimulate nerve endings and cause <a href="https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(11)00099-8/fulltext">discomfort</a> during exercise.</p>
<p>The pain and discomfort you sometimes feel hours to days after an unfamiliar type or amount of exercise has a different list of causes. </p>
<p>If you exercise beyond your usual level or routine, you can cause microscopic damage to your muscles and their connections to tendons. </p>
<p>Such damage causes the release of ions and other molecules from the muscles, causing localised swelling and stimulation of nerve endings.</p>
<p>This is sometimes known as “<a href="https://www.sportsmed.theclinics.com/article/S0278-5919(11)00099-8/fulltext">delayed onset muscle soreness</a>” or DOMS.</p>
<p>While the damage occurs during the exercise, the resulting response to the injury builds over the next one to two days (longer if the damage is severe). This can sometimes cause pain and difficulty with normal movement.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551621/original/file-20231003-15-dx0b7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman does lunges in the gym." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551621/original/file-20231003-15-dx0b7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551621/original/file-20231003-15-dx0b7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551621/original/file-20231003-15-dx0b7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551621/original/file-20231003-15-dx0b7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551621/original/file-20231003-15-dx0b7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551621/original/file-20231003-15-dx0b7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551621/original/file-20231003-15-dx0b7m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Being less wrecked by exercise makes it more enjoyable.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The upshot</h2>
<p>Research is clear; the discomfort from delayed onset muscle soreness has nothing to do with <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UVjRNSUAAAAJ&view_op=view_citation&citation_for_view=UVjRNSUAAAAJ:J_g5lzvAfSwC">lactate</a> or <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017">lactic acid</a>.</p>
<p>The good news, though, is that your muscles adapt rapidly to the activity that would initially cause delayed onset muscle soreness. </p>
<p>So, assuming you don’t wait too long (more than roughly two weeks) before being active again, the next time you do the same activity there will be much less damage and discomfort.</p>
<p>If you have an exercise goal (such as doing a particular hike or completing a half-marathon), ensure it is realistic and that you can work up to it by training over several months.</p>
<p>Such training will gradually build the muscle adaptations necessary to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness. And being less wrecked by exercise makes it more enjoyable and more easy to stick to a routine or habit.</p>
<p>Finally, remove “lactic acid” from your exercise vocabulary. Its supposed role in muscle soreness is a myth that’s hung around far too long already.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/climb-the-stairs-lug-the-shopping-chase-the-kids-incidental-vigorous-activity-linked-to-lower-cancer-risks-210288">Climb the stairs, lug the shopping, chase the kids. Incidental vigorous activity linked to lower cancer risks</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214638/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>For a long time many people believed intense exercise caused your body to produce lactic acid and that this, in turn, caused muscle soreness. This is not correct.Robert Andrew Robergs, Associate Professor - Exercise Physiology, Queensland University of TechnologySamuel L. Torrens, PhD Candidate, Queensland University of TechnologyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2199472024-01-03T22:40:45Z2024-01-03T22:40:45ZThe science behind building healthy habits can help you keep your New Year’s resolution<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567790/original/file-20240103-17-ggw22c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6048%2C4010&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Strategies like setting SMART goals and enlisting social support can help turn resolutions into habits.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/the-science-behind-building-healthy-habits-can-help-you-keep-your-new-years-resolution" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Every New Year, millions of people make resolutions, with the most common <a href="https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-year-resolutions-survey-2024/">resolutions being health-related</a>. Despite their popularity, <a href="https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/canadians-quick-make-new-years-resolutions-slow-see-them-through">up to 80 per cent of resolutions fail</a>, mostly within a few weeks. As a result, many <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063084">people make the same resolutions year after year</a>. </p>
<p>At the same time, resolutions can bring focus to an area that’s important to you. I research the importance of behaviours to health, and write the <a href="https://drscottlear.com/">Become Your Healthiest You</a> blog. Here’s how using scientific strategies can increase your chances of success with your resolution.</p>
<h2>Setting SMART resolutions</h2>
<p>Resolutions are like goals and putting time into planning your resolution can increase your success. Using the SMART goal framework (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely) is a good foundation for setting your resolution.</p>
<p>A specific resolution is clear and focused. Unfortunately, <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063084">most people set vague resolutions</a>, such as wanting to exercise more, be healthier or lose weight. While admirable, resolutions that provide a clear description of what you want to achieve (exercise three times a week for 30 minutes, lose five pounds) provide more direction and are more readily attained. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A couple in a kitchen setting a bowl of fruit on the table" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567766/original/file-20240103-23-fxxv3m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567766/original/file-20240103-23-fxxv3m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567766/original/file-20240103-23-fxxv3m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567766/original/file-20240103-23-fxxv3m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567766/original/file-20240103-23-fxxv3m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567766/original/file-20240103-23-fxxv3m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567766/original/file-20240103-23-fxxv3m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A goal of eating healthier is hard to measure, whereas a goal of eating three fruits a day can be easily measured.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Also, aim for positive resolutions such as eating more vegetables, in contrast to eating no junk food. Positive resolutions are approach-oriented, while negative ones are avoidance-oriented. In a survey of 1,066 people, those who had <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0234097">approach-oriented resolutions were more likely to be successful</a>.</p>
<p>A measurable resolution means you can assess when you’ve achieved it. A goal of eating healthier is hard to measure, whereas a goal of eating three fruits a day can be easily measured. Essentially, your resolution becomes a target. And a target can also bring focus to your resolution, such as with wanting to run a marathon under four hours. In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2417">study of nearly 10 million marathon times</a> there were far more finishes at 3:59 than at 4:01, which suggests that having a clear target may have helped people run faster.</p>
<p>You also want your resolution to be attainable, which means it’s realistic for you to achieve. Big, long-term resolutions may be more easily approached by breaking them into smaller ones. However, your resolution also needs to be challenging, as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0030-5073(68)90004-4">challenging ones result in better performance</a> and are also found to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.09.002">more satisfying</a> than easier resolutions.</p>
<p>A relevant resolution is one that’s meaningful to you. For example, exercising so you can have more energy throughout the day. </p>
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<img alt="Marathon runners" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567768/original/file-20240103-25-w31e13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567768/original/file-20240103-25-w31e13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567768/original/file-20240103-25-w31e13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567768/original/file-20240103-25-w31e13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=393&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567768/original/file-20240103-25-w31e13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567768/original/file-20240103-25-w31e13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567768/original/file-20240103-25-w31e13.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=494&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In a study of nearly 10 million marathon times, there were far more finishes at 3:59 than at 4:01, which suggests that having a clear target may have helped people run faster.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pixabay)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Relevant resolutions are more likely to be intrinsic in contrast with extrinsic ones, which are externally motivated (such as getting a promotion, winning a trophy or receiving praise). Extrinsic resolutions tend to be fleeting while intrinsic resolutions are associated with <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.32598/jpcp.8.2.28.2">greater well-being</a> and <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/213709669?&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals">satisfaction</a>.</p>
<p>The last part is having a resolution that’s timely. This means having a deadline for when you wish to achieve it. A resolution without a deadline rarely gets done. A timely resolution helps prioritize your days and weeks leading up to it. If your resolution is to lose five pounds in two months, this can be the foundation for your plan on how to achieve it.</p>
<h2>Succeeding at your resolution</h2>
<p>Having a good implementation plan is as key as having a clear resolution. In some cases, you may need to change your environment to be more supportive of your resolution. This may mean moving snacks out of sight, putting your workout gear near the front door or using sticky notes as reminders.</p>
<p>If your resolution requires starting a new habit, combine it with a habit you already do. If you want to floss your teeth, combine it with brushing your teeth. Combining a new habit with an old one is referred to as piggybacking, stacking and temptation bundling.</p>
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<img alt="A woman in exercise clothes with a towel around her neck wearing headphones" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567770/original/file-20240103-15-rhl1zv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567770/original/file-20240103-15-rhl1zv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567770/original/file-20240103-15-rhl1zv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567770/original/file-20240103-15-rhl1zv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567770/original/file-20240103-15-rhl1zv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567770/original/file-20240103-15-rhl1zv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567770/original/file-20240103-15-rhl1zv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Temptation bundling means bundling a newly desired activity with one you already enjoy, like exercising while listening to audiobooks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Temptation bundling is a more specific version of piggybacking in which you choose an activity you enjoy and bundle it with your newly desired activity. If you want to start exercising, bundle it with a favourite TV show, podcast or music. People who used temptation bundling with audiobooks were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2020.09.003">more likely to keep up with their exercise routine</a>. </p>
<p>To encourage yourself along the way, try positive thinking. This can be as simple as saying to yourself <em>I can do this</em>, <em>I’m proud of myself for trying</em> or <em>I have the power to change my mind</em> a few times each day. Positive thinking may help <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9593-5">increase perseverance</a> and is believed to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2005.06.001">increase the neurotransmitters dopamine</a> and <a href="https://www.jpn.ca/content/32/6/430">serotonin</a>, associated with pleasure and mood, which can reinforce behaviours.</p>
<p>Enlisting the support of others can also help in achieving your resolution. People with greater social support networks are <a href="https://doi.org/10.2190/78UQ-5NMW-7YLD-TFWV">more likely to achieve their goals</a>. </p>
<p>Social support can be broken into four categories:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>instrumental support consisting of someone doing something for you, such as driving you to the gym or helping in meal planning; </p></li>
<li><p>informational support in the form of someone giving you advice, whether it be from family, friends or professionals such as your doctor or a dietitian; </p></li>
<li><p>appraisal support, including evaluation and constructive feedback, which may come from the same people who provide informational support; and </p></li>
<li><p>emotional support from people providing love, empathy and caring.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>Challenges and setbacks happen</h2>
<p>Even with proper planning, challenges and setbacks can happen and are a normal part of any process of changing one’s behaviour or attempting something new. </p>
<p>Some setbacks may be temporary, such as an illness interrupting your exercise program. Others may occur regularly, such as dinner parties that may affect your desire to eat a healthy diet. These challenges can be minimized by planning ahead. In this example, your plan may include contributing a meal to the dinner that fits your needs.</p>
<p>If a setback occurs, accept this as a natural part of the process. Focus on the progress you’ve made so far and review your plan. What has worked for you to date? Is there anything you need to revise to account for any future challenges? </p>
<p>Starting a new behaviour can sometimes be a process of trial and error, and learning from setbacks can support future success. Good luck and Happy New Year!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219947/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Scott Lear receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Hamilton Health Sciences, and has received funding from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Novo Nordisk, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.</span></em></p>Resolutions are like goals and putting time into planning your resolution can increase your success. Using scientific strategies can increase your chances of sticking with your resolution.Scott Lear, Professor of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2202692024-01-01T14:45:08Z2024-01-01T14:45:08ZResistance (exercise) is far from futile: The unheralded benefits of weight training<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567305/original/file-20231222-21-ph8fgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=455%2C14%2C8365%2C5662&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Resistance training works about as well as aerobic exercise in all the critical areas, including cardiovascular health.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/resistance-exercise-is-far-from-futile-the-unheralded-benefits-of-weight-training" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Everyone can agree that exercise is healthy. Among its many benefits, exercise improves heart and brain function, aids in controlling weight, slows the effects of aging and helps lower the risks of several chronic <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101%2Fcshperspect.a029694">diseases</a>.</p>
<p>For too long, though, one way of keeping fit, aerobic exercise, has been perceived as superior to the other, resistance training, for promoting health when, in fact, they are equally valuable, and both can get us to the same goal of overall physical fitness.</p>
<p>Aerobic exercise such as running, swimming and cycling is popular because it provides great benefits and with ample <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001335">scientific evidence</a> to back that up.</p>
<p>What has been far less influential to date is that resistance training — whether that’s with dumbbells, weightlifting machines or good old push-ups, lunges and dips — works about as well as aerobic exercise in all the critical areas, including cardiovascular health.</p>
<p>Resistance training provides another benefit: building strength and developing power, which become increasingly important as a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-021-1665-8">person ages</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/843867756" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen="" mozallowfullscreen="" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Video about different forms of resistance training explores how all are effective at building strength.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Building and maintaining muscle strength keeps us springing out of our chairs, maintaining our balance and posture and firing our metabolism, as my colleagues and I explain in a paper recently <a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/FIT.0000000000000916">published</a> by the American College of Sports Medicine.</p>
<p>So, if aerobic exercise and resistance training offer roughly equal benefits, how did we end up with so many runners and cyclists compared to weightlifters?</p>
<p>It was a combination of timing, marketing and stereotyping.</p>
<h2>The rise of aerobics</h2>
<p>The preference for aerobic exercise dates back to landmark research from the <a href="https://www.cooperinstitute.org/research/ccls">Cooper Centre Longitudinal Study</a>, which played a pivotal role in establishing the effectiveness of aerobics — Dr. Ken Cooper invented or at least popularized the word with his book <a href="https://www.cooperaerobics.com/About/Aerobics.aspx"><em>Aerobics</em></a>, spurring desk-bound Baby Boomers to take up exercise for its own sake.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, resistance training languished, <a href="https://www.cnet.com/health/fitness/does-lifting-weights-make-women-bulky/">especially among women</a>, due to the misguided notion that weightlifting was only for men who aspired to be hyper-muscular. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-Atlas">Charles Atlas</a>, anyone?</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A smiling man holding small blue dumbbells" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567302/original/file-20231222-29-if70n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567302/original/file-20231222-29-if70n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567302/original/file-20231222-29-if70n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567302/original/file-20231222-29-if70n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567302/original/file-20231222-29-if70n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567302/original/file-20231222-29-if70n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567302/original/file-20231222-29-if70n6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Resistance training does not invariably lead to bulking up, nor does it demand lifting heavy weights.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Cultural influences solidified the dominance of aerobic exercise in the fitness landscape. In 1977, Jim Fixx made running and jogging popular with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complete_Book_of_Running"><em>The Complete Book of Running</em></a>. In the 1980s, Jane Fonda’s <a href="https://www.janefonda.com/shop/fitness-videos/jane-fondas-complete-workout/"><em>Complete Workout</em></a> and exercise shows such as <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268895/">Aerobicize</a></em> and the <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0299431/">20 Minute Workout</a></em> helped solidify the idea that exercise was about raising one’s heart rate.</p>
<p>The very word “aerobic,” previously confined to the lexicon of science and medicine, entered popular culture about the same time as leg warmers, tracksuits and sweatbands. It made sense to many that breathing hard and sweating from prolonged, vigorous movement was the best way to benefit from exercising.</p>
<p>All the while, resistance training was waiting for its turn in the spotlight.</p>
<h2>Recognizing the value of resistance</h2>
<p>If aerobics has been the hare, resistance training has been the tortoise. Weight training is now coming up alongside and preparing to overtake its speedy rival, as athletes and everyday people alike recognize the value that was always there.</p>
<p>Even in high-level sports training, weightlifting did not become common until the last 20 years. Today, it strengthens the bodies and lengthens the careers of soccer stars, tennis players, golfers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0486-0">and many more</a>. </p>
<p>Rising popular interest in resistance training owes a debt to <a href="https://www.livestrong.com/article/545200-the-fall-of-fitness/">CrossFit</a>, which, despite its controversies, has helped break down stereotypes and introduced more people, particularly women, to the practice of lifting weights.</p>
<p>It’s important to recognize that resistance training does not invariably lead to bulking up, nor does it demand lifting heavy weights. As our team’s research has shown, lifting lighter weights to the point of failure in multiple sets provides <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00154.2016">equal benefits</a>.</p>
<h2>Strength and aging</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An older couple in sweatshirts using small dumbbells" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567293/original/file-20231222-23-reglr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567293/original/file-20231222-23-reglr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567293/original/file-20231222-23-reglr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567293/original/file-20231222-23-reglr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567293/original/file-20231222-23-reglr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=568&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567293/original/file-20231222-23-reglr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=568&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567293/original/file-20231222-23-reglr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=568&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Resistance training can be vital to maintaining overall functionality and independence.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The merits of resistance training extend beyond improving muscle strength. It addresses a critical aspect often overlooked in traditional aerobic training: the ability to exert force quickly, or what’s called power. As people age, activities of daily living such as standing up, sitting down and climbing stairs demand <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-022-00297-x">strength and power</a> more than cardiovascular endurance.</p>
<p>In this way, resistance training can be vital to maintaining overall functionality and independence.</p>
<h2>Redefining the fitness narrative</h2>
<p>The main idea is not to pit resistance training against aerobic exercise but to recognize that they complement each other. Engaging in both forms of exercise is better than relying on one alone. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001189">American Heart Association</a> recently stated that “…resistance training is a safe and effective approach for improving cardiovascular health in adults with and without cardiovascular disease.”</p>
<p>Adopting a nuanced perspective is essential, especially when we guide <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2021.101368">older individuals</a> who may associate exercise primarily with walking and not realize the limitations imposed by neglecting strength and power training.</p>
<p>Resistance training is not a one-size-fits-all endeavour. It encompasses a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2023.06.005">spectrum of activities</a> tailored to individual capabilities.</p>
<p>It’s time to redefine the narrative around fitness to make more room for resistance training. It’s not necessary to treat it as a replacement for aerobic exercise but to see it as a vital component of a holistic approach to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/ESM.0000000000000001">health and longevity</a>.</p>
<p>By shedding stereotypes, demystifying the process and promoting inclusivity, resistance training can become more accessible and appealing to a broader audience, ultimately leading to a new way to perceive and prioritize the benefits of this form of training for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-105061">health and fitness</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220269/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stuart Phillips receives funding from CIHR, NSERC, U.S. NIH, and several industry funders. He is affiliated with Exerkine Corporation. </span></em></p>It’s time for aerobics to share the spotlight with weightlifting as a form of exercise that promotes health and may be de rigueur as we age.Stuart Phillips, Professor, Kinesiology, Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Skeletal Muscle Health, McMaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2200272023-12-26T17:16:54Z2023-12-26T17:16:54ZHow to jump-start your New Year with cold weather running<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567208/original/file-20231222-29-cdexst.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=494%2C8%2C5497%2C3979&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Checking the weather frequently can serve to preemptively avoid injury pitfalls from extreme cold or slippery surfaces.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pexels)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/how-to-jump-start-your-new-year-with-cold-weather-running" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>As 2024 approaches, many people look to begin the year with resolutions to become more fit. Some people find it challenging to get enthusiastic about outdoor exercise during the winter. However, don’t discount the joys of running in a winter wonderland. It’s accessible, available to all and doesn’t involve gym fees or expensive equipment.</p>
<h2>Health benefits</h2>
<p>First off, exercising has immense physical health benefits such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2014-2440">increased heart and blood vessel health, increased metabolism</a>, favorable <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390%2Fhealthcare11162348">body composition</a> and enhanced immune function. <a href="https://www.miracle-recreation.com/blog/benefits-of-outdoor-exercise/?lang=can">Regular exercise can also help with mental health including reducing depression, anxiety and improving overall mood</a>. </p>
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<em>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/exercise-can-help-prevent-and-treat-mental-health-problems-and-taking-it-outside-adds-another-boost-to-those-benefits-202343">Exercise can help prevent and treat mental health problems, and taking it outside adds another boost to those benefits</a>
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<p>In fact, there is some recent evidence to show that outdoor exercise may provide <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26093-2">additional improvements in well-being</a>. These improvements could also contribute to combating <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09291010802067171">seasonal affective disorders</a> during the winter months and help to combat a slew of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2022-106644">seasonal illnesses</a>. So, what can we do to jump in and reap these health benefits in winter? </p>
<h2>Motivation 101</h2>
<p>Before you start running, think about what motivates you. <a href="https://theconversation.com/got-health-goals-research-based-tips-for-adopting-and-sticking-to-new-healthy-lifestyle-behaviours-173740">New year’s resolutions</a> are a great start, but there needs to be a consistent motivator — something that won’t <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/new-years-resolution-janine-hubbard-1.5412777">go away by February</a> — to get you out and running when the weather forecast begins with a minus sign. </p>
<p>If you’re looking for motivation, <a href="https://blog.mercy.com/staying-motivated-exercise-during-cold-weather/">start with these tips for pumping yourself up</a>. Once you’ve found your motivation, lacing up and taking the first (and next) steps, consistently, won’t be as tough. Here’s a few helpful hints to make that winter run a bit easier and much more enjoyable. </p>
<h2>Getting started</h2>
<p>The biggest injury concerns to cold weather running are slippery conditions and <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/frostbite">frostbite</a>. With that in mind, make sure you’re set with the right equipment. When out in the winter, think <strong>COLD</strong>. This is not only an assessment of the weather. <a href="https://lowellstrauss.com/stay-warm-with-c-o-l-d">It’s an acronym that stands for</a>: </p>
<ul>
<li><strong>CLEAN:</strong> Keeping your gear (clothing and shoes) clean, allows them to work properly. Mud and slush on your hands and feet can make you lose heat quickly.<br></li>
<li>Avoid <strong>OVERHEATING</strong>: If it’s your first time exercising in the cold, you might think you have to put on a snowsuit. However, with poorly chosen outfits, you run the risk of overheating.<br></li>
<li><strong>LAYERED</strong> clothing: Wearing a fitted and moisture-wicking base layer, a light but insulating middle layer, and a breathable, but wind- and water-repellent jacket will give you the best of all worlds. Cover the parts of your body most likely to be exposed such as your hands, neck, and face with running gloves, a neck gaiter or scarf, and toque to keep these sites warm. Consider running with a waist bag or backpack, to carry these items along with your phone for safety.<br></li>
<li>Keep your clothing <strong>DRY</strong>: Breathable, but wind and water repellant clothing will keep your clothes from becoming too damp with either sweat or the environmental conditions, which could suck your heat away.<br></li>
</ul>
<p>Finally, understand that clothing is a matter of personal preference. As a coach of local, national and international (Olympic) track and field athletes, Kurt Downes, co-author of this story, has coached athletes who run in shorts with mittens and others who can barely move with so many layers on. Experiment with what works for you, and makes you comfortable. </p>
<h2>Tips for success and safety</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A runner's shoes standing in snow" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567214/original/file-20231222-23-bsi02m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567214/original/file-20231222-23-bsi02m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567214/original/file-20231222-23-bsi02m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567214/original/file-20231222-23-bsi02m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567214/original/file-20231222-23-bsi02m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567214/original/file-20231222-23-bsi02m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567214/original/file-20231222-23-bsi02m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Keeping your gear (clothing and shoes) clean allows them to work properly. Mud and slush on your hands and feet can make you lose heat quickly.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Piqsels)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Make sure you have a clearly defined goal. Do you want to increase fitness, burn calories, enjoy some fresh air or just move your body? Whatever your goal, make it something that is <a href="https://health.clevelandclinic.org/smart-fitness-goals">short-term, sweet and attainable</a>. Leave room to adjust and scale up as you crush those running goals. </p>
<p><strong>Schedule and plan:</strong> Find a slot of time that works best for you and block it out. In winter, it is especially important to plan your runs. My sound advice is to start slow and follow a gradual progression. </p>
<p>Don’t skip ahead despite how well you may be doing. Think about your current level of fitness: you might set out with the intention of running 10 kilometres, but if you’re five kilometres from home and get tired or twist an ankle, the long walk (or hobble) home increases the risks of cold injuries like <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/staysafe/hypothermia.html">hypothermia and frostbite</a>, and may also mean you’re returning in the dark. </p>
<p><strong>Connect:</strong> Get to nature. Find a local well-lit and travelled trail, a riverfront, a park or take to your neighbourhood streets. Grab a partner, connect with people in your workplace, download a running app or join a running club. Meet at a local spot or pick a hang out spot after your running session. Make it a weekly social event. </p>
<p><strong>Weather check:</strong> Lastly for those of us who have smartphones connected to our hip, have a solid weather app on your home screen. Checking the weather frequently can serve to preemptively avoid injury pitfalls from extreme cold or slippery surfaces. </p>
<h2>Injury prevention</h2>
<p>Be mindful of the times that you head out for runs; if possible, find a time during sunlight hours. It will add a bit of warmth, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1289%2Fehp.116-a160">positively affect mood and increase vitamin D production</a> for bone health and immune function. Run in well-lit areas and wear bright colours so you’re visible to others, especially if running on the road.</p>
<p><strong>Fix your eyes forward:</strong> Focus on what’s coming ahead. It’s easy to get into the zone and lose yourself in thoughts or your favourite tune, but judging the terrain ahead is important to prevent a misplaced step, a twisted ankle <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKZj2W2YyKY">or a slip</a>. </p>
<p><strong>Stride wise:</strong> First, focus on settling into a rhythm at a fixed tempo. This will allow you to create a stride pattern that’s neither too short nor too long to keep on moving. Shortening your stride length will provide more stability when ice and snow are present (this is not the time to work on an Olympic-level stride pattern). If you can’t avoid a snowy or icy patch, it’s probably best to stop and walk around it. </p>
<p><strong>Breathing:</strong> Check your breath. The effects of cold exposure can often impede normal physiological function. Specifically, inhaling cold dry air during physical activity can have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2012-091296">adverse health effects on breathing</a>. Especially true for those with compromised respiratory systems or those predisposed to asthma. </p>
<p><strong>Hydration:</strong> Even though it may not seem like an immediate need, it’s important to be well hydrated before and throughout your workouts. Cold and snow don’t mean the air is wet (much of the arctic is actually <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/cold-desert">classified as a desert</a> because of the lack of precipitation). Also, your body generates a lot of heat, even more when you’re exercising, causing heat loss from sweat. </p>
<p>If you’re just getting started with winter running, know that there are plenty of others out there too. In cities across North America, runners kick-start their year by hitting the streets to cover five-kilometre and 10-kilometre distances <a href="https://www.newyearsrun.com/">on New Year’s Day</a>, which could be a great inspiration to jump-start your winter exercising. Remember, as you get started, make a plan to do it safely.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220027/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kurt Michael Downes is affiliated with The Border City Athletics Club, a not-for-profit athletics club.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kevin Milne does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Winter running has all the health benefits of aerobic exercise, as well as fresh air. However, be aware of the specific safety and injury-prevention concerns that come with cold weather.Kurt Michael Downes, PhD Student, Kinesiology, University of WindsorKevin Milne, Associate professor, Kinesiology, University of WindsorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2199462023-12-20T20:29:28Z2023-12-20T20:29:28ZHow to keep your physical and mental health on track during the holidays<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566975/original/file-20231220-15-t8vqeb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=67%2C67%2C5178%2C3665&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many people veer from their healthy lifestyle routines during the holidays.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/how-to-keep-your-physical-and-mental-health-on-track-during-the-holidays" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>With the festive season upon us, many people will be gathering with family and friends, whether it’s a workplace party, a friend’s get-together or a quiet night at home watching Christmas movies. While enjoyable, these events can disrupt your healthy lifestyle habits. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231204135305.htm">recent survey</a> reported nearly 45 per cent of people take a break from exercise during the holidays, more than half say they feel more tired and have less time for themselves, and about one-third report drinking more. </p>
<p>My research looks at the benefits of a <a href="https://drscottlear.com/">healthy lifestyle</a> on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1xsvY0F6qbBKDG8INVvy5T">physical and mental health</a>. And many of these same healthy behaviours can help you navigate the holidays.</p>
<h2>Eating right</h2>
<p>Cakes, chocolates, spiced ham, turkey stuffing, mulled wine and other delights abound during this time of year. Most of these foods are high in fat, sugar and calories. So it’s no surprise the holidays are associated with a greater consumption of food. And one survey even pegged people <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/calories-consumed-on-christmas-day_uk_584abfb4e4b0fccb67997275">eating close to 6,000 calories on Christmas Day</a>. That’s two to three times the daily caloric recommendation for most people.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A wine bottle and wine glass wearing a santa hat, with holiday wreath in the background" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In one survey, one-third of people reported drinking more alcohol during the holidays.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With this amount of eating, there are many claims the holidays result in weight gain. While there is an enduring rumour that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/health/nutrition/31real.html">average holiday weight gain is five to 10 pounds</a> (2.25 to 4.5 kilograms), in reality it may be much less. A study published in 2000 reported it to be only <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM200003233421206">around one pound</a>, or about half a kilogram. However, as this was an average amount, there were still some people in the study who gained five or more pounds. </p>
<p>While indulging on one or two occasions isn’t going to derail your diet, if you have a holiday circuit of events you do, you may want to develop a strategy on how to manage your diet. First ask yourself if you need (or want) to go to all of them. </p>
<p>For the events you do go to, pick one or two occasions at which you’ll indulge. These might have the best food, or your closest family and friends are present. For the others, try staying on the healthier side of things.</p>
<p>Before you go, make sure you eat well during the day leading up to your event so you’re not going to the event hungry. Also, make sure you get plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep can make you more likely to reach for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.104074">high-energy foods and eat more</a>. </p>
<p>Try to enlist a health buddy, whether a friend or even the host, to keep you on track. And be mindful of alcohol intake, which can impair your self-discipline.</p>
<h2>Staying active</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Melted snowman cookies against a blue background" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Missing a few exercise sessions isn’t going to affect your fitness and long-term health, but it can affect your mood.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When it comes to exercise, most of us are creatures of habit. This is a good thing, because having <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1559827618818044">a routine is the best way to maintain regular exercise</a>. But the holidays are anything but routine. Gyms, pools and community centres may have shortened hours or be closed. Your trainer or aerobics instructor may have taken time off.</p>
<p>Now, missing a few exercise sessions isn’t going to affect your fitness and long-term health, but it can affect your mood. Exercise is known to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.03.013">increase energy levels</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0">improve mood</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.10.019">reduce stress</a>. All of which can be helpful during the frenetic holidays. And missing an exercise session can be like not having your morning coffee.</p>
<p>But the holidays also present numerous opportunities to get in a lot of activity — from shopping to Christmas markets to walking around your neighbourhood looking at the decorations. </p>
<p>You can also get into the holiday spirit by singing Christmas carols (or any other song). Singing can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026995">reduce anxiety</a>, potentially <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2021-000959">increase your lung capacity</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-004-0006-9">increase the number of infection-fighting molecules</a> in your blood. And singing with others is known to build social bonds and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356211042668">release oxytocin</a>, which can improve one’s mood. </p>
<p>While the quality of your singing doesn’t matter for most of these benefits, the more you do sing, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.21173">the more you’ll likely benefit</a>.</p>
<h2>Managing stress</h2>
<p>Nearly <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/11/holiday-season-stress">90 per cent of adults in the United States associate the holiday season with some form of stress</a>. While the holidays are meant to be a period of joy, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the shopping, hosting events, expectations of others and the added financial costs. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="red and white mini candy canes arranged in heart shapes and big candy canes in a heart shape with one side broken into three pieces" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">While the holidays are meant to be a period of joy, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the shopping, hosting events, expectations of others and the added financial costs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This may be one of the reasons why the number of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.100.15.1630">heart attacks and cardiac-related deaths</a> increase during the holiday period. In addition, it’s believed people delay seeking treatment during the holidays, given that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.0000151424.02045.F7">emergency department visits spike after they’re over</a>.</p>
<p>Stress occurs when people feel they don’t have control over what’s going on. Setting up a holiday plan can help. Your plan could include a spending budget, which events you’ll attend and which you’ll say no to. If you’re hosting a dinner, plan the menu ahead of time, enlist help from others or even get take-out. </p>
<p>Other strategies for managing, and preventing, stress include getting regular exercise, ensuring you get enough sleep, avoiding unrealistic expectations and setting aside some quiet time to do something just for yourself.</p>
<p>While we all want things to be perfect, even the best plans may go astray. If that does happen, that’s okay and go easy on yourself. If you do find the holidays challenging, make sure you speak up to the people around you for their support.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219946/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Scott Lear receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Hamilton Health Sciences, and has received funding from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Novo Nordisk, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.</span></em></p>The holidays can disrupt healthy lifestyle habits, like nutrition and exercise routines. Here’s how to enjoy the season without derailing your physical or mental health.Scott Lear, Professor of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2180032023-11-28T17:55:45Z2023-11-28T17:55:45ZLifestyle changes can reduce dementia risk by maintaining brain plasticity — but the time to act is now<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561624/original/file-20231125-24-4dpbbp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C704%2C5714%2C3742&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Lifestyle changes may be our best hope of delaying dementia or not developing dementia at all.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/lifestyle-changes-can-reduce-dementia-risk-by-maintaining-brain-plasticity-but-the-time-to-act-is-now" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Walk 10,000 steps a day, cut back alcohol, get better sleep at night, stay socially active — we’re told that changes like these can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30367-6">prevent up to 40 per cent of dementia cases worldwide</a>. </p>
<p>Given that dementia is still one of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186%2Fs12889-023-15772-y">the most feared diseases</a>, why aren’t we pushing our doctors and governments to support these lifestyle changes through new programs and policy initiatives?</p>
<p>The truth, however, is more complex. We know that <a href="https://theconversation.com/got-health-goals-research-based-tips-for-adopting-and-sticking-to-new-healthy-lifestyle-behaviours-173740">making lifestyle changes is hard</a>. Ask anyone who has tried to keep their New Year’s resolution to visit the gym three times a week. It can be doubly difficult when the changes we need to make now won’t show results for years, or even decades, and we don’t really understand why they work.</p>
<h2>Taking control of your health</h2>
<p>Anyone who has watched a loved one <a href="https://alzheimer.ca/en/about-dementia/what-dementia/common-questions-about-dementia">living with dementia</a>, facing the small and large indignities and declines that leave them eventually unable to eat, communicate or remember, knows it is a devastating disease. </p>
<p>There are <a href="https://alzheimer.ca/en/whats-happening/events/new-dementia-drugs-therapies-what-canadians-should-know">several new drugs</a> making their way to the market for Alzheimer’s disease (one of the most common forms of dementia). However, they are still far from a cure and are currently only effective for early-stage Alzheimer’s patients.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lecanemab-experimental-drug-is-a-ray-of-hope-for-alzheimers-disease-196719">Lecanemab: Experimental drug is a ray of hope for Alzheimer's disease</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
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<p>So lifestyle changes may be our best hope of delaying dementia or not developing dementia at all. Actor <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/11/chris-hemsworth-exclusive-interview-alzheimers-limitless">Chris Hemsworth</a> knows it. He watched his grandfather live with Alzheimer’s and is making lifestyle changes after learning he has two copies of the APOE4 gene. This <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/what-is-apoe4-how-does-it-relate-alzheimers-disease-2023-04-21/">gene</a> is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s, and having two copies significantly increases his risk of developing the same condition. </p>
<p>Research has identified <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30367-6">modifiable risk factors</a> that contribute to increasing the risk of dementia:</p>
<ul>
<li>physical inactivity</li>
<li>excessive use of alcohol</li>
<li>less sleep</li>
<li>social isolation</li>
<li>hearing loss</li>
<li>less cognitive engagement</li>
<li>poor diet</li>
<li>hypertension</li>
<li>obesity</li>
<li>diabetes</li>
<li>traumatic brain injury</li>
<li>smoking</li>
<li>depression</li>
<li>air pollution</li>
</ul>
<p>Our understanding of the biological mechanisms for these risk factors is varied, with some more clearly understood than others. </p>
<p>But there is a lot we do know — and here’s what you need to know as well.</p>
<h2>Cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two older men on a park bench, on of whom is straining to hear the other speaking" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561625/original/file-20231125-21-n964o8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561625/original/file-20231125-21-n964o8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561625/original/file-20231125-21-n964o8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561625/original/file-20231125-21-n964o8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561625/original/file-20231125-21-n964o8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561625/original/file-20231125-21-n964o8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561625/original/file-20231125-21-n964o8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">As a person‘s hearing decreases, it can make it difficult to socially engage with others, resulting in a loss of sensory input. The brain has to work harder to compensate for this.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.03.022">Cognitive reserve</a> is the brain’s ability to withstand damage or neurodegenerative disease. If there is tissue or functional loss in one part of the brain, other brain cells (neurons) work harder to compensate. In theory, this means lifelong experiences and activities create a dam against the damages of disease and aging in the brain.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20100302-01">Neuroplasticity</a> is the brain’s amazing ability to adapt, learn and reorganize, create new pathways or rewire existing ones to recover from damage. The key takeaway is that neuroplasticity can happen at any time and any age, which means learning and activities should be lifelong.</p>
<p>Many of the risk factors linked to dementia likely work in combination, which is why an overall lifestyle approach is crucial. For example, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-016-0721-2">studies have shown</a> that exercise, cognitive and social engagement stimulate your brain and maintain its plasticity by growing new neural connections and building cognitive reserve.</p>
<p>The mechanism behind this is a combination of factors: increased oxygen and blood flow to the brain, stimulating growth factors that keep neurons healthy and reduced inflammation.</p>
<p>The opposite is also true. Poor sleep, diet, social isolation and untreated depression are linked to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20100302-01">decreased cognitive reserve</a>. </p>
<p>The same rationale applies to hearing loss, a key emerging risk factor for dementia. As a person‘s hearing decreases, it can make it difficult to socially engage with others, resulting in a loss of sensory input. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097%2FWAD.0000000000000325">brain has to work harder</a> to compensate for this, potentially drawing down its cognitive reserve and leaving it less able to withstand dementia.</p>
<h2>The role of stress and inflammation</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Illustration of hand drawing a brain with multicoloured chalk on blackboard" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561626/original/file-20231125-17-6hps66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561626/original/file-20231125-17-6hps66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=222&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561626/original/file-20231125-17-6hps66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=222&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561626/original/file-20231125-17-6hps66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=222&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561626/original/file-20231125-17-6hps66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561626/original/file-20231125-17-6hps66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561626/original/file-20231125-17-6hps66.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=279&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Chronic or prolonged inflammation disrupts normal function and causes damage to the brain’s cells.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Stress responses and inflammation are the body’s complex answer to injury. Inflammation is an important component of the body’s immune system, helping defend against threats and repair tissue damage. While short-term inflammation is a natural and good response, chronic or prolonged inflammation disrupts normal function and causes damage to the brain’s cells.</p>
<p>For example, one of the commonalities between dementia and untreated depression is the <a href="https://doi.org/10.17219/acem/149897%22%22">inflammatory process</a>. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones can lead to chronic inflammation. Hypertension, physical inactivity, smoking and air pollution are also associated with chronic inflammation and stress, which can damage blood vessels and neurons in the brain.</p>
<p>In a newer area of research still being explored, <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/10095898/loneliness-global-public-health-concern-who/">social isolation</a> has also been <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yfrne.2023.101061">linked to inflammation</a>. As we learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, the brain is wired to respond to social engagement as a means of bonding and emotional support, especially in times of distress. </p>
<p>With surveys showing more than <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/we-have-a-loneliness-crisis-it-s-time-to-act/article_30e6c996-a9e2-588b-a776-58addc503762.html">one in three Canadians</a> feel isolated, the lack of social connection and loneliness can trigger the body’s stress response and neuroendocrine changes, and prolonged exposure to this inflammatory process can damage the brain.</p>
