The Truth
About Exercise
by
Phil Campbell -
Ready, Set, Go! Synergy Fitness for Time
Crunched Adults
A
new
study published by the National Institutes of Health pulls together a
body of previous studies and makes it clear that middle-age and older adults
should be doing anaerobic exercise - high-intensity wind sprints rather than
standard, long, slow cardio.
Anaerobic sprinting
types of exercise - running, cycling, swimming, cross country skiing - are
shown by medical researchers to make the body produce significant amounts of
anti-aging growth hormone.
It's no secret that
several well-known entertainers take growth hormone (GH) injections for its
body fat cutting, muscle toning, youth rejuvenating properties, but there can
be serious side-effects from GH injections.
Unquestionably "natural"
Natural is always best.
And producing growth hormone from high-intensity exercise is unquestionably
"natural."
Growth hormone
injections are given to children with clinical stature growth problems to help
them grow normally. Growth hormone does not make adults grow taller." For
middle-age adults, GH can reverse several measurable clinical factors of the
middle-age bulge - officially named "the somatopause" by researchers.
The middle-age
somatopause is signified by energy decline, weight-gain (around the middle, and
hips), loss of muscle, and wrinkled skin after the age of 30.
Researchers
report:
"Aging is often
associated with a progressive decrease in the volume and, especially, the
intensity of exercise. A growing body of evidence suggests that higher
intensity exercise is effective in eliciting beneficial health, well-being and
training outcomes. In a great many cases, the impact
of some of the deleterious effects of aging could be reduced if exercise
focused on promoting exercise produced growth hormone."
("The exercise-induced growth
hormone response in athletes," Godfrey, Sports Med.
2003;33(8):599-613.2003)
Can you handle the truth about fitness?
Here's the truth. Being
overweight causes cancer. The researchers aren't talking just about obesity,
they mean obesity and being "overweight."
Being overweight, which
is far less than obesity, now accounts for 14 to 20% of deaths by
cancer, report researchers in a major new study, ("Overweight, obesity,
and mortality from cancer in a prospectively studied cohort of US adults,"
2003, Calle).
This wasn't a small,
out-of-context study conducted over a few months. Over 900,000 adults were
studied for 16 years. Researchers estimate that more than 90,000 cancer deaths
each year could be avoided if every American maintained a healthy
weight:
"We estimate that
current patterns of overweight and obesity in the U.S. could account for 14
percent of all deaths from cancer in men and 20 percent of those in
women."
The study also shows
that the risk of dying from cancer - caused from being overweight - is 52%
greater than men of normal weight. And it's 62% higher for women, and all the
more reason to start and maintain a lifestyