Absolute Peak Exercise Capacityby
Phil Campbell -
Ready, Set, Go! Synergy Fitness for Time
Crunched Adults
Absolute
peak exercise capacity ... is what medical researchers call the
most intense aspect of exercise. It's the hardest part. It's the 15 seconds of
sprinting at the end of a long run. It's the most difficult 10 seconds of
pumping during a peak level on an exercise bike. It's the last few reps at the
end of working "legs" in the gym. It's walking up stairs and having to stop to
catch your breath.
When the
highest-intensity aspect of exercise is measured, it has been proven to be a
better predictor of how long someone will live than other factors - including
health risk factors like high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, high blood
pressure, and even heart disease.
Researchers from
Stanford University, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, tested over
6,200 men and concluded that the chances of staying alive increase by 12
percent with each increase of a single metabolic equivalent when
exercising as hard as possible on a treadmill.
What's a MET?
A "metabolic equivalent"
(MET) is the amount of oxygen used by an average seated person.
METs increase
with the intensity of exercise.
2 METs - walking
at 2 mph
5 METs - walking
at 4 mph
8 METs - jogging
at 6 mph
The risk of
death for those who could not get beyond 4 METs (brisk walking) was more than
double the group who could get past 8 MET (jogging).
Simply, this
study shows that traditional ways of thinking about increasing longevity does
little when compared to the strategy of using exercise to improve health and
fitness.
Adults should
consider (with physician clearance first) performing high-intensity fitness
training that will increase "absolute peak exercise capacity" and raise MET
performance rating during exercise.
This type exercise -
high-intensity, anaerobic fitness training that makes you sweat and breathe
hard - is the most demanding type of exercise. However, this is the type of
fitness training that yields wonderful fitness dividends for healthy
adults.
The take
home
All adults need
to consider performing a fitness improvement plan that will gradually build
"peak exercise capacity." And that's what Ready Set Go Fitness is all about!
More in the next newsletter.
Have a great
day!
Phil Campbell, M.S.,
M.A., FACHE
Author Ready, Set, GO! Synergy Fitness
National Institutes of Health
research cited in newsletter
click:
Research
Summary
Summary 2
NOTE: The purpose of this article is to
expand thinking about fitness as an informational source for readers, and is
not medical advice. Before attempting the Synergy Fitness program, the Sprint 8
Workout, or any high-intensity exercise program, consult your physician. This
is not just a liability warning; it's wise to have a baseline medical exam
before beginning a fitness program. Make your physician a partner in your
fitness improvement plan. |
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achieving all of the goals that you have always wanted to, but never been able
to. |
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