<h2>Similar pathways across multiple diseases</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Three women walking in exercise clothes" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561627/original/file-20231125-27-f0h7c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561627/original/file-20231125-27-f0h7c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561627/original/file-20231125-27-f0h7c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561627/original/file-20231125-27-f0h7c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561627/original/file-20231125-27-f0h7c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561627/original/file-20231125-27-f0h7c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561627/original/file-20231125-27-f0h7c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">While there are benefits to being physically and socially active at any age, some research shows the payoff from those gains can be higher after age 40 when the body’s metabolism slows, risk factors increase and cognitive reserve becomes even more essential to help protect against cognitive decline.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Several of these risk factors, and their biological pathways, cut across multiple chronic diseases. Accumulating evidence of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(19)30087-0">decades of research</a> supports the concept of “what’s good for your heart is good for your head.” </p>
<p>This means that making these lifestyle changes not only reduces your risk of dementia, but also your risk of diabetes, hypertension and heart concerns. This highlights the complex nature of dementia but also offers a united strategy to deal with multiple health concerns that may arise as people age.</p>
<h2>It’s never too late</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man asleep in bed" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561628/original/file-20231125-27-dyme8y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561628/original/file-20231125-27-dyme8y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561628/original/file-20231125-27-dyme8y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561628/original/file-20231125-27-dyme8y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561628/original/file-20231125-27-dyme8y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561628/original/file-20231125-27-dyme8y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561628/original/file-20231125-27-dyme8y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Factors like not sleeping enough, having a poor diet and lacking social and cognitive engagement can increase the risk of developing dementia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It’s never really too late to change. The human brain and body have a remarkable capacity for adaptation and resilience throughout life. </p>
<p>While there are benefits to being physically and socially active at any age, some research shows the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smhs.2019.08.006">payoff from those gains can be higher</a> after age 40 when the body’s metabolism slows, risk factors increase and cognitive reserve becomes even more essential to help protect against <a href="https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000007003">cognitive decline</a>.</p>
<p>If making lifestyle changes means you can watch your child navigate adulthood, stroll 20 blocks to your favourite café every day and continue to live in your own home, perhaps walking the daily 10,000 steps, changing diets and keeping your friendship network strong is worthwhile. At worst, you’ll be healthier and more independent with or without dementia. At best, you might completely avoid dementia and other major diseases and keep living your best possible life.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218003/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Laura Middleton receives funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Saskia Sivananthan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Lifestyle-related dementia risks are complex, with factors like sleep, exercise, diet and social contact interacting with things like cognitive reserve, neuroplasticity and inflammation in the body.Saskia Sivananthan, Affiliate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, McGill UniversityLaura Middleton, Assistant Professor, Department of Kinesiology, University of WaterlooLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2160532023-10-26T12:23:18Z2023-10-26T12:23:18ZFocusing on functional fitness in your 20s and 30s can help you stay ready for anything — and many exercises can help you achieve it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556065/original/file-20231026-27-7kl3gu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=37%2C12%2C4147%2C2731&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">CrossFit is an example of a workout which focuses on functional fitness.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-trains-box-jumps-195395828">Kjetil Kolbjornsrud/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>What’s the best type of exercise you can do for your health? The answer seems to change every week. Lately, many fitness enthusiasts and influencers have been talking about the importance of “functional fitness” – especially for people in their 20s and 30s who want to stay mobile and ready for anything as they get older.</p>
<p>Functional fitness has actually been in and out of the <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/Fulltext/2023/01000/Worldwide_Survey_of_Fitness_Trends_for_2023.6.aspx?context=FeaturedArticles&collectionId=1">top ten global fitness trends</a> since 2016. While there are plenty of posts and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jay.rose.phase6/video/7257885109058014490">videos online</a> telling people what the best functional fitness exercises are, in reality many (or even most) exercises could be done in a way that is functional. </p>
<p>What’s more important is the outcome of the exercise. If it results in you becoming as physically capable as possible and ready for anything in life – whether that’s moving furniture, climbing a mountain or running after your child – it could be considered functional fitness.</p>
<p>When you think about this outcome, you can see why it’s hard to pin down a specific list of movements or workouts that count as functional fitness. Because anything that builds any form of fitness that helps you live life could be considered “functional” – including strength, cardio, agility and flexibility. </p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption"></span>
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<p><em><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</em></p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/tailoring-workouts-to-your-menstrual-cycle-may-help-your-physical-fitness-but-only-if-done-properly-195773?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">Tailoring workouts to your menstrual cycle may help your physical fitness – but only if done properly</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-running-can-help-you-cope-with-stress-at-work-198362?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">How running can help you cope with stress at work</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/shy-girl-workouts-arent-just-a-great-way-to-get-fit-they-may-also-help-women-gain-confidence-in-the-gym-206972?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">‘Shy girl workouts’ aren’t just a great way to get fit – they may also help women gain confidence in the gym</a></em></p>
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<p>So you might lift weights to build strength, cycle to build cardio, do sprints to build agility and calisthenics to build flexibility. Or, you could combine all of these exercises into a single workout by doing labelled functional fitness exercise programmes such as <a href="https://www.crossfit.com/">CrossFit(R)</a>, <a href="https://hyrox.com/">Hyrox</a> or <a href="https://f45training.com/">F45</a>.</p>
<p>Improving <a href="https://functionalfitness.sport/sport/movement-standards/">all forms of physical movement</a> is why many have said functional fitness exercise programmes are the best exercise you can do. Boosting your <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7404807/">overall fitness</a> may also potentially set you up for being more physically capable and independent well into <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3870597/">old age</a>.</p>
<h2>Building fitness</h2>
<p>We <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00242.2021">don’t have much research</a> on the specific benefits of functional fitness over and above other sports because it’s still quite a new area. But we can get an idea of what benefits it may have by looking at what effect combining different types of exercise can have versus just doing those exercises on their own. </p>
<p>Strength training, for example, helps build strength in your <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ff5a78ee90e0776a8d5615b/CYP_MSBS_Review__1_.pdf">muscles, bones and connective tissue</a>. This can help you retain the ability to move independently into old age. </p>
<p>Cardio (or “conditioning”), on the other hand, can have a greater effect on the <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.115.002014">cardiovascular and respiratory systems</a>, which may make us more robust in the face of illness. </p>
<p>So they both have distinct as well as common benefits, which is why it’s often considered <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">important to include both</a> in your weekly exercise routine. This is one reason why functional fitness workouts that incorporate both may be a benefit. </p>
<p>But, if functional fitness exercise programmes are not your thing, a number of other sports and activities could clearly help you become functionally fit too.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man playing rugby bends down to place the ball on the ground to score a try." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556081/original/file-20231026-21-icms8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/556081/original/file-20231026-21-icms8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556081/original/file-20231026-21-icms8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556081/original/file-20231026-21-icms8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556081/original/file-20231026-21-icms8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556081/original/file-20231026-21-icms8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/556081/original/file-20231026-21-icms8l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rugby combines is an example of a sport that can make you more functionally fit.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rugby-players-training-on-pitch-park-322664444">wavebreakmedia/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Take <a href="https://us.humankinetics.com/blogs/excerpt/physical-and-physiological-demands-of-rugby">rugby</a>, for example. These players train to be strong, but also fast, agile and with the endurance to play for an 80 minute game. Or <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3281210/">ice hockey</a>, where players must again be fast, powerful and able to sustain a high intensity across a game. Or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6720877/">obstacle racing</a>, where people run long distances – using strength, power, skill and agility to climb over obstacles in their path.</p>
<p>Another way you can build your strength, agility, balance and other aspects of functional fitness is by combining different sports and exercises. For example, you may choose to run, but also do <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9653850/">calisthenics</a> a couple days a week. Or perhaps do <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/FullText/2014/12000/The_Physiology_of_Strongman_Training.9.aspx">strongman training</a> during the week, and play football on the weekends. </p>
<p>So, while functional fitness exercise programmes are one way to incorporate strength, conditioning and other physical skills into your training, they are not the only way. Combining many different types of exercise into your regular workout regime can also help you achieve the benefits of functional fitness. And given each of us have different genetics, bodies, lifestyles and workouts we prefer to do, the type of exercise that best helps you achieve functional fitness may vary depending on the person.</p>
<p>The biggest health and fitness improvements are usually going to come from <a href="https://www.sportengland.org/about-us/physical-wellbeing">consistent exercise</a>. So at the end of the day, doing exercises that you enjoy, and which fit into your daily routine, are likely to <a href="https://www.sportengland.org/research-and-data/research/inactive-people?section=research">have the greatest benefit</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216053/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sinead Roberts does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Functional fitness can help you to be as physically capable as possible.Sinead Roberts, Lecturer Sport and Exercise Nutrition, University of WestminsterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2133522023-10-12T03:54:50Z2023-10-12T03:54:50ZTreadmill, exercise bike, rowing machine: what’s the best option for cardio at home?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552462/original/file-20231006-21-yacy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C5923%2C3954&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-caucasian-woman-jogging-on-modern-1951143574">Chiociolla/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise, refers to any form of rhythmic physical activity that increases your heart rate and breathing so the heart and lungs can deliver oxygen to the working muscles. Essentially, it’s the type of exercise that gets you huffing and puffing – and fills many people with dread.</p>
<p>People often do cardio to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30003901/">lose weight</a>, but it’s associated with a variety of health benefits including reducing the risk of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6481017/">heart disease</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30191075/">stroke</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27707740/">falls</a>. Research shows cardio also improves <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29334638/">cognitive function</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26978184/">mental health</a>. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">World Health Organization</a> recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio per week. </p>
<p>There are many ways to do cardio, from playing a team sport, to riding your bike to work, to going for a jog. If you’re willing and able to invest in a piece of equipment, you can also do cardio at home. </p>
<p>The treadmill, stationary bike and rowing machine are the most popular pieces of cardio equipment you’ll find in a typical gym, and you can buy any of these for your home too. Here’s how to know which one is best for you.</p>
<h2>The treadmill</h2>
<p>In terms of effectiveness of exercise, it’s hard to look past the treadmill. Running uses most of your major muscle groups and therefore leads to greater increases in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1334197/">heart rate</a> and energy expenditure compared to other activities, such as cycling.</p>
<p>As a bonus, since running on a treadmill requires you to support your own body weight, it also helps to build and maintain <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26562001/">your bones</a>, keeping them strong. This becomes even more important <a href="https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/exercise-your-bone-health">as you get older</a> as the risk of developing medical conditions such as osteopenia and osteoporosis – where the density of your bones is reduced – increases.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man on a stationary bike and a woman on a treadmill at home." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552466/original/file-20231006-21-wbnoxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552466/original/file-20231006-21-wbnoxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552466/original/file-20231006-21-wbnoxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552466/original/file-20231006-21-wbnoxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552466/original/file-20231006-21-wbnoxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552466/original/file-20231006-21-wbnoxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552466/original/file-20231006-21-wbnoxc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bike or treadmill? There are pros and cons to each.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-focused-young-caucasian-male-african-2250857815">SofikoS/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But the treadmill may not be for everyone. The weight-bearing nature of running may exacerbate pain and cause swelling in people with common joint conditions such as osteoarthritis. </p>
<p>Also, a treadmill is likely to require greater maintenance (since most treadmills are motorised), and can take up a lot of space.</p>
<h2>Stationary bike</h2>
<p>The stationary bike provides another convenient means to hit your cardio goals. Setting the bike up correctly is crucial to ensure you are comfortable and to reduce the risk of injury. A general rule of thumb is that you want a slight bend in your knee, as in the picture below, when your leg is at the bottom of the pedal stroke.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A man's legs on a stationary bike." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553199/original/file-20231011-27-ouxl5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/553199/original/file-20231011-27-ouxl5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553199/original/file-20231011-27-ouxl5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553199/original/file-20231011-27-ouxl5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553199/original/file-20231011-27-ouxl5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553199/original/file-20231011-27-ouxl5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/553199/original/file-20231011-27-ouxl5g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Having the seat at the right height is important.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/athletic-young-man-riding-stationery-bike-1892312536">Friends Stock/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While cycling has significant benefits for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21496106/">cardiovascular</a> and metabolic health, since it’s non-weight-bearing it doesn’t benefit your <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026049507003253">bones</a> to the same extent as walking and running. On the flipside, it offers a great cardio workout without stressing your joints. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cant-afford-a-gym-membership-or-fitness-class-3-things-to-include-in-a-diy-exercise-program-206204">Can't afford a gym membership or fitness class? 3 things to include in a DIY exercise program</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Rowing machine</h2>
<p>If you’re looking to the get the best cardio workout in the least amount of time, the rowing machine might be for you. Because rowing requires you to use all of your major muscle groups including the upper body, your heart and lungs have to work even harder than they do when <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32627051/">running and cycling</a> to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8325720/">deliver oxygen</a> to those working muscles. This means the energy expended while rowing is comparable to running and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3193864/">greater than cycling</a>.</p>
<p>But before you rush off to buy a new rower, there are two issues to consider. First, the technical challenge of rowing is arguably greater than that of running or cycling, as the skill of rowing is often less familiar to the average person. While a coach or trainer can help with this, just remember a good rowing technique should be felt primarily in your legs, not your arms and back. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man on a rowing machine at home." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552467/original/file-20231006-25-vr0mel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/552467/original/file-20231006-25-vr0mel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552467/original/file-20231006-25-vr0mel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552467/original/file-20231006-25-vr0mel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552467/original/file-20231006-25-vr0mel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552467/original/file-20231006-25-vr0mel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/552467/original/file-20231006-25-vr0mel.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A good rowing technique should be felt primarily in your legs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/indoor-portrait-senior-man-working-out-2366346895">nullplus/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Second, the non-weight-bearing nature of rowing means it misses out on the same bone health benefits offered by the treadmill – although there is some evidence it still can increase bone density <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7551766/">to a smaller degree</a>. Nevertheless, like cycling, this drawback of rowing may be negated by offering a more joint-friendly option, providing a great alternative for those with joint pain who still want to keep their heart and lungs healthy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-often-should-you-change-up-your-exercise-routine-194905">How often should you change up your exercise routine?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So, what’s the best option?</h2>
<p>It depends on your goals, what your current health status is, and, most importantly, what you enjoy the most. The best exercise is the one that gets done. So, choose whichever piece of equipment you find the most enjoyable, as this will increase the likelihood you’ll stick to it in the long term.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213352/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Saravana Kumar Is a member of Australian Physiotherapy Association, Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health and Health Services Research Association of Australia & New Zealand.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hunter Bennett and Lewis Ingram do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>If you’re thinking of buying a piece of cardio equipment for at-home workouts, here are the pros and cons.Lewis Ingram, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of South AustraliaHunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South AustraliaSaravana Kumar, Professor in Allied Health and Health Services Research, University of South AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2141232023-09-29T12:54:24Z2023-09-29T12:54:24ZThree rules for adding weight to your backpack that will boost the benefits of exercise<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550903/original/file-20230928-15-8u5hmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C6000%2C3979&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The benefits of 'rucking' can be boosted further by heading outdoors.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/rear-view-young-adult-walking-travel-2160392741">dodotone/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Walking is a great exercise for keeping your physical and mental health in check. But if you’re looking to give your daily walks a boost, you might want to give “rucking” a try.</p>
<p>Rucking is a military term used to describe a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00140139.2020.1745900">march or hike with weight</a>. This is commonly done using a weighted rucksack or vest. It’s an extremely versatile exercise, meaning it can be done almost anywhere. You can also adjust the length of your walk, the amount of weight you carry and even where you walk (such as on level ground or hiking trails) depending on your fitness level.</p>
<p>Rucking blends strength training and aerobic exercise, which means it can have many benefits to both <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00140139.2021.1961876">physical</a>
and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/tbm/article-abstract/10/5/1098/5921063?login=false">psychological health</a> – particularly if done outdoors. Here are some of the benefits associated with rucking.</p>
<h2>Helps with weight management</h2>
<p>Research into walking and running with a weighted vest (which has a similar effect to a weighted backpack) shows that carrying additional weight while walking <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00140139.2021.1961876">uses more energy</a>. This may result in your burning more calories than you would during a normal walk.</p>
<p>The amount of additional calories you’ll burn while rucking compared to walking will vary depending on a variety of factors – including fitness level, age and the weight you’re carrying. Sources generally indicate that the calorie expenditure is <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21681120/">much greater</a> compared to other activities such as walking. There are also <a href="https://www.ruckformiles.com/guides/calories-burned-rucking-calculator">tools online</a> that can help calculate how many calories you might burn while rucking. </p>
<p>This can be particularly beneficial for those who are looking after their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0026049518302270?casa_token=ifVS44faEc0AAAAA:fUhMVP5TbFdtACxEw1mPm-0oxMEFbQH_wvtrSlf-5KZ4qF3Fg6t4VKKgxPyAOMx5fLWmrx6Y">weight</a> or hoping to improve their overall physical fitness.</p>
<h2>Better mental wellbeing</h2>
<p>One of the unique aspects of rucking is that it’s typically done outdoors. </p>
<p>Research shows that exercising outdoors can have a profound effect on mental wellbeing. Though it’s not clear why green exercise has such an effect, evidence points toward a decrease in <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/8/1352">stress through nature connectedness</a>. This can help reduce feelings of <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-10-456/">anxiety, depression</a> and even fatigue.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ecotherapy-aims-to-tap-into-nature-to-improve-your-wellbeing-128433">Ecotherapy aims to tap into nature to improve your wellbeing</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1559827616658229">Bringing a friend</a> along may boost these mental health benefits even further – with the added bonus of lowering blood pressure.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man and a woman hike in a forest while wearing rucksacks." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550904/original/file-20230928-29-twt7et.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550904/original/file-20230928-29-twt7et.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550904/original/file-20230928-29-twt7et.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550904/original/file-20230928-29-twt7et.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550904/original/file-20230928-29-twt7et.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550904/original/file-20230928-29-twt7et.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550904/original/file-20230928-29-twt7et.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A friend can make your walk or hike even more beneficial.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/couple-hiking-forest-path-on-beautiful-2280056903">Lucky Business/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Builds stronger bones</h2>
<p>Research on weighted vests shows they can promote and preserve <a href="https://www.jospt.org/doi/pdf/10.2519/jospt.2015.4842">bone health</a> by increasing <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1099800402239628?casa_token=a8M6X9ratq0AAAAA:TzB9CprjRuzlQgOn-0LefIVP-uW_1JfxuVLaoYL8EsHg-5m6_a7UBK92LwID9PyO-wUUu8_NgKo">bone mineral density</a> – particularly in places where fractures are common, including our knees, ankles and hips.</p>
