Cardio/Aerobic Training
How Exercise Reduces Depression
Physical activity, particularly aerobic exercise, is known to reduce depressive symptoms, but how is not understood. Researchers from University College London reviewed multiple studies on depression, exercise, motivation, dopamine transmission,…
Outdoor Gait Training and Shin Splints
Many exercisers enjoy treadmill running, but often suffer from shin splints. Outdoor gait training and home exercises significantly reduced pain for subjects in a 4-week study conducted by University of…
Longer Sprint Intervals Achieve Fitness Faster
Comparison of different sprint interval protocols shows most efficient ways to exercise. New research shows that repeating multiple short sprint intervals is not as beneficial as fewer longer sprint intervals,…
Walking Benefits Low Back Pain
Consistent walking program reduced the need for back pain care by half in new study. Consider adding a walking program into the routine of clients coping with low back pain…
Health and Fitness Benefits of Performing Aerobic and Resistance Training
You need both aerobic and resistance exercise. But can doing both in one workout cancel out the benefits? Learn the best way to combine them!
Headlines
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Cardio and Strength Training Reduces Heart Disease Risks
Here’s more evidence to encourage clients to mix cardio and strength training in their program for health benefits.
Body-Weight HIIT Exercise
Combining these modes of training to create a body-weight HIIT exercise program has proven benefits we’ll explore below.
American Heart Month
February is American Heart Month, which gives you a great reason to engage both clients and staff on a number of cardiovascular health topics. Why not consider the following? Did…
Arthritis and Exercise
Arthritis is a major health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23% of all adults in the U.S., more than 54 million people, have arthritis. As a fitness professional, you can make a difference. Both the CDC and the Arthritis Foundation (arthritis.org) agree that exercise is an important tool in arthritis pain management and prevention.
Fit to Travel: Exercises for Seniors
Programming exercises for seniors is more important than ever, especially now that travel is opening up again, but your clients may not have kept up with their workouts over this last year. Here are some great ways to prepare your active agers for more adventure.
Build Up to High-Intensity Training
In light of increased participation in high-intensity training and increased rates of heart attack and sudden cardiac death among male marathon participants, the American Heart Association has issued a scientific statement to outline the benefits and risks of vigorous exercise programs.
60-Second HIIT Beats 30-Second HIIT
Research shows that when recovery breaks during high-intensity interval training are too long, they undermine the effectiveness of the training.
Recreational Running and Type 2 Diabetes
Here’s more support for the benefits of recreational running. Data analysis from more than 19,000 male and female adults over an average of 6.5 years showed that leisure-time running was linked with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Aquatic Walking Benefits
Water exercise is a great alternative to treadmill or outdoor walking for people who experience discomfort when training on land.
HIIT or CWT: Does Sequence Matter?
A new study, conducted under the leadership of IDEA author and presenter Len Kravitz, PhD, compared cardiovascular and metabolic responses to two exercise protocols: (1) six bouts of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) followed by three rounds of circuit weight training (CWT) and (2) CWT rounds interspersed with HIIT bouts. Fourteen trained young men (ages 25.7 ± 4.4) participated in the study, completing each of the two programs 3 days apart.
What Is the Cause of Muscle Cramps?
Muscle cramps can stop athletes in their tracks. Although they usually self-extinguish within seconds or minutes, the abrupt, harsh, involuntary muscle contractions can cause mild-to-severe agony and immobility, often accompanied by knotting of the affected muscle (Minetto et al. 2013). And cramps are common; 50%–60% of healthy people suffer muscle cramps during exercise, sleep or pregnancy or after vigorous physical exertion (Giuriato et al. 2018).
Sample Class: Seated Exercises for Older Adults
Older adults are more susceptible to deficits in cardiovascular fitness, muscle mass, strength and power, which may ultimately lead to losses in physical function. The following chair-based format focuses on improving outcomes for older participants, especially those who may need the support of a chair during exercise. Ready, Set, Sit! offers the variety of three 15-minute training segments (cardiovascular, high intensity and strength/power), while targeting important components that boost overall function.
Exercise Reduces Colon Cancer Growth
Colon cancer cell growth slows immediately after a HIIT session, according to a pilot study published in the Journal of Physiology (2019; 597 [8], 2177-84). More physical activity is linked with a lower death risk for people with colorectal cancer.
High-Cadence Cycling and Recreational Cyclists
A recent study supports indoor cycling instructors who urge students not to pedal at a cadence above 90 revolutions per minute. Researchers found that at 90 rpm and beyond, pedal forces exerted by recreational cyclists decreased, heart rate increased by 15%, and exercise efficiency and skeletal muscle oxygenation declined.
The study appeared in the International Journal of Sports Medicine (2019; 40 [5], 305–11).