It's not easy. I'll give you that. But it is very efficient. And if you are willing to work hard, your health can be significantly improved.
Especially since free time is at a premium. If you have time to waste, go ahead, exercise for hours. This is probably the best return on investment that you can get.
It kind of makes sense since the higher intensity will recruit more muscle fibers. So let's get started.
1. Improved aerobic fitness
It is now widely accepted that short bouts (30sec to 4 minutes) of very hard work can improve aerobic fitness or VO2 max.
One of the main adaptations is better oxygen usage at the muscle level. And for clinical exercise physiologists, VO2 max is the strongest long-term health predictor.
Basically, because a lot of systems have to be optimal in order for you to have a good VO2.
2. Increased insulin sensitivity
You can't even feel high blood sugar. But this is one of the worst things you can get. High blood sugar corrodes your blood vessels.
And by working at a high intensity, you reduce the glucose levels in more muscle fibers. Your muscle will just be thirstier for glucose to replenish its reverses. Your muscles are planning ahead.
3. Reduces fat content
If more glucose gets stored in your muscles, less will land in your fat cells. And by making your muscle more efficient at using oxygen, they also become better at using fat as fuel.
If more glucose gets stored in your muscles, less will land in your fat cells. And by making your muscle more efficient at using oxygen, they also become better at using fat as fuel.
Which is one of the reasons why this type of protocol helps you lose more fat and get a leaner body. On top of it, by working hard, you get a bonus round of caloric burn.
When you work at a low intensity, the extra caloric burn stops shortly after your last step. A higher training intensity will boost your metabolic rate for the next few days. Can you say win-win-win.
4. Increase bone mass
A recent review article on exercise and bone density reported that higher intensity activities prevented bone loss better. If you have osteoporosis, jumping up and down may not be the best approach.
But if your bones are OK, it may be the best prevention.
5. Improved lower body power
You probably did not think about this one. But the older we get, the more relevant it is. Power is more important than strength. Also, it is a strong predictor of muscle loss.
6. Exercise capacity.
This is how hard you can work. Yes it is related to your aerobic fitness but it also includes your ability to work through the accumulation of lactic acid.
If you improve VO2 you will improve your exercise capacity. But improving exercise capacity does not guarantee an improved VO2.
Regardless, it is a very strong long term health predictor on its own. And it is easier to measure than VO2.
Now, is this for everyone? Not really. But you can work your way to it. You need a certain base of fitness before you can sustain the intensity.
But just making your exercise routine a little more challenging, you will get additional benefits.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gilles_Beaudin
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