<p>Improving bone mineral density can make doing day-to-day activities (such as carrying your shopping) easier. It can also <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1099800402239628?casa_token=a8M6X9ratq0AAAAA:TzB9CprjRuzlQgOn-0LefIVP-uW_1JfxuVLaoYL8EsHg-5m6_a7UBK92LwID9PyO-wUUu8_NgKo">improve balance</a>, which reduces risk of falls, especially later in life. </p>
<p>This aspect of rucking may be particularly important for people as they get older. As bone density <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788462/">declines with age</a>, preserving it is vital for reducing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5788462/">age-related fractures</a> and falls.</p>
<p>Aerobic exercise alone may not be sufficient for preserving bone density – but combining aerobic and strength training can <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11657-022-01140-7">promote healthy bone growth</a>, which is why rucking may be a benefit.</p>
<h2>Before you begin</h2>
<p>As with any exercise, rucking does not come without risk – especially when starting out. Because the exercise combines additional weight often with uneven hiking terrain, this may also make it riskier than other workouts.</p>
<p>Studies have found that in soldiers, <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/8415_2014_182">rucking can result</a> in back pain, lower body stress fractures (such as shin splints), blisters and knee pain. </p>
<p>This is probably due to the way your running and walking posture changes when additional weight is introduced. For example, hiking with a weighted pack has been shown to <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/8415_2014_182">increase torso lean</a>, changes your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37083060/">normal stride</a> and increases the amount the <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jab/33/4/article-p248.xml">knee has to bend</a> when walking and running.</p>
<p>On their own, each of these elements wouldn’t normally pose a risk. But when you add in fatigue after thousands of steps, you may be at greater risk of injury. Fortunately, these injuries are less common when walking and hiking than <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/41/8/469.full.pdf">when running</a> with weight – so only increase your pace when you’re ready. </p>
<p>If you’re keen to give rucking a try but want to avoid injury, here are a few other things to keep in mind.</p>
<h2>1. Add load gradually</h2>
<p>Some studies recommend only carrying a load of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1050641111000903">30% of your bodyweight</a>. Others, however, have reported participants experience discomfort carrying <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003687010001328">20% of their bodyweight</a> when exercising for more than an hour.</p>
<p>To avoid this when starting out, carry a backpack that’s as light as 5-10% bodyweight. For someone who weights 70kg, this would mean carrying around 3.5-7kg in your backpack. </p>
<p>You should also add distance gradually before your increase the amount of weight in your bag. This will mean you still get the benefits of rucking with lower risk of injury and discomfort.</p>
<h2>2. Keep it short</h2>
<p>A study in female hikers reported many experienced <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1050641111000903#b0080">negative muscle changes</a>, (particularly in muscles that support movement, such as the knees) after just 2km of walking. So it’s best to plan a short route those first few times and build up gradually. </p>
<p>The same can be said for frequency. Doing too many rucking sessions too soon may lead to tiredness and overuse injury. Start with one to two sessions per week, aiming to eventually build up to the <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity#:%7E:text=do%20at%20least%20150%20minutes,of%20time%20spent%20being%20sedentary.">recommended 300 minutes</a> of moderate intensity activity per week.</p>
<h2>3. Choose the right kit</h2>
<p>When choosing a backpack or rucksack for rucking, prioritise options with adequate padding and <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/8415_2014_182">proper weight distribution</a>. </p>
<p>To make choosing a backpack easier, many companies have even designed specialist packs with weighted plates or sandbags. You could also use a standard hiking backpack with a water reservoir, and adjust the amount of liquid in the pack. Or, you can use items you have readily available at home to a well-padded and supportive backpack – such as cans or bags of rice.</p>
<p>As with any new workout regime, it’s always recommended you consult your GP to see if it’s right with you. But following these guidelines should ensure you can try rucking with confidence and minimal risk of injury.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214123/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jen Wilson is affiliated with FiiT for Life </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Athalie Redwood-Brown is affiliated with FiiT for Life Charity.</span></em></p>‘Rucking’ involves adding weight to a backpack while walking or hiking.Jen Wilson, Senior Exercise and Health Practitioner, Nottingham Trent UniversityAthalie Redwood-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Performance Analysis of Sport, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2048112023-09-12T20:09:46Z2023-09-12T20:09:46ZWhat can you do to speed up your metabolism?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546284/original/file-20230905-23-oi6es0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C10%2C6720%2C4446&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Our metabolism is the force inside our bodies that mysteriously decides whether to convert the food we eat into a burst of energy, or extra kilos on the scales. </p>
<p>A “slow” or “sluggish” metabolism is often the first thing we blame when we struggle to lose weight. </p>
<p>As a result, a <a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/weight-loss-supplements-market-report">US$33 billion</a> industry offers thousands of products promising to speed up our metabolic rate for weight-loss success. </p>
<p>But rather than reaching for a supplement, there are things you can do to speed your metabolism up. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ever-wonder-how-your-body-turns-food-into-fuel-we-tracked-atoms-to-find-out-211047">Ever wonder how your body turns food into fuel? We tracked atoms to find out</a>
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<h2>What is metabolism and how does it work?</h2>
<p>Metabolism is the term describing all the chemical reactions in our bodies that keep us alive. It provides the energy needed for essential functions like breathing and digestion.</p>
<p>When we refer to metabolism in the context of our weight, we’re actually describing our basal metabolic rate – the number of calories the body burns at rest, determined by how much muscle and fat we have.</p>
<p>Many factors can affect your metabolism, including gender, age, weight and lifestyle. It naturally slows down <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2019/8031705/">as we age</a> and becomes dysfunctional <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4989512/">after dieting</a>. </p>
<h2>Why does our metabolism slow with age?</h2>
<p>As our bodies age, they stop working as efficiently as before. Around the age of 40, our muscle mass starts <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6431367/">naturally declining</a>, and the ratio of body fat to muscle increases.</p>
<p>Because muscle mass helps determine the body’s metabolic rate, this decrease in muscle means our bodies start to burn fewer calories at rest, decreasing our metabolic rate.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Fit man looks at smartwatch" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546287/original/file-20230905-19-6vzs81.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546287/original/file-20230905-19-6vzs81.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546287/original/file-20230905-19-6vzs81.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546287/original/file-20230905-19-6vzs81.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546287/original/file-20230905-19-6vzs81.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546287/original/file-20230905-19-6vzs81.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546287/original/file-20230905-19-6vzs81.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Muscle mass helps determine the body’s metabolic rate.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/smart-watch-on-sporty-african-man-2069217704">Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>Why does our metabolism become dysfunctional after dieting?</h2>
<p>When you lose large amounts of weight, you’re likely to have lowered your metabolic rate, and it <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22535969/">doesn’t recover</a> to the level it was pre-dieting – even if you regain weight. </p>
<p>This is because, typically, when we diet to lose weight, we lose both fat and muscle, and the decrease in our calorie-burning muscle mass slows our metabolism. </p>
<p>We can account for the expected decrease in metabolic rate from the decrease in body mass, but even after we regain lost weight our metabolism doesn’t recover. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27136388/">Research</a> shows that for every diet you attempt, the rate at which you burn food slows by a further 15% that can’t be accounted for. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-true-the-faster-you-lose-weight-the-quicker-it-comes-back-heres-what-we-know-about-slow-and-fast-weight-loss-198301">Is it true the faster you lose weight the quicker it comes back? Here's what we know about slow and fast weight loss</a>
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</em>
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<h2>3 ways to speed up our metabolism (and 1 thing to avoid)</h2>
<p><strong>1) Pay attention to what you eat</strong></p>
<p>Consider the types of food you eat because your diet will influence the amount of energy your body expends to digest, absorb and metabolise food. This process is called <a href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-1-5">diet-induced thermogenesis</a>, or the thermic effect of food, and it equates to about 10% of our daily energy expenditure.</p>
<p><a href="https://nutritionandmetabolism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1743-7075-1-5">Research</a> shows the thermic effect of food is highest for protein-rich foods because our bodies need to use more energy to break down and digest proteins. Eating protein-rich foods will increase your metabolic rate by about 15% (compared to the average of 10% from all foods). In contrast, carbs will increase it 10% and fats by less than 5%.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Person stands on scales in their living room" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546288/original/file-20230905-15-oi6es0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546288/original/file-20230905-15-oi6es0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546288/original/file-20230905-15-oi6es0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546288/original/file-20230905-15-oi6es0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546288/original/file-20230905-15-oi6es0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546288/original/file-20230905-15-oi6es0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546288/original/file-20230905-15-oi6es0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If you’re trying to lose weight, aim for balanced meals rather than avoiding whole food groups.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-person-standing-on-a-weighing-scale-7801341/">Pexels/Pavel Danilyuk</a></span>
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<p>But this doesn’t mean you should switch to a protein-only diet to boost your metabolism. Rather, meals should include vegetables and a source of protein, balanced with wholegrain carbs and good fats to support optimum <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7071223/">health, disease prevention and weight loss</a>. </p>
<p><strong>2) Get moving</strong></p>
<p>Regular physical activity will boost muscle mass and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00125-020-05177-6">speed up your metabolism</a>. Increasing your muscle mass raises your basal metabolic rate, meaning you’ll burn more calories at rest. </p>
<p>You can achieve this by incorporating 30 minutes of physical activity into your daily routine, supplemented with two days of gym or strength work each week.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/does-exercise-help-you-lose-weight-198292">Does exercise help you lose weight?</a>
</strong>
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</p>
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<p>It’s also important to mix things up, as following the same routine every day can quickly lead to boredom and exercise avoidance.</p>
<p>Neglecting exercise will just as quickly result in a decline in muscle mass, and your lost muscle will slow your metabolism and hamper your efforts to lose weight.</p>
<p><strong>3) Get enough sleep</strong></p>
<p>A growing body of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2929498/">research</a> confirms sleep deprivation can significantly impact your metabolism. </p>
<p>A lack of sleep disturbs the body’s energy balance. This causes our appetite hormones to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.23616">increase feelings of hunger</a> and trigger food cravings, while altering our <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2084401/">sugar metabolism</a> and decreasing our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523129534">energy expenditure</a>. </p>
<p>If you want to boost your metabolism, set yourself a goal of getting <a href="https://www.sleephealthjournal.org/article/S2352-7218(15)00015-7/fulltext">seven hours</a> of uninterrupted sleep each night. </p>
<p>A simple way to achieve this is to avoid screens for at least one hour before bed. Screens are a big sleep disruptor because they suppress melatonin production in the brain, telling us it’s daytime instead of nighttime.</p>
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<img alt="Woman stretches after waking up" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546290/original/file-20230905-23-c77bn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546290/original/file-20230905-23-c77bn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546290/original/file-20230905-23-c77bn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546290/original/file-20230905-23-c77bn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=429&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546290/original/file-20230905-23-c77bn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546290/original/file-20230905-23-c77bn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/546290/original/file-20230905-23-c77bn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=539&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Poor sleep can impact your metabolism.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/kqDEH7M2tGk">Unsplash/Kinga Howard</a></span>
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</figure>
<p><strong>4) Don’t waste your money on diet pills and supplements</strong></p>
<p>Thousands of products promise to activate your metabolism and speed up your weight loss. While some may have ingredients that will boost your metabolism immediately after you take them, such as caffeine and capsaicin (the component which gives chillies their heat), <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/ijo201682">research</a> confirms the effect is temporary – they don’t support long-term weight loss.</p>
<p>Most products promising to help you speed up your metabolism to help you lose weight don’t offer any scientific evidence to back their efficacy. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33976376/">Two</a> extensive <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31984610/">reviews</a> published recently examined around 120 studies of weight-loss supplements and found they just don’t work, despite the bold marketing claims.</p>
<p>So leave the pills, potions and powders on the shelf and focus on the things that work. Your metabolism – and your hip pocket – will thank you.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/its-time-to-bust-the-calories-in-calories-out-weight-loss-myth-199092">It's time to bust the 'calories in, calories out' weight-loss myth</a>
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</em>
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<p><em>At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can register <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">here</a> to express your interest.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204811/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dr Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.</span></em></p>Our metabolism naturally slows down as we age and becomes dysfunctional after dieting. Here’s what you can do to give yours a boost.Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2109132023-08-04T15:54:33Z2023-08-04T15:54:33ZPlanks and wall sits are best for lowering blood pressure – here are six more reasons they’re such great exercises<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541216/original/file-20230804-15-p7nvgb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1365%2C0%2C3461%2C2532&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Isometric exercises can be performed pretty well anywhere at anytime.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/concentrated-sporty-young-woman-doing-bodyweight-2340371023">BearFotos/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you were told to do more exercise to lower your blood pressure, you might think you’d need to break out your running gear or hit the weights. But one of us (Jamie) <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2023/07/02/bjsports-2022-106503">recently published research</a> that found exercises that you hold in a static position, such as planks and wall sits, are actually the best way to reduce blood pressure.</p>
<p>This kind of “isometric” exercise involves contracting a specific muscle or muscle group and holding it so the length of the muscle doesn’t change throughout the exercise.</p>
<p>But lower blood pressure is only one of the benefits of doing this type of exercise.</p>
<h2>1. They improve heart health</h2>
<p>Jamie’s recent work looked at 270 randomised controlled trials involving a total of over 15,000 participants. It found that the best way to lower blood pressure was to perform an average of three isometric sessions per week.</p>
<p>Each session consisted of four two-minute bouts of isometric exercises, with a one-to-four minute rest period between each. The resulting blood pressure reduction was comparable to that seen in people taking standard blood pressure medication.</p>
<p>Jamie’s research group has also shown that isometric exercise improves the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-021-04882-3">function, structure and mechanics of our heart</a>, the <a href="https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.14814/phy2.15690">health of our vascular system</a> and the performance of our <a href="https://journals.lww.com/jhypertension/Abstract/2022/11000/Mechanisms_for_blood_pressure_reduction_following.23.aspx">autonomic nervous system</a>. All of these changes are important for good cardiovascular health and lower risk of disease.</p>
<p>Although it’s a complicated area of science, the reason isometrics may be so effective for our cardiovascular health is due to the unique nature of holding a static muscle contraction. This compresses the blood vessels – and then on release of the isometric hold, leads to greater blood flow to the previously compressed vessels.</p>
<h2>2. They improve joint health</h2>
<p>Our ligaments play an essential role in stabilising our joints when we move. But injuries can happen if we put too much pressure on a ligament, such as an awkward single-leg landing when jumping. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1060187215001082">Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)</a> rupture is one example of a ligament injury that has a significant health impact.</p>
<p>But our muscles play an important role in reducing the force placed on our ligaments by helping <a href="https://eprints.mdx.ac.uk/22543">create stability</a> around a joint. And research shows that training certain muscle groups through isometric exercises can help to reduce pressure on certain ligaments. </p>
<p>For example, one study found that <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1050641113002423">training the hamstrings</a> (the group of muscles that run along the back of your thigh from hip to knee) helped reduce pressure on the ACL. This may help prevent injuries to this ligament in the future.</p>
<h2>3. They help address muscle imbalances</h2>
<p>It’s common for the muscles on one side of your body to be stronger than the other. Known as limb dominance, this partly happens due to something called <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/Abstract/2021/06000/Assessing_Interlimb_Asymmetries__Are_We_Heading_in.8.aspx">laterality</a>, our preference to use one side of the body over the other. </p>
<p>It can also happen as a result of your body adapting to the demands of sports (or other activites) which require skills that place greater demand on one side of the body, such as <a href="https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2016/04000/The_Presence_of_Bilateral_Imbalance_of_the_Lower.14.aspx">football</a>, <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/jat/article/49/3/338/191318/Strength-Asymmetry-of-the-Shoulders-in-Elite">volleyball</a> and <a href="https://meridian.allenpress.com/jat/article/44/1/39/110818/Explosive-Strength-Imbalances-in-Professional">basketball</a>. </p>
<p>While there’s typically nothing wrong with the muscles on one side of the body being stronger than the other, it may increase <a href="https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/626530/">risk of injury</a> and may also affect an athlete’s performance. But doing unilateral (one-sided) isometric exercises – such as the split squat or side plank – may help reduce strength differences between limbs as they target one side of the body.</p>
<h2>4. They improve performance</h2>
<p>Isometric exercises are effective for <a href="http://holmesplace20prod.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/%5Bobject%20Promise%5D_Art_Brief%20Review_Effects%20of%20Isometric%20Strength%20Training%20on%20Strength.pdf">improving strength</a> in specific fixed positions. This is because isometric exercises have the ability to activate <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/sms.13375?casa_token=XbyjfswW3VUAAAAA%3Ag9YKPb9CeIdUl5T8lIgAlvM8AjcPWBVxQsJ5h_8-DchPdFajjfQxe2OjcRZGJFYVI8v1n2RIzlFM">very specific muscles or muscle groups</a>. </p>
<p>Isometrics often mimic challenging positions such as the sticking point at the bottom of a squat, maintaining a scrummage in rugby or removing the lid off a jam jar. This means they can help to build the strength required to tolerate the load placed upon the body during exercise, sport and every day life. This may improve athletic performance or physical function in daily life.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man performs the wall sit exercise in his office." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541214/original/file-20230804-21-lv8jwo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=12%2C12%2C8223%2C5469&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541214/original/file-20230804-21-lv8jwo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541214/original/file-20230804-21-lv8jwo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541214/original/file-20230804-21-lv8jwo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541214/original/file-20230804-21-lv8jwo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541214/original/file-20230804-21-lv8jwo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541214/original/file-20230804-21-lv8jwo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Isometric exercises can be easily adjusted to best suit you.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-businessman-leaning-on-wall-doing-1079108474">Andrey_Popov/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>5. They’re easily tolerated</h2>
<p>Isometric exercises are often used as part of physiotherapy and sports therapy rehabilitation programmes for people recovering from musculoskeletal injuries. This is because they can be performed with limited mobility and <a href="https://journals.lww.com/clinicalpain/Abstract/2016/02000/Do_Pain_related_Beliefs_Influence_Adherence_to.10.aspx">where pain</a> may be a limiting factor. </p>
<p>As isometric exercises are performed in a static position, it can be more tolerable than exercises which require a lot of movement. Similarly, those with limited mobility can choose a comfortable position to perform the exercise, such as adjusting the height of a wall squat if they have limited hip mobility.</p>
<h2>6. They’re time efficient</h2>
<p>Most studies which have investigated the benefits of isometric exercises for <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41440-022-01019-7">heart health</a> have only required participants to do a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30817465/">total of eight minutes of exercise per session</a>. This would equate to around four sets of isometric exercises, with each exercise held for around two minutes. You would then rest between one and four minutes between sets. </p>
<p><a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/56/9/506">Numerous studies</a> also show these exercises only need to be performed three times a week for three weeks in order to see beneficial changes. This makes isometric exercises easy to fit into even the busiest schedules. </p>
<h2>Getting started</h2>
<p>Isometric exercise can be performed pretty well anywhere since they only use your body weight to challenge your muscles. </p>
<p>If you aren’t sure where to begin when it comes to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/isometric-exercises">isometric exercises</a>, some good examples include wall squats (pretending like you’re sitting in a chair but with your back pressed against a wall) and planks (resting on your forearms and tip-toes, with your stomach raised above the ground and held level). </p>
<p>It’s also recommended you consult with a healthcare practitioner before starting your new exercise plan to ensure it’s safe and effective.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210913/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Isometric exercises are great for your heart, joints and physical function in daily life.Alex Walker, Lecturer in Sports Therapy, University of East LondonJamie Edwards, Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, University of East LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2104262023-08-02T12:40:03Z2023-08-02T12:40:03ZHow your genes may determine whether you can be an endurance athlete<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540724/original/file-20230802-25-zuhqu8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5751%2C3837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Endurance isn't the only type of fitness linked to genetics.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-people-crosscountry-skiing-nature-endurance-1959056890">Robert Kneschke/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For some of us, no matter how consistently we train, running never seems to get any easier – while others appear to be naturally gifted and can run for miles with ease. Part of this comes down to factors such as the kind of training you do or your diet, but our recent study has shown that genetics may also explain why some people are better at endurance exercise than others. </p>
<p>We found that genetics contribute to how well someone’s body responds to <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0288996">endurance-based exercises</a> – things such as cycling, running and swimming.
This may mean that some have a natural advantage over others when it comes to running long distances.</p>
<p>To conduct our research, we recruited 45 participants in the UK aged between 20 and 40. Just over half were male. All participants were then randomly split into two groups. </p>
<p>The first group were prescribed a strict, eight-week endurance-based running programme. This consisted of a 20-30 minute outdoor run three times per week. </p>
<p>The other group acted as a control group and were instructed to continue with their normal daily routine. During this entire period all physical activity in both groups was monitored. Diet and other lifestyle habits were unchanged. </p>
<p>At the beginning of the study, all participants took a military fitness test called the <a href="https://www.verywellfit.com/fitness-test-for-endurance-12-minute-run-3120264">12-minute Cooper run test</a>, which shows the maximum distance a person can run in 12 minutes. This was to measure their running ability and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200029060-00001">aerobic fitness</a>. The test was repeated in the middle and at the end of the study to track changes in fitness.</p>
<p>Participants were also given a <a href="https://muhdo.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwiIOmBhDjARIsAP6YhSUB3WI81JP4Q_snYLhh-SBVNeCJNy2m63C8bKJFvO-nJ5UsHuCCdqMaAhTeEALw_wcB">DNA test kit</a> at the end of the training programme to assess their genetic information from a sample of their saliva.</p>
<p>The training group significantly improved their Cooper test score by an average of 11.5% (0.24km). But even with this group performing the exact same <a href="https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/12/s2/article-pS2-2.xml">amount of training</a>, and making no changes to their diet or lifestyle habits, people still improved at different rates. </p>
<p>By the end of the study, we found the top performers could run around 20% more (0.45km) within the 12 minutes compared to their baseline results. On the other hand, a few of the participants struggled to see any improvements within the eight weeks of training.</p>
<p>When we looked at the reasons why some showed large improvements while others showed little, we discovered it came down to a participant’s specific genetic profile. We found 18 <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/understanding/genomicresearch/snp/#:%7E:text=Single%20nucleotide%20polymorphisms%2C%20frequently%20called,building%20block%2C%20called%20a%20nucleotide.">single nucleotide polymorphisms</a>, or SNPs, which were directly associated with the endurance improvements. </p>
<p>SNPs explain how a genetic sequence or a single gene can vary from person to person or population to population. So while our base genetic make-up is the same, what differentiates us are the <a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Allele">specific genetic variations</a> we have.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A digital illustration of a DNA strand." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540726/original/file-20230802-27-qflmpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540726/original/file-20230802-27-qflmpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540726/original/file-20230802-27-qflmpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540726/original/file-20230802-27-qflmpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540726/original/file-20230802-27-qflmpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540726/original/file-20230802-27-qflmpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540726/original/file-20230802-27-qflmpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Specific genetic variations may determine our athletic ability.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/3d-illustration-colorful-dna-molecule-concept-769966603">ktsdesign/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We discovered that people were able to run longer distances when they had more of these 18 favourable SNPs. Those who did the endurance training programme, but saw little to no improvement, had very few – and in some cases none – of these SNPs. This essentially means that some people have a greater potential when it comes to benefiting from endurance training than others. </p>
<p>It will now be important to conduct research on a larger scale to test if these results are repeatable to confirm our findings. More importantly we need to find out why exactly these SNPs are associated with better endurance performance – and what specific benefits they confer.</p>
<h2>Genetics and exercise</h2>
<p>Our study isn’t the first one to show a link between genetics and fitness. </p>
<p>Other research suggests <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-your-genes-influence-whether-a-certain-type-of-exercise-works-for-you-new-research-169594">up to 44%</a> of a person’s response to endurance training may be influenced by genetics. This would equate to around an extra <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0249501">5% improvement in aerobic fitness</a> over those that do not have such favourable genetics. </p>
<p>This may explain why the participants in our study improved at different rates despite doing the same training programme. Our <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0249501">previous research</a> also showed that genetics play a role when it comes to other types of fitness, including strength training. </p>
<p>However, it’s important to note that current research within this expanding area is overly simplified. A lot of the research to date has only viewed genes in isolation and made assumptions based on that, which may not be entirely accurate. Traits such as someone’s aerobic ability are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6636837/">extremely complicated</a> and likely <a href="https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Polygenic-Trait#:%7E:text=A%20polygenic%20trait%20is%20a,environment%20and%20are%20called%20multifactorial">influenced by multiple genes</a> and the way they interact.</p>
<p>This would also explain why having one or two advantageous SNPs didn’t equate to better endurance training performance, as supported by our study. This is why it is important for researchers to review a combination of these genes and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43465-020-00056-z">how they interact</a> with each other to understand the effect they may have on a person. </p>
<p>Our research reinforces the evidence base which shows genetics play a clear role in the way a person adapts to exercise, but this doesn’t mean you should stop running just because you may not have favourable genetics. For the average person, these favourable genetics will probably only make a small difference in how easy (or difficult) they find it to improve their fitness. </p>
<p>But for <a href="https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/entersport17&div=6&id=&page=">competitive athletes</a>, trying to push their limits, this could make a big difference in their performance and whether they could earn a gold medal or fail to place. </p>
<p>And while certain genes may make it a little easier for some to improve their endurance capacity compared to others, genetics are only part of the story. Other factors – such as diet, recovery and how hard you train – also play a big role in getting fit.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210426/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Justin Roberts works for Danone Nutricia Research and Anglia Ruskin University, and has previously received external research funding unrelated to this article.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dan Gordon and Henry Chung do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A growing body of evidence shows there are links between our genetics and fitness.Henry Chung, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, University of EssexDan Gordon, Associate Professor, Cardiorespiratory Exercise Physiology, Anglia Ruskin UniversityJustin Roberts, Professor of Nutritional Physiology, Anglia Ruskin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2101292023-07-26T23:02:00Z2023-07-26T23:02:00ZHow to train your body for hot weather if you are active or work outdoors<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539662/original/file-20230726-17-1vooan.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=865%2C201%2C5613%2C4023&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There are several ways to help prevent a perilous rise in core temperature while being physically active in the heat.
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/how-to-train-your-body-for-hot-weather-if-you-are-active-or-work-outdoors" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Global warming is making outdoor activities challenging — especially exercise. Indeed, we have a very small buffer to tolerate an increase in body heat. A rise in core temperature of only three degrees Celcius can be life-threatening, even for young healthy adults.</p>
<p>There are several ways to help prevent a perilous rise in core temperature while being physically active in the heat. There are numerous <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/1741-7015-10-166">pre-cooling strategies</a> that can help. Most practical of those is consuming a cold drink (or better yet, an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e3181bf257a">ice slurry or slushie</a>) prior to exercise. But “training” your body to cope better in the heat is the best defence. </p>
<p>The strategy of heat training is particularly important for endurance athletes. Athletes who incorporate even a modest heat acclimating protocol before competing in the heat on average <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2021-104569">perform better and are less likely to require medical attention for heat-related injuries</a>.</p>
<p>However, given our warming environment, it may be time to consider heat training even for non-athletes, especially for people working outdoors. </p>
<p>While heat acclimation training is most often used by endurance athletes, it was first developed for underground <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/23328940.2016.1240749">gold mine workers in the 1940s</a>, who were exposed to environmental temperatures exceeding 50 C with humidity near 100 per cent. </p>
<h2>How does heat acclimation help?</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="womens soccer team training outdoors" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539663/original/file-20230726-17-ek3f5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539663/original/file-20230726-17-ek3f5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539663/original/file-20230726-17-ek3f5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539663/original/file-20230726-17-ek3f5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539663/original/file-20230726-17-ek3f5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539663/original/file-20230726-17-ek3f5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539663/original/file-20230726-17-ek3f5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Athletes who incorporate even a modest heat acclimating protocol before competing in the heat on average perform better and are less likely to require medical attention for heat-related injuries.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The benefits of heat acclimation are a growing area of research. In fact, the benefits seem to extend beyond being more heat tolerant, and into improvements for general cardiovascular health — known as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00141.2020">heat therapy</a>. </p>
<p>For improvements in heat tolerance, however, the primary benefits are quite simple: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>It lowers our resting body temperature, which provides a larger reserve for our core temperature to rise before problems occur.</p></li>
<li><p>It increases our sweating rate, which optimizes our evaporative heat loss potential, thereby attenuating the rise in core temperature.</p></li>
<li><p>It increases our plasma volume (the liquid part of blood), which lowers the cardiovascular strain imposed by a rise in core temperature, and provides a larger reserve to maintain sweat rate (<a href="https://www.encyclopedia.com/medicine/anatomy-and-physiology/anatomy-and-physiology/sweating">sweat comes from plasma</a>). </p></li>
</ol>
<p>In addition to these three factors is an improved perception of thermal comfort. There are also other more nuanced benefits for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12408">improved heat tolerance, including salt conservation, metabolic and anti-inflammatory effects</a>, but the three listed above are most important. </p>
<h2>Methods of heat acclimation</h2>
<p>Heat acclimatization and heat acclimation are slightly different: It is called heat acclimatization when it occurs naturally over a longer period, and heat acclimation when done “artificially” or purposefully over a shorter duration. Both forms confer benefits for heat tolerance, but they are not entirely synonymous.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two people in hard hats outside" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539664/original/file-20230726-21-necxl4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539664/original/file-20230726-21-necxl4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539664/original/file-20230726-21-necxl4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539664/original/file-20230726-21-necxl4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539664/original/file-20230726-21-necxl4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539664/original/file-20230726-21-necxl4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539664/original/file-20230726-21-necxl4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Training the body to cope better in the heat may be the best way for outdoor workers and athletes to cope with heat waves.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Heat acclimatization can, and does to some extent, occur naturally in people who are constantly exposed to hot and humid environments. But for those of us living in a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/humid-continental-climate">humid continental climate</a> (which includes most populated regions above the 40th parallel), or for those who usually seek air-conditioning in the summer, natural heat acclimatization <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1743-9">rarely occurs</a>. It takes a bit of work. </p>
<p>The degree of heat adaptation depends on the duration, intensity and frequency of heat exposure. </p>
<p>The gold standard for heat acclimation involves maintaining an elevated core temperature by one to two degrees Celcius for at least 60 minutes, for a minimum of five consecutive days, or over a two-week period allowing for a few rest days. But importantly, the biggest adjustments occur within the first few days, and begin to have a ceiling effect around two weeks, with minor benefits thereafter. </p>
<p>The benefits of heat acclimation for improved heat tolerance unfortunately don’t last forever. They are largely retained for approximately one week following the last heat exposure, but approximately 75 per cent of the benefits will be lost after three weeks without any heat exposure. Thankfully re-acclimatization is generally easier, and a “steady state” heat acclimated status can be achieved by maintaining some form of heat exposure at least three times per week. </p>
<h2>At-home heat acclimation</h2>
<p>For those without access to a heat chamber or thermistor (<a href="https://doi.org/10.3791/53258">for example an ingestible internal thermometer</a>) to monitor your body’s core temperature, heat acclimation is still possible. All you need is a tub. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2021.05.008">A recent study</a> suggests that an effective (and practical) protocol for partial but meaningful heat acclimation is simply three consecutive days of soaking in 40 C water for about 40 minutes, immediately after about 40 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise at room temperature. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Express food delivery courier riding bicycle with insulated bag behind his back" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539665/original/file-20230726-15-es1kjd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539665/original/file-20230726-15-es1kjd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539665/original/file-20230726-15-es1kjd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539665/original/file-20230726-15-es1kjd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539665/original/file-20230726-15-es1kjd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539665/original/file-20230726-15-es1kjd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539665/original/file-20230726-15-es1kjd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Heat exposure is inevitable for those who work or are active outdoors.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The key is that the exercise must be strenuous enough to bring your body temperature past a threshold for sweating, and that you immediately enter the tub after the exercise. According to the study’s authors: “Taking a hot bath submerged to the neck, for up to 40 minutes, following habitual training in temperate conditions, presents a practical and economical heat acclimation intervention — eliminating the requirement for an increased training load, access to an environmental chamber or relocation to a hot climate.”</p>
<p>Ultimately, strategies to avoid excessive heat exposure are still paramount, especially for those who are more <a href="https://theconversation.com/heat-stroke-is-a-danger-but-cardiovascular-stress-causes-more-heat-wave-deaths-164688">vulnerable to heat-related injuries</a>, including older adults and people with conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. </p>
<p>But it is becoming increasingly apparent that heat exposure is inevitable for those who work or are active outdoors. Incorporating a heat acclimation protocol, in combination with the more recognized heat-mitigating strategies — including sun protection and maintaining hydration — provides your body with the best defence against heat-related injuries.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210129/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anthony Bain does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Heat exposure is inevitable for those who work or are active outdoors. A heat acclimation protocol, combined with heat-mitigating strategies, is the best defence against heat-related injuries.Anthony Bain, Associate Professor, Kinesiology, University of WindsorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2062042023-07-25T20:04:48Z2023-07-25T20:04:48ZCan’t afford a gym membership or fitness class? 3 things to include in a DIY exercise program<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538415/original/file-20230720-21-9hekky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=175%2C434%2C4490%2C2676&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/lrQPTQs7nQQ">Jonathan Borba/Unsplash</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>With the rising cost of living, gyms memberships and fitness classes are becoming increasingly unaffordable. But the good news is you can make <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28655559/">just as much progress at home</a>.</p>
<p>Cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and flexibility are the <a href="https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/publications-files/acsms-exercise-testing-prescription.pdf?sfvrsn=111e9306_4">most important</a> components of fitness. And each can be trained with little or no equipment. Let’s look at why – and how – to fit them into your DIY exercise program. </p>
<h2>1. Cardiovascular endurance</h2>
<p>Cardiovascular endurance exercise (or “cardio”) forces the heart and lungs to increase the supply of oxygen to the working muscles. Heart disease is a <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death">leading cause of death</a> and cardiovascular endurance exercise helps keep the heart healthy. </p>
<p>The best thing about cardio is you don’t need any fancy equipment to do it. Walking, jogging and running are great options, as are cycling, skipping rope and swimming.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Older man skips rope" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539133/original/file-20230725-17-g2ab6q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539133/original/file-20230725-17-g2ab6q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539133/original/file-20230725-17-g2ab6q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539133/original/file-20230725-17-g2ab6q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539133/original/file-20230725-17-g2ab6q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539133/original/file-20230725-17-g2ab6q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539133/original/file-20230725-17-g2ab6q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Skipping rope can be a cardio workout.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/senior-man-running-city-jumping-rope-1411700741">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>There are two approaches to maximise cardiovascular endurance:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8897392/">high-intensity interval training</a> (HIIT) – short bouts of hard exercise (around 80% to 95% of your maximum heart rate) interspersed with lower intensity recovery periods (around 40% to 50% of your maximum heart rate)</p></li>
<li><p><a href="http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26664271/">low-intensity steady-state</a> (LISS) exercise – aerobic activity performed continuously at a low-to-moderate intensity (around 50% to 65% of your maximum heart rate) for an extended duration.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Both are great options. While high-intensity interval training can be more time efficient, low-intensity steady-state training might be more enjoyable and easier to sustain long-term. </p>
<p>No matter what you choose, <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">aim for</a> a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise each week. For example, you could try 30 minutes, five days per week of low intensity cardio, or 25 minutes, three days per week of high-intensity activity, or a combination of the two. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/dont-have-time-to-exercise-heres-a-regimen-everyone-can-squeeze-in-111600">Don't have time to exercise? Here's a regimen everyone can squeeze in</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>How do you know if you’re exercising at the right intensity? </p>
<p>Smart watches that measure heart rate can help to monitor intensity. Or you can rely on the good old-fashioned <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25536539/">talk test</a>. During low-intensity activity, you should be able to speak in full sentences. Conversely, short phrases (initially) or single words (towards the end) should be all that’s manageable during high-intensity exercise. </p>
<h2>2. Muscle strength</h2>
<p>Next is muscle strength, which we train through resistance exercise. This is important for bone health, balance and metabolic health, especially as we age and our <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30276173/">muscle mass and strength declines</a>.</p>
<p>Aim for two days per week of whole-body resistance exercise performed at a moderate or <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity">greater intensity</a>. Try to build two weekly sessions that target the major muscle groups. This could include:</p>
<ul>
<li>squats – lower to the ground from standing by bending the hips, knees, and ankles while keeping the chest up tall before returning to standing by straightening the hips, knees and ankles</li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man does a squat in his living room" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538417/original/file-20230720-27-ktr6ea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538417/original/file-20230720-27-ktr6ea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538417/original/file-20230720-27-ktr6ea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538417/original/file-20230720-27-ktr6ea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538417/original/file-20230720-27-ktr6ea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538417/original/file-20230720-27-ktr6ea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538417/original/file-20230720-27-ktr6ea.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You don’t need any equipment for squats.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/muscular-athletic-fit-man-tshirt-shorts-1497529373">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
<li><p><a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Hip_Hinge">hinges</a> – fold forward at the hips by pushing your bottom back to the wall behind you, keeping your back straight. A slight bend in the knees is fine but aim to keep your shins vertical </p></li>
<li><p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7196742/">push-ups</a> – if a full push-up is too difficult, you can place your hands on a raised surface such as a step or a chair</p></li>
<li><p>horizontal and vertical pull ups – using something like a portable chin up bar, which you can buy from sports supply stores</p></li>
<li><p>vertical pushes – pushing an object (or weight) vertically from the top of your chest to an overhead position.</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman in wheelchair lifts weights" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539143/original/file-20230725-15-4euho7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539143/original/file-20230725-15-4euho7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539143/original/file-20230725-15-4euho7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539143/original/file-20230725-15-4euho7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539143/original/file-20230725-15-4euho7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539143/original/file-20230725-15-4euho7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539143/original/file-20230725-15-4euho7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Vertical pushes involve lifting a weight from chest to over your head.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/disabled-old-woman-wheelchair-raising-arm-1992294383">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Once you have selected your exercises, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35873210/">perform</a> 2–3 sets of 8–12 repetitions at a moderate to greater intensity, with about 90 seconds rest between each set.</p>
<p>As you progress, continue to challenge your muscles by adding an extra set to each exercise, or including dumbbells, changing body position or wearing a backpack with weights. The goal should be to progress slightly each session.</p>
<p>However, if you have any underlying health conditions, disabilities, or are unsure how best to do this, see an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-weightlifting-is-beneficial-before-and-after-the-menopause-204846">Why weightlifting is beneficial before and after the menopause</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>3. Flexibility</h2>
<p>Improved flexibility can <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/">increase your range of motion</a> and improve your ability to manage daily life. </p>
<p>While we don’t know the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/">best means of increasing flexibility</a>, the most basic and readily accessible is static <a href="https://www.topendsports.com/testing/flex.htm">stretching</a>. Here, we lengthen the muscle – for example, the hamstrings, until we feel a “stretching” sensation. Hold that position for 15–30 seconds. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People stretch their arms" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539137/original/file-20230725-15-it5mvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539137/original/file-20230725-15-it5mvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539137/original/file-20230725-15-it5mvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539137/original/file-20230725-15-it5mvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539137/original/file-20230725-15-it5mvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539137/original/file-20230725-15-it5mvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539137/original/file-20230725-15-it5mvb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Stretching can increase your range of motion.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-hands-elderly-people-stretching-before-769325845">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While the precise intensity of this stretching sensation <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26347668/">remains elusive</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29506306/">around 5–10 minutes</a> per week per <a href="https://exrx.net/Lists/Directory">muscle group</a>, spread across five days, seems to provide the best results. </p>
<h2>How to stick with it?</h2>
<p>The best exercise is the one that gets done. So, whatever you choose, make sure you enjoy it. After all, it’s about creating an ongoing commitment to exercise that will deliver long-term health benefits. </p>
<p>It’s also important to ensure you’re ready to exercise, especially if you have any underlying health issues, have been previously inactive, or are unsure how to start. A <a href="https://www.ausactive.org.au/apss">pre-exercise screening</a> can help you to determine whether you should see a doctor or allied health professional before starting an exercise program and for guidance on the next steps. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/new-study-much-of-what-were-told-about-gym-exercises-and-resistance-training-is-from-studies-of-males-by-men-205753">New study: much of what we're told about gym exercises and resistance training is from studies of males, by men</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206204/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With the rising cost of living, gyms and fitness classes are becoming unaffordable. But you can make just as much progress at home if you include these three components.Lewis Ingram, Lecturer in Physiotherapy, University of South AustraliaHunter Bennett, Lecturer in Exercise Science, University of South AustraliaSaravana Kumar, Professor in Allied Health and Health Services Research, University of South AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2074572023-07-18T12:31:07Z2023-07-18T12:31:07ZExercise may or may not help you lose weight and keep it off – here’s the evidence for both sides of the debate<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536855/original/file-20230711-31-pxnbdw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2119%2C1414&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There isn't a debate, however, on the health benefits of regular exercise.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/yellow-kettlebell-for-sports-exercise-with-a-royalty-free-image/1298607269">Maryna Terletska/Moment via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The global fitness industry will generate <a href="https://www.wellnesscreatives.com/fitness-industry-statistics-growth/">over US$80 billion in revenue</a> in 2023, estimates suggest. And why not, given the many excellent <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/index.htm">reasons to exercise</a>? Better cardiovascular health, lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, stronger immune system – the list goes on.</p>
<p>One of the biggest reasons many people choose to exercise is to <a href="https://www.better.org.uk/content_pages/top-gym-excuses">lose weight</a>. As a <a href="https://www.semel.ucla.edu/profile/donald-m-lamkin-phd">biobehavioral scientist</a>, I study links between behavior and health, and I heed the time-honored advice that eating less and exercising more are necessary to lose weight. But a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01247-4">recent debate</a> in the scientific community highlights the growing suspicion that the “exercising more” part of this advice may be erroneous.</p>
<p>At the center of the debate is the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01248-3">constrained total energy expenditure hypothesis</a>, which asserts that exercise won’t help you burn more calories overall because your body will compensate by burning fewer calories after your workout. Thus, exercise won’t help you lose weight even if it will benefit your health in countless other ways.</p>
<p>Obesity researchers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01234-9">take issue with this</a> hypothesis, because it’s based on observational research rather than randomized controlled trials, or RCTs, the gold standard of scientific evidence. In RCTs, participants are randomly assigned to either a treatment or a control group, which allows researchers to determine whether the treatment causes an effect. Randomized controlled trials have shown that exercise causes weight loss. </p>
<p>The verdict is actually more mixed when considering all the gold-standard evidence available.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wWGulLAa0O0?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Exercise provides many health benefits.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What the evidence says</h2>
<p>Spectators of this hypothesis have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01247-4">emphasized the importance</a> of systematically reviewing the evidence from all gold-standard trials. They pointed to a 2021 review of more than 100 exercise studies that examined the effect on weight loss in adults of aerobic, resistance or high-intensity interval training in combination or alone. The review concluded that supervised exercise regimens do <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13256">cause weight loss</a>, even if only a modest amount.</p>
<p>So that settles the debate, yes? If you eat too much dessert, then you can just go on an extra run to burn off those extra calories, right?</p>
<p>Well, not exactly. </p>
<p>If extra physical exertion burns extra calories overall, then exercise should also keep the weight from coming back after low-calorie dieting. But keeping those lost pounds off after dieting is a common challenge. The <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13256">same 2021 review</a> includes the few randomized controlled trials that address the question of whether exercise facilitates weight maintenance. However, the results weren’t as good as they were for weight loss. The researchers found that six to 12 months of aerobic exercise, resistance training or both after dieting did not prevent weight regain in adults.</p>
<h2>Exercise adherence</h2>
<p>But what about compliance? Did all the people in those studies actually exercise regularly? </p>
<p>The 2021 review found only one randomized controlled trial on weight maintenance that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.03.014">reported an objective compliance rate</a>, meaning each exercise session was supervised by a trainer. This tells us the percentage of time that participants in the study actually exercised as prescribed.</p>
<p>In that trial, the compliance rate was only 64% for 25 post-menopausal women who completed a resistance training program after diet-induced weight loss. This was for a regimen in which participants had to come in and exercise two to three times per week for an entire year. From the perspective of keeping up with a program for that long, doing so 64% of the time doesn’t seem so bad. </p>
<p>But they still gained back as much weight as the 29 women in the control group who were not enrolled in the exercise program.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536893/original/file-20230711-16-wdudrx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Feet standing on a digital scale" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536893/original/file-20230711-16-wdudrx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536893/original/file-20230711-16-wdudrx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536893/original/file-20230711-16-wdudrx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536893/original/file-20230711-16-wdudrx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536893/original/file-20230711-16-wdudrx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536893/original/file-20230711-16-wdudrx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536893/original/file-20230711-16-wdudrx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Keeping off the pounds after losing them can be challenging.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/top-down-view-of-feet-standing-on-white-digital-royalty-free-image/1324553412">OsakaWayne Studios/Moment via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Energy balance</h2>
<p>Many people would say that it’s all about balancing energy in from food and energy out from exercise. If exercise didn’t keep the weight off, then maybe a bigger dose of exercise was needed.</p>
<p>The American College of Sports Medicine highlighted this issue of exercise dose in its <a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181949333">2009 position statement</a> on physical activity for weight maintenance, stating that the amount of physical activity needed for weight maintenance after weight loss is uncertain. Moreover, it stated that there is a lack of randomized controlled trials in this area that use state-of-the-art techniques to monitor the energy balance of participants.</p>
<p>Fortunately, some of the authors of the position statement went on to use state-of-the-art techniques to monitor energy balance in their own randomized controlled trial. In 2015, they enrolled overweight adults into a 10-month aerobic exercise program and compared the energy intake of those who lost weight with the energy intake of those who didn’t lose weight while on the program. They found that those who didn’t lose weight were indeed <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21073">taking in more calories</a>. </p>
<h2>Mystery of the disappearing calories</h2>
<p>But there’s something else in that 2015 study’s <a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000354">energy measurements</a> that is quite interesting. By the end of the study, the number of total daily calories the exercisers burned was not significantly different from what the nonexercisers burned. And this was in spite of the fact that trainers verified the exercisers burned an extra 400 to 600 calories per session at their nearly daily exercise sessions. Why didn’t those extra exercise calories show up in the total daily calories burned?</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536901/original/file-20230711-24-pufhjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Kettle ball crushing a bagel" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536901/original/file-20230711-24-pufhjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536901/original/file-20230711-24-pufhjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=787&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536901/original/file-20230711-24-pufhjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=787&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536901/original/file-20230711-24-pufhjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=787&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536901/original/file-20230711-24-pufhjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=988&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536901/original/file-20230711-24-pufhjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=988&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536901/original/file-20230711-24-pufhjl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=988&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Weight loss isn’t as simple as energy in, energy out.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/kettle-bell-smashing-a-bagel-royalty-free-image/852156500">Shana Novak/Digital Vision via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The answer to that question may help explain why exercise doesn’t always help you keep the weight off: Your metabolism responds to regular exercise by decreasing the number of calories you burn when you’re not exercising. That’s according to the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01248-3">constrained total energy expenditure hypothesis</a> that spurred the current debate.</p>
<p>Researchers recently tested the hypothesis by measuring the nonexercise calorie burn of 29 obese adults over a nearly 24-hour period, both before and after a six-month exercise program. They found that the calories they burned when they weren’t working out did <a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002689">decrease after months of regular exercise</a> – but only in those who were prescribed the higher of two different exercise doses. </p>
<p>Those who exercised at the lower dose for general health, meaning they burned an extra 800 to 1,000 calories per week, saw no change in their metabolic rate. But those who exercised at the higher dose to lose weight or maintain weight loss, meaning they burned an extra 2,000 to 2,500 calories per week, had a decrease in their metabolic rate by the study’s end.</p>
<h2>Exercise for health</h2>
<p>Perhaps both sides of the debate are right. If you want to lose a modest amount of weight, then a new exercise routine might make a modest contribution toward meeting that goal.</p>
<p>However, as others have said, don’t fool yourself into thinking you can “<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2015-094911">outrun a bad diet</a>” by simply exercising more. There is a diminishing marginal return to exercise – you eventually take less weight off for the additional exercise you put in. </p>
<p>But even if extra exercise might not help you lose weight and keep it off, there are still the other great <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/index.htm">health dividends</a> that regular exercise pays out.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207457/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Donald M. Lamkin receives funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the UCLA Norman Cousins Center. </span></em></p>Some researchers assert that the body responds to exercise by burning fewer calories when you’re not working out. Regardless of its effects on weight loss, exercise provides many health benefits.Donald M. Lamkin, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los AngelesLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2085412023-07-16T11:56:52Z2023-07-16T11:56:52ZSleep deprivation benefited our ancestors, yet harms us now — but staying fit may help us cope<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537551/original/file-20230714-30-roooha.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=975%2C0%2C6021%2C4196&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Research shows that sleep deprivation impairs communication between brain regions and brain blood flow, damages brain wiring and makes a young brain look like an aged brain.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/sleep-deprivation-benefited-our-ancestors-yet-harms-us-now-but-staying-fit-may-help-us-cope" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Humans <a href="https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/how-our-sleeping-habits-helped-to-make-us-human">need less sleep</a> than our closest evolutionary relatives. However, we often sleep less than we need.</p>
<p>Needing less sleep is a consequence of our ancestors’ choices to remain awake longer — a behaviour that led to evolutionary benefits. Sleeping less than we need is the result of our modern-day choices to remain awake longer, but in this case the behaviour is detrimental to our health and well-being. Our research, however, finds that fitness may be a helpful tool for coping with sleep deprivation.</p>
<h2>Less sleep needed: An ancestral gift</h2>
<p>Our ancestors traded sleep for productive nightly activities like exchanging cultural information to gain social and individual learning, watching for predators and strengthening bonds with peers. This learning had evolutionary benefits and led natural selection to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-anthro-010220-075523">favour shorter sleep durations</a>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/evan.21464">Humans are outliers</a>, however, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eow035">needing sleep for only seven hours</a>, far less than the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-anthro-010220-075523">predicted 9.55 hours of sleep</a> for a primate with similar traits to ours. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A sleeping chimpanzee" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537403/original/file-20230713-27-udsbw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537403/original/file-20230713-27-udsbw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537403/original/file-20230713-27-udsbw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537403/original/file-20230713-27-udsbw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537403/original/file-20230713-27-udsbw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537403/original/file-20230713-27-udsbw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537403/original/file-20230713-27-udsbw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Humans need less sleep than our closest evolutionary relatives.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Margo Tanenbaum/Pixabay)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our ability to thrive with longer waking hours is thought to be possibly due to our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/evan.21464">highest proportion of efficient, dreamy REM sleep</a> amongst all studied primates and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.1853">brain anatomy changes</a> that facilitate essential housekeeping functions of sleep (like removal of toxins) in a shorter span. This ancestral choice to sleep less was worthwhile (although some speculate that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eow035">it may also have had drawbacks</a>). </p>
<h2>Less sleep available: A modern misery</h2>
<p>In an extreme example of sleep deprivation, in 1964 Randy Gardner broke the world record by staying awake for 11 days. His wake-a-thon bit him back years later in the form of unbearable insomnia that changed his personality. He referred to it as a “karmic payback” in a <a href="https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/eyes-wide-open/">2018 interview</a> with NPR’s <em>Hidden Brain</em> podcast.</p>
<p>The year 1964 was a time when the <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/beyond-memory-the-benefits-of-sleep/">necessity of sleep</a> may not have been preached enough as the role of sleep in processing emotions and memories, preserving the body’s immune and hormonal functions, and wringing out its toxins was less well understood.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A tired woman with her chin in her hand, looking at a laptop" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537544/original/file-20230714-23-j0atp3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537544/original/file-20230714-23-j0atp3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537544/original/file-20230714-23-j0atp3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537544/original/file-20230714-23-j0atp3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537544/original/file-20230714-23-j0atp3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537544/original/file-20230714-23-j0atp3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537544/original/file-20230714-23-j0atp3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">We forgo sleep to pull an all-nighter in preparation for an exam or a meeting, binge-watch TV shows or scroll through social media.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Today, despite knowing its benefits, humans still willingly sacrifice sleep. We forgo sleep to pull an all-nighter in preparation for an exam or a meeting, binge-watch TV shows, conform to the <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/happiness-is-state-mind/202012/the-dangers-sleep-machismo-culture">sleeplessness trend of the modern culture</a> or scroll through social media. </p>
<p>Sleep is not a luxury for people who must face <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-disorders">sleep disorders</a>, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/10/the-sleep-gap-and-racial-inequality/412405/">socioeconomic sleep disparity</a>, new parenthood or work obligations of pilots, health-care workers and others with irregular hours. One-third of Americans and Canadians are <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/sleep-facts-statistics#references-184386">short of sleep</a>.</p>
<p>Considerable research shows that sleep deprivation impairs <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038%2Fnrn.2017.55">communication between brain regions</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1097%2FMD.0000000000014008">brain blood flow</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0127351">damages brain wiring</a> and makes a young brain <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/brain.2016.0452">look like an aged brain</a>. For humans, compromising sleep to be productive is counterproductive. It compromises our best performance, attention, decision-making abilities and memory. We risk road and industrial accidents, psychiatric illnesses, dementia and cardiovascular diseases, <a href="https://www.rand.org/randeurope/research/projects/the-value-of-the-sleep-economy.html">costing governments</a> billions of dollars annually.</p>
<p>For our evolutionary ancestors, sleep was costly because it risked being vulnerable to predators and limited the time to engage in productive activities. Today it is the lack of sleep that is costly because sleep is essential. </p>
<p>Sleep research pioneer Allan Rechtschaffen noted: “<a href="https://news.uchicago.edu/story/allan-rechtschaffen-sleep-research-pioneer-1927-2021">If sleep doesn’t serve an absolutely vital function, it is the biggest mistake the evolutionary process has ever made</a>.”</p>
<h2>Countermeasures against sleep deprivation</h2>
<p>An easy fix is to sleep more. But it is a far-fetched goal. Today, getting even an hour or two of extra sleep is challenging. </p>
<p>Policies must intervene to address sleep-related issues. For example: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau6200">pushing the school start time later</a> to match <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/21.8.871">teens’ circadian rhythm</a> (teens are not night owls by choice) or <a href="https://knowingneurons.com/blog/2021/11/06/why-are-legislators-trying-to-get-rid-of-daylight-saving-time/">abolishing daylight savings</a>, reducing work hours for essential professions, implementing evidence-based regulations for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615598509">nightshift work</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.5665%2Fsleep.3298">defining and normalizing sleep health</a>. </p>
<p>But until policies change, how can we better cope with sleep loss? </p>
<h2>Protective power of fitness</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000003200">A recent study</a> by our team of researchers at McGill University’s <a href="https://memorylab.ca/">MEMORY lab</a>, led by master’s student Beatrice Ayotte, may have identified a protective factor. The research team — ironically while getting sleep-deprived — showed that people who were more physically fit performed better at a memory task compared to people with lower fitness levels after a night of sleep loss.</p>
<p>Fitness was measured as the ability of the participants’ heart and lungs to supply oxygen and their muscles’ ability to use it while exercising. This is referred to as cardiorespiratory fitness, as opposed to muscular fitness. For this, in the gym-like laboratory, healthy 18-to-35-year-olds biked with increasing resistance until exhaustion. They wore masks with tubes hooked to a computer that measured VO₂peak — the volume of peak oxygen consumption. A higher VO₂peak indicates better fitness.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A fitness class at a gym" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537406/original/file-20230713-19-a3kuf7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537406/original/file-20230713-19-a3kuf7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537406/original/file-20230713-19-a3kuf7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537406/original/file-20230713-19-a3kuf7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537406/original/file-20230713-19-a3kuf7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537406/original/file-20230713-19-a3kuf7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537406/original/file-20230713-19-a3kuf7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=500&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People who were more physically fit performed better at a memory task compared to people with lower fitness levels after a night of sleep loss.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Pixabay)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The fun part was when one group of participants spent one night in the lab staying awake, without caffeine, doing mild activities and a lot of talking with the researchers who supervised them. Participants were asked to stay awake for 30 hours, which is brutal but distressingly common among essential workers.</p>
<p>After their wakeful period, participants viewed some images. Four days later, they were given a surprise memory test. Participants who remembered more images scored higher on this memory task.</p>
<p>Sleep deprivation, as expected, had significantly decimated participants’ memory, as reflected in their poorer memory scores compared to the well-rested group. But what’s interesting is that, in the sleep-deprived group, most of the high memory scorers were also highly fit. This indicates that fitter people had some leverage in the sleep-deprived situation.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A health-care worker sitting on the floor of a corridor looking tired" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537549/original/file-20230714-27836-e17pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537549/original/file-20230714-27836-e17pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537549/original/file-20230714-27836-e17pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537549/original/file-20230714-27836-e17pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537549/original/file-20230714-27836-e17pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537549/original/file-20230714-27836-e17pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537549/original/file-20230714-27836-e17pa4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Essential workers often have schedules that are challenging for sleep.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>One interesting finding is that the association between VO₂peak and memory scores was not explained by the participants’ levels of fatigue and attention. So it was not that fitter people could endure more fatigue during sleep deprivation and therefore performed well. Fitness was working in their favour in a different way. </p>
<p>Research has shown that people with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fhipo.22827">higher cardiorespiratory fitness</a> tend to have better brain connectivity and cognition. These brain changes could be one of the many mediators of the association found in this study.</p>
<h2>Exercise caution</h2>
<p>We cannot conclude that higher fitness is a cause of memory protection during sleep deprivation. Other healthy habits of fitter participants such as <a href="https://sleeponitcanada.ca/10-simple-tips-for-better-sleep/">good sleep hygiene</a>, higher <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/what-is-cognitive-reserve">cognitive reserve</a> and healthy diet may have contributed to their better memory performance despite sleep loss.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man sleeping in a darkened room" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537546/original/file-20230714-23-qivw5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/537546/original/file-20230714-23-qivw5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537546/original/file-20230714-23-qivw5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537546/original/file-20230714-23-qivw5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537546/original/file-20230714-23-qivw5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537546/original/file-20230714-23-qivw5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/537546/original/file-20230714-23-qivw5u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Other healthy habits of fitter participants such as good sleep hygiene, higher cognitive reserve, healthy diet may have contributed to their better memory performance despite sleep loss.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1249/jes.0000000000000273">animal research</a> has shown that aerobic exercise training — which increases cardiorespiratory fitness — can protect against the detriments of sleep deprivation. These findings synergize with our own and suggest possible forward steps in dealing with the epidemic. </p>
<p>Compromising sleep has not served our ancestors and us equally. Nature’s incessant drive to choose sleep underscores its irreplaceability. But today, if you decide to run a wake-a-thon, it is advisable to stay fit!</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208541/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Madhura Lotlikar is funded by Fonds de Recherche du Québec - Santé for her Ph.D. study.</span></em></p>Ancient humans chose to sleep less, which had evolutionary benefits. For modern humans, sleeping less is futile and detrimental, but fitness may be a powerful ally in today’s epidemic of sleep loss.Madhura Lotlikar, Ph.D. student, Neuroscience, McGill UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2063422023-06-29T16:55:02Z2023-06-29T16:55:02ZPE at school isn’t like adult exercise – but maybe it should be<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534608/original/file-20230628-15-nmh0b7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C7008%2C4658&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-young-athlete-male-female-exercising-2187804365">Hananeko Studio/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Physical education (PE) is a fundamental part of school life. It’s more than just a series of lessons about how to kick a ball or run around a track. It should provide the <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876242/Guidance_to_increase_physical_activity_among_children_and_young_people_in_schools_and_colleges.pdf">crucial groundwork</a> for a lifetime of physical activity. Often, though, the sport that children do in PE doesn’t bear much resemblance to the physical activity we do as adults. </p>
<p>Historically, PE lessons have had a strong emphasis on <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34187138/">team sports</a> such as football and rugby. These sports undoubtedly have their merits, including promoting teamwork and competition. </p>
<p>But <a href="https://sportengland-production-files.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-04/Active%20Lives%20Adult%20Survey%20November%202021-22%20Report.pdf?VersionId=ln4PN2X02DZ1LF18btgaj5KFHx0Mio9o">recent data from Sport England</a> shows that adults tend to participate more in <a href="https://sportengland-production-files.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2023-04/Active%20Lives%20Survey%202021-22%20Year%207%20(full)%20-%20technical%20note.pdf?VersionId=K5c9uHSnUfq15oCIQ.fJo384uWVJoLBS">fitness activities</a> such as circuit training, Pilates or weights, as well as running, walking and active travel such as cycling to work, rather than team sports. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/9/4923">research with colleagues</a>, I interviewed 32 teenage boys and found they wanted to participate in fitness activities that mirror those typically performed by adults, such as lifting weights. However, the boys told us that opportunities are lacking at school. “School is mostly football and that,” one said. “When I go home I can do weights, it’s just not something we do here [at school].” </p>
<p>Physical inactivity in the UK is tied to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health#:%7E:text=Physical%20inactivity%20is%20associated%20with,35%25%20less%20active%20by%202030.">alarming outcomes</a>. It’s linked with one in six deaths and exerts an economic burden of £7.4 billion each year on our society. Healthcare costs alone account for nearly £1 billion of this total. PE lessons could do more to introduce children to ways to stay active throughout their lives. </p>
<h2>Competitive sports</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/school-sports-given-huge-boost-to-level-the-playing-field-for-next-generation-of-lionesses">The UK government</a> recently demonstrated its commitment to PE in England. It pledged a further £600 million towards the PE and Sport Premium, a fund launched in 2013 to support children getting more active and to improve the quality of PE. In addition, it is providing an extra £22 million to support the School Games Organisers network, which promotes competitive sports and runs competitions within schools and between schools across the country.</p>
<p>While more money for PE in schools is always valuable, there is a risk that this funding may reinforce traditional approaches to school sport. Teacher training in non-team sports and activities more aligned with lifelong physical activity may be overlooked. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Teen boys in sports kit with arms around eachother" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534616/original/file-20230628-29-gag8eu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534616/original/file-20230628-29-gag8eu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534616/original/file-20230628-29-gag8eu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534616/original/file-20230628-29-gag8eu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=385&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534616/original/file-20230628-29-gag8eu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534616/original/file-20230628-29-gag8eu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534616/original/file-20230628-29-gag8eu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Team sports are popular at schools – but many adults prefer to stay active in other ways.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/teenage-boys-freindship-sports-team-group-2210652131">matimix/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X221134067">Our research with teachers has found</a> that they often lack knowledge to deliver activities focused on muscular fitness, such as weightlifting, or may have misconceptions about the suitability of this activity for young people. “We just don’t have the knowledge and I wouldn’t feel confident,” one teacher said. Another commented:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It would be useful to do fitness-type CPD [continuous professional development], but we don’t really have the knowledge to share. We all go the gym, but what we can do with the pupils isn’t really clear.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is where a portion of the government’s funding could be of great benefit. It could help enhance teaching practices in PE, possibly by the introduction of online teacher training platforms. These are popular in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5757231/">medical professions</a> but are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13573322.2020.1862785">surprisingly underused in PE teaching</a>.</p>
<p>In my research with colleagues, I have explored how <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12132">this kind of online training</a> could help PE teachers. We provided an online training programme to improve five teachers’ knowledge of muscular fitness activity, a form of lifelong physical activity. It focused on activities such as weightlifting, gym exercise and plyometrics – explosive exercises focused on building muscle power, such as squat jumps – and on how these could be incorporated into the PE curriculum. </p>
<p>PE teachers told us that using this online platform allowed them to cover the material at their own pace, and talked about how they would include the content in their lessons. </p>
<h2>Beyond school</h2>
<p>Improving young people’s access to physical activity that will help them stay active in adult life should be a priority <a href="https://www.creatingactiveschools.org/toolkit/profile-analysis/stakeholders">beyond schools</a>. Extracurricular initiatives, such as after-school programmes and local sports clubs, could offer opportunities for physical activity such as circuit training that resembles adult fitness classes.</p>
<p>Another potential solution would be improved access to traditional gyms for those under the age of 18. Access for teenagers is currently limited, often comes at a significant cost, and may be restricted to use of only some equipment. More focus on teenagers at gyms could help cultivate a love for physical activity at an early age. </p>
<p>The government’s funding commitment signals a clear dedication to PE. However, considering the potential long-term health implications, it’s clear that a broader and more encompassing approach is needed across communities. Rather than PE focusing solely on traditional team sports, young people should be able to access a more diverse range of activities that reflects their changing interests and lifestyles.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206342/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ash Cox does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Adults are more likely to go walking, running or to fitness classes than take part in the team sports they played at school.Ash Cox, Lecturer in Youth Physical Activity and Physical Education, Edge Hill UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2079522023-06-28T10:53:16Z2023-06-28T10:53:16ZWhy six-pack abs are so hard to achieve – and maintain<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534287/original/file-20230627-25-o6zul0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C7348%2C4912&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many people see six-pack abs as the pinnacle of health.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/high-angle-view-sporty-young-couple-791959645">LightField Studios/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many people start going to the gym in the hopes of achieving what has long been seen as the holy grail of health and fitness: six-pack abdominal muscles (abs). But as many people who have tried will attest – including celebrities, such as <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a44077513/eric-andre-weight-loss/">comedian Eric André</a> – this can be far more challenging than expected. André even equated the experience of trying to achieve a six-pack with being like a full-time job in and of itself.</p>
<p>There are many reasons why “getting ripped” is so difficult. It requires sustained hard work and a strict diet – and may also come at the cost of good health.</p>
<h2>Getting ripped</h2>
<p>In order to build any muscle, you need to <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/2/180">regularly weight train</a> in combination with eating a diet <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/2/180">high in protein</a>. </p>
<p>Weight training works by <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523049213?via%3Dihub">promoting a process</a> called muscle protein synthesis. Since proteins are the building blocks of our muscles, muscle protein synthesis ensures that new proteins are constantly being made to replace the old proteins which are broken down and removed. </p>
<p>Muscle protein synthesis is also increased when you eat a meal containing protein. But if you do some weight training beforehand, the increases will be <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpendo.1997.273.1.E99?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org">larger and last longer</a> compared with if you hadn’t done any exercise. </p>
<p>If you weight train and eat <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523049213?via%3Dihub">at least 20 grams of protein per meal</a>, this maximises muscle protein synthesis. Over time, this enhanced response will allow your muscle to grow. </p>
<p>But this enhanced muscle building response to protein only happens in the muscles <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.91481.2008">that have been exercised</a>. So, if you want to achieve an overall muscular physique, that means performing a variety of different exercises that target all the major muscle groups. If you want to achieve a six-pack, you need to regularly do core and abdominal exercises. </p>
<p>But since the effects of weight training on muscle protein synthesis <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/abs/10.1152/ajpendo.1997.273.1.E99?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org">wears off after around 24-48 hours</a>, you need to exercise the muscle group you’re targeting at least every couple of days to maintain this elevated response. If you can do that over a period of weeks and months – providing you have also eaten sufficient protein – you will see <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00613.2016">noticeable changes in muscle size</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man drink a glass of milk or protein shake in his kitchen." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534288/original/file-20230627-27-aeh15e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/534288/original/file-20230627-27-aeh15e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534288/original/file-20230627-27-aeh15e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534288/original/file-20230627-27-aeh15e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534288/original/file-20230627-27-aeh15e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534288/original/file-20230627-27-aeh15e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/534288/original/file-20230627-27-aeh15e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You’ll need to follow a strict, high-protein diet if you want a six-pack.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/healthy-nutrition-muscle-gain-weight-loss-2090695726">Prostock-studio/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But if a visible six-pack is what you are looking for, however, training abs isn’t the only thing you need to do. At the same time, you also need to reduce overall body fat to relatively low levels so that the abs are not hidden by the layer of subcutaneous fat that can sit between your muscles and skin. </p>
<p>To lose body fat, you need to be in an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3302369/pdf/ajcn9540989.pdf">energy deficit</a>. This basically means you’re burning more calories than you consume. This needs to be <a href="https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0174-y">sustained for several weeks or months</a> for meaningful fat loss to occur.</p>
<p>But in order to “reveal” the abdominal muscles, you typically need a lower-than-average body fat percentage – between 5% and 10% body fat for men and 8% and 15% body fat for women. The <a href="https://us.humankinetics.com/blogs/excerpt/normal-ranges-of-body-weight-and-body-fat">typical healthy body fat percentage</a> is between 11% and 20% for men and 16% and 30% for women. </p>
<p>Trying to achieve either of those goals on its own is challenging. Doing both at the same time is even more so. While research shows it’s possible to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522065595?via%3Dihub">increase muscle size</a> while being in an energy deficit, the work required may be more than most can maintain. </p>
<p>You need to have high volumes of exercise – training around <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522065595?via%3Dihub">six days a week</a> and doing a combination of different workouts, such as whole-body weight training and high-intensity interval training. You also need to eat around <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522065595?via%3Dihub">three times the recommended daily amount</a> of protein while in a calorie deficit.</p>
<p>It’s also incredibly <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4287360/">difficult to sustain</a> these habits psychologically. It requires a lot of time to achieve – meaning you may have to compromise time with friends or neglect other hobbies to achieve your goal.</p>
<p>And, even if you do build a six-pack, maintaining it requires just as much continued hard work and dedication. This is because we start to <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00091.2005?rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed&url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org">lose muscle gains</a> only a few weeks after we stop training our muscles. </p>
<h2>Potential downsides</h2>
<p>There may also be some potential downsides to trying to achieve six-pack abs – especially if you’re trying to obtain these changes rapidly. </p>
<p>Trying to maintain very high volumes of exercise alongside an energy deficit to lose body fat can potentially lead to a condition called <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-020-04516-0">low energy availability</a></p>
<p>This condition is <a href="https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1113/JP284967">common in elite athletes</a> and happens because the energy you’re providing your body through diet isn’t sufficient to sustain basic physiological functions. </p>
<p>It’s thought that low energy availability can have psychological effects (such as <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/10/628">irritability, poor concentration and low mood</a>) and lead to various <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/11/687">physical health issues</a>, such as an increased risk of illnesses including as the common cold or flu, injury, poor bone health and irregular periods in women.</p>
<p>Low energy availability may also make resistance training <a href="https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1113/JP284967">less effective</a> – meaning it will take longer to build muscle. </p>
<p>So when trying to achieve your goal, make sure it isn’t at the expense of your health and wellbeing.</p>
<h2>Exercise for health</h2>
<p>Of course, maintaining a good level of body fat and muscle has many benefits for our health as we age – including lowering <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/obr.12991?saml_referrer">risk of certain diseases</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10522-015-9631-7">preventing frailty</a>. But you don’t actually need six-pack abs to be healthy and fit.</p>
<p>A mixture of regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (such as walking or jogging) for 150 minutes a week alongside a couple of strength-training sessions <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2011/07000/Quantity_and_Quality_of_Exercise_for_Developing.26.aspx">is recommended</a>. If this still seems like too much, the good news is even <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/22/1405">just an hour of exercise</a> a week is beneficial.</p>
<p>The most important thing to remember when setting fitness-related goals is to only do things you enjoy and are likely to do. Exercise is only beneficial for your health if you actually stick to it. So while some will enjoy the challenge of achieving a six-pack, for others something a little less extreme will suffice.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207952/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Metcalfe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>You don’t need a six-pack to be healthy.Richard Metcalfe, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Science, Swansea UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2069682023-06-06T12:51:53Z2023-06-06T12:51:53ZWeighted vests: should you use them during exercise?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530108/original/file-20230605-27-fk3adz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=12%2C6%2C4252%2C2837&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Weighted vests help boost the intensity of the exercise you're doing.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/uzhgorod-ukraine-september-6-2020-athlete-1810216942">Yanosh Nemesh/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Weighted vests have long been popular with athletes and celebrities such as David Beckham and former Hollyoaks star Gemma Atkinson. But interest in their use may have been piqued recently after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg shared a sweaty selfie of himself <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cs1pltwPx1a/">wearing one</a> on Instagram.</p>
<p>Weighted vests usually weigh 5-20kg. They’re typically worn to increase exercise intensity. Some vests are a fixed weight and others contain pockets where different weight plates can be added before putting it on.</p>
<p>Historically, weighted vests have been used to train soldiers to carry heavy loads. These might include protective equipment that soldiers wear, such as <a href="https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/175/9/664/4344622%22%22">bullet-proof vests</a>, which weigh around 10kg. In some countries, firefighters are also required to <a href="https://nationaltestingnetwork.com/publicsafetyjobs/cpat_info.cfm">train with weighted vests</a> to prepare them for the demands of their job.</p>
<p>More recently, people have been using weighted vests during workout challenges, as part of CrossFit or even while running, in the hope of boosting their fitness. And research backs their benefits.</p>
<p>For instance, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00140139.2021.1961876">one study found</a> that runners who wore a weighted vest used more oxygen – a marker of fitness – than those who didn’t. </p>
<p>Participants were given a weighted vest (9kg for men and 6kg for women) and instructed to jog at half the intensity they were capable of. Alongside using more oxygen, the weighted vest group had a higher heart rate and burned more calories. The men who wore weighted vests while running also burned more carbohydrates. </p>
<p>These results mean that people who run with a weighted vest may get fitter quicker, and will probably <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0026049594902593">burn more body fat in the long term</a>. However, you have to be fit to undertake these kinds of challenging workouts and see these types of results. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A young man wearing a weighted vest runs along a beach." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530109/original/file-20230605-15-7t4hd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/530109/original/file-20230605-15-7t4hd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530109/original/file-20230605-15-7t4hd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530109/original/file-20230605-15-7t4hd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530109/original/file-20230605-15-7t4hd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530109/original/file-20230605-15-7t4hd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/530109/original/file-20230605-15-7t4hd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Weighted vests may be good for boosting cardiovascular fitness.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-bearded-athlete-training-outdoor-weighted-1432512671">Sergii Kovalov/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Weighted vests can also help to boost intensity during resistance training workouts. One study compared the effect of <a href="https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/175/9/664/4344622">wearing a weighted vest</a> on participants who undertook a six-week military-style training programme. Participants completed various types of training, including running and calisthenics (a type of resistance training that uses bodyweight exercises to build strength).</p>
<p>The researchers found that the participants who wore the weighted vests showed a nearly 4% improvement in their performance on an uphill treadmill walk compared with the control group who didn’t wear a vest. They also had an almost 4% improvement in the amount of oxygen their body used during exercise. However, the improvements in calisthenics measures (performing push ups and sit-ups) were similar in both the group who wore vests and the group who didn’t. It’s not clear why there was little difference between the two groups. </p>
<p>Weighted vests are also beneficial during less intense workouts. One study found that when men wore a 9kg weighted vest while <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00140139.2021.1961876">walking uphill</a> for ten minutes, their heart rate increased by ten additional beats per minute – a sign their body was working harder. They also burned 6% more calories while wearing the weighted vest compared with when they weren’t wearing one.</p>
<p>So doing something as simple as wearing a weighted vest on your daily dog walk could have a big benefit to your physical health – including your cardiovascular health and metabolism. </p>
<p>While we still don’t have much evidence showing whether weighted vests themselves improve our ability to gain muscle, we do know that wearing them can have big benefits for cardiovascular health. We also don’t have much research on older participants – and what studies we do have have used lighter weights (1-5kg), which may <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10733058/#:%7E:text=Conclusions%3A%20Weighted%20vest%20use%20did,strength%20gains%20or%20bone%20stimulation.">have no effect</a>. It will be important for more research to be done which looks at how weighted vests may benefit many different groups of people.</p>
<h2>Potential risks</h2>
<p>It’s important to note that weighted vests may also come with certain risks. Some research in military personnel found that carrying heavy items on their back or torso carried an increased risk of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10926-014-9540-7">musculoskeletal injury</a>, particularly in the legs and the back. This could be because carrying weight increases the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17337189/#:%7E:text=Increased%2520GRFs%252C%2520particularly%2520in%2520the,associated%2520with%2520military%2520load%2520carriage.">amount of force</a> that exists between the body and the ground – making it harder on the joints when moving. However, much of this research is on carrying loads over 25kg, often more than what is used for weighted vests.</p>
<p>Research also shows that <a href="https://ke.army.mil/bordeninstitute/other_pub/loadcarriagepdf.pdf">military personnel</a> who frequently carry a heavy load experience changes in their <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20496244/">walking and running gait</a>. Typically, this manifests as a shorter stride. These changes probably occur to compensate for carrying more weight – and may in turn increase the risk of injury.</p>
<p>But <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00140139.2021.1961876">my research</a> using weighted vests in CrossFit showed no changes in gait. This suggests that using a weighted vest occasionally during training may not necessarily increase your risk of leg, knee or ankle injury.</p>
<p>Most research suggests the heavier the load, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8069713/">greater the risk</a> of injury. This is because heavy loads make our <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-33012-9">backs and torsos stiffer</a>, which can increase the risk of muscle and tendon strains.</p>
<p>As such, most people in good health who don’t have any existing injuries can probably safely use a weighted vest during their workouts. But to avoid the risk of injury, make sure you start with a light weight at first (around 2-3kg) and gradually increase the weight over several weeks as your body becomes accustomed to it. This will maximise the benefits that weighted vests afford while limiting the risk of injury from pushing too hard too soon.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206968/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christopher Gaffney does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Weighted vests have long been popular among CrossFit athletes and celebrities.Christopher Gaffney, Senior Lecturer in Integrative Physiology, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2023462023-04-20T23:20:21Z2023-04-20T23:20:21ZWhat are dead hangs? What are the shoulder pain risks and how do I do them safely?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520408/original/file-20230412-26-w7zknd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C24%2C5384%2C2478&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>You might have seen media articles or fitness influencers online urging people to do “dead hangs”, where one hangs loosely from a bar – usually with feet off the floor. The goal is usually to improve upper-body strength and shoulder stability, or stretch out muscles around the shoulder. </p>
<p>But what does the science say? Are dead hangs good for shoulder health?</p>
<p>As with so many things health and fitness, it’s not an easy “yes” or “no”. It really depends on your reason for doing it, your individual biology, and how you do them. For some, dead hangs may risk musculoskeletal injury. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520405/original/file-20230412-14-evx9jy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C41%2C7008%2C4616&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520405/original/file-20230412-14-evx9jy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C41%2C7008%2C4616&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520405/original/file-20230412-14-evx9jy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520405/original/file-20230412-14-evx9jy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520405/original/file-20230412-14-evx9jy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520405/original/file-20230412-14-evx9jy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520405/original/file-20230412-14-evx9jy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520405/original/file-20230412-14-evx9jy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">For some, dead hangs may risk musculoskeletal injury.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The shoulder: a relatively unstable joint</h2>
<p>Dead hangs <a href="https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/hukin-2018-0057">may</a> improve grip strength and endurance in rock climbers. This suggests that if you’re well adapted to this type of exercise and have very good upper-body strength, dead hangs may bring hand and forearm benefits.</p>
<p>But while dead hangs may be OK for people with good upper-body strength and no shoulder problems, they can be risky for others. People with shoulder hypermobility (excessive motion of the shoulder) or shoulder instability (such as those who easily dislocate their shoulder) may need to be cautious.</p>
<p>The shoulder, by design, is a relatively unstable joint. It has a large ball-type bone called a humerus, which sits in a relatively small socket called a glenoid.</p>
<p>The passive (non-muscle) tissue around these bones (the capsule, labrum and ligaments) creates a generous space around the shoulder joint – all so you can move your arm though a large range of motion. </p>
<p>Because there’s not much passive support in the shoulder, it relies heavily on active muscle coordination and strength to keep it stable.</p>
<p>The coordination of muscles around the shoulder blade help keep the socket in the right place, and the rotator cuff and deltoid muscles help to control the “ball” in the centre of the socket as you move. </p>
<p>All this means dead hangs, if not done correctly, could present a risk for people with hypermobility in their shoulders.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520403/original/file-20230412-14-78wq4n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520403/original/file-20230412-14-78wq4n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520403/original/file-20230412-14-78wq4n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520403/original/file-20230412-14-78wq4n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520403/original/file-20230412-14-78wq4n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=390&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520403/original/file-20230412-14-78wq4n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520403/original/file-20230412-14-78wq4n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520403/original/file-20230412-14-78wq4n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=490&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The shoulder, by design, is a relatively unstable joint.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Hypermobility and the shoulder</h2>
<p>Some people have excessive motion of their joints due to increased elasticity of joint tissue. This is called hypermobility and may be in the shoulder or all joints. </p>
<p>The overhead arm position of a complete dead hang puts you in a position where, inside your shoulder, the ball is pulled away from the socket. Hanging your entire body weight can, in hypermobile people, cause the tissue to stretch even more.</p>
<p>People with shoulder hypermobility are more <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/17/5140">likely</a> to develop painful shoulder <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1864037/">instability</a>, which is when the ball often pops out of the socket.</p>
<p>Shoulder instability may be caused by acute trauma (such as dislocation). Or it can develop over time from a loss of muscle control, deriving from micro-trauma (by, for example, swimming laps in the pool with hand paddles). </p>
<p>Shoulder instability is associated with <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/17/5140">reduced strength and coordination</a> in the shoulder muscles. In people under 40, it’s often <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24079437/?">misdiagnosed</a> as “rotator cuff pain” or “shoulder muscle tightness”.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520401/original/file-20230412-24-c6w2to.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520401/original/file-20230412-24-c6w2to.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520401/original/file-20230412-24-c6w2to.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520401/original/file-20230412-24-c6w2to.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520401/original/file-20230412-24-c6w2to.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520401/original/file-20230412-24-c6w2to.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520401/original/file-20230412-24-c6w2to.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520401/original/file-20230412-24-c6w2to.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Some people are more flexible than others in the shoulder.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What can I do instead of dead hangs?</h2>
<p>Dead hangs require good baseline strength, can risk popping the ball from the socket for some people, and can stretch the passive tissue. They are not the best exercise for those for shoulder hypermobility and instability.</p>
<p>So what’s the alternative? A treatment known as the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5023053/">Watson Instability Program</a> has had good <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0363546517734508">results</a> for resolving non-traumatic shoulder instability when compared to a general shoulder strength program. </p>
<p>This program focuses on gaining shoulder blade control (such as the upward rotation you get when you reach up to a high shelf). It involves recruiting the shoulder blade and shoulder joint muscles to improve the contact between the ball and the socket.</p>
<p>Building shoulder blade control and strength can help boost broader shoulder strength. </p>
<h2>Still keen to try dead hangs?</h2>
<p>If you are determined to do dead hangs, remember to:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>start with small increments; hang for just ten seconds or fewer at first, and build from there</p></li>
<li><p>don’t allow yourself to get too fatigued; your shoulder joint can become less stable when it’s tired</p></li>
<li><p>try stepping off a box under the bar rather than jumping up to the bar</p></li>
<li><p>keep some “active” tone in your shoulders as you hang; hanging completely passively can come with risk.</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520659/original/file-20230413-20-msqtax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520659/original/file-20230413-20-msqtax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/520659/original/file-20230413-20-msqtax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520659/original/file-20230413-20-msqtax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520659/original/file-20230413-20-msqtax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520659/original/file-20230413-20-msqtax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520659/original/file-20230413-20-msqtax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/520659/original/file-20230413-20-msqtax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Try to keep some active tone in your muscles as you hang.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our team is conducting a trial of the Watson Instability Program. We are investigating brain changes in patients with multidirectional instability of the shoulder. </p>
<p>If you’re female, aged 18-35, have non-traumatic, right-sided shoulder instability and would like to have the chance to receive six months of free Watson Instability Program physiotherapy treatment as part of our study, please contact either of us or read more about the study <a href="https://melbourneshouldergroup.com/fmri">here</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202346/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Charlotte Ganderton receives funding from Arthritis Australia, Physiotherapy Research Foundation, Swinburne University of Technology, National Institute of Circus Arts and La Trobe University. Charlotte Ganderton is a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and Sports Medicine Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Warby consults and receives research funds from the Melbourne Shoulder Group. </span></em></p>While dead hangs may be OK for people with good upper-body strength and no shoulder problems, they can be risky for some.Charlotte Ganderton, Senior lecturer (Physiotherapy), Swinburne University of TechnologySarah Warby, Casual Academic, Physiotherapy, La Trobe UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2005832023-03-08T16:11:06Z2023-03-08T16:11:06ZMuscle memory is key to helping you get in shape again after time away from exercise<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514196/original/file-20230308-26-uc5ftq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=50%2C0%2C5615%2C3732&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There are two types of muscle memory – one of which can help us in the gym.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/gorgeous-brunette-lifting-some-weights-working-167050910">antoniodiaz/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Whether it’s riding a bike, playing the piano or hitting a hole in one, there are just some things you never forget how to do. And the reason for this phenomenon is thanks to something called “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/muscle-memory">muscle memory</a>”. </p>
<p>Muscle memory applies to a wide range of physical activities, from playing an instrument to sports. But though we need to practice a movement repeatedly in order to develop muscle memory, the term doesn’t actually refer to the muscles’ ability to remember movements. Rather, this “memory” happens in our central nervous system – which explains why many of us can retain skills we learned in childhood, even if we haven’t used them in years.</p>
<p>But muscle memory doesn’t only apply to skills and physical movements. It turns out that muscle memory can help us in the gym – especially if you’re trying to get back in shape after time off.</p>
<h2>Types of muscle memory</h2>
<p>There are two types of muscle memory.</p>
<p>The first type refers to our ability to perform physical tasks automatically and easily. By practising a movement repeatedly, it allows you to perform those movements in a more automatic way, without needing to think very much about doing it. This is why athletes will practice a move or specific shot repeatedly, so they can perform it quickly and accurately during the pressure of competition. </p>
<p>At a basic level, this type of muscle memory involves the development of neural pathways which helps our brain communicate with our muscles more effectively. This occurs through a process called <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/030100829390015K?via%3Dihub">myelination</a>, in which the myelin sheath (an insulating layer which surrounds nerve fibres) becomes thicker and more efficient at conducting electrical signals in both the body and brain. </p>
<p>Studies show myelination is <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2826520/">enhanced through repeated practice</a> of a physical task. Even relatively brief periods of practice can lead to significant changes in the brain and body that support the development of muscle memory.</p>
<p>But it’s important to note that not all repetition leads to muscle memory. It only happens when you engage in <a href="https://clinica.ispa.pt/ficheiros/areas_utilizador/user11/4_-_the_influence_of_experience_and_deliberate_practice_on_the_development_of_superior_expert_performance.pdf">deliberate practice</a> – meaning you perform specific movements or activities with focused attention and effort. </p>
<h2>Back to fitness</h2>
<p>The second type of muscle memory applies to our ability to get in shape.</p>
<p>Let’s say you were someone who, until recently, had never lifted heavy weights at the gym. You probably remember how awkward and difficult these exercises felt when you first started, and how it took a lot of gradual work to build your way up to lifting heavier weights.</p>
<p>Now let’s say you took a break from working out and returned many months later. You might have found that despite the time off, it was quite easy to return to the weights you were lifting before.</p>
<p>This is because of muscle memory. It applies to any exercise you perform, and can make it easier to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0531556519307806?via%3Dihub">regain lost muscle mass</a> compared to when building muscle the first time. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A young couple high five in the gym." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514200/original/file-20230308-28-wn9nqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514200/original/file-20230308-28-wn9nqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514200/original/file-20230308-28-wn9nqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514200/original/file-20230308-28-wn9nqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514200/original/file-20230308-28-wn9nqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514200/original/file-20230308-28-wn9nqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514200/original/file-20230308-28-wn9nqd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Muscle memory explains why it can feel quicker to get in shape after a gym break.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mixed-race-friends-doing-cross-fit-2012737628">StratfordProductions/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The mechanisms behind this type of muscle memory aren’t fully understood. But our current theory is that even as muscle shrink, muscle cells remain.</p>
<p>In order to build muscle, they need to be placed under stress – for example, when doing exercises such as weight lifting. This stress triggers muscle cells to grow, helping us to become stronger.</p>
<p>For a long time, it was believed that if you don’t use your muscles, these new cells would die off. But research suggests this may not be the case, with a <a href="https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/219/2/235/33480/Muscle-memory-and-a-new-cellular-model-for-muscle">2016 study finding</a> that myonuclei (a part of the muscle cell which contains genetic information, and also acts as a key indicator of muscle growth) actually only shrink down when we’re inactive – they don’t disappear at all. While <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apha.13465">more research is needed</a> to help us fully understand this process, this does at least suggest that our bodies use myonuclei to bank our capacity for fitness – which would explain why it’s faster to get fit the second time around. </p>
<p>But if you’re wondering how long it will take for you to get back in shape after a break from training, unfortunately that isn’t quite so easy to answer and will vary from person to person. </p>
<p>The rate at which muscle is regained can also depend on the level of inactivity you’ve had during your break from training. For example, it may <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apha.13465">take longer to get back into shape</a> if you’ve been bedridden for months compared to if you simply stopped resistance training but continued with normal daily activities. </p>
<p>In the latter case, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1827108">one study in women</a> showed that even after more than six months off, participants were able to regain their pre-break muscle strength and size during six weeks of re-training compared to the 20 weeks of strength training it took them to initially get in shape. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30991013/">Another study</a> found both men and women who trained for ten weeks then took 20 weeks off were slightly stronger and slightly more muscular after five weeks of retraining than they were after the initial ten weeks of training.</p>
<p>While there’s still a lot we don’t know about muscle memory, the good news is that it’s never too late to get back to the gym – even if it has been a long time. Although it may feel like starting from scratch initially, the gains will come back in no time. But while it can be tempting to go back to what you were doing before taking time off, it’s important to listen to your body and re-introduce yourself to the gym gradually to avoid injury.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200583/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jack McNamara does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Muscle memory may explain why people find it easier to gain muscle the second time around.Jack McNamara, Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology, University of East LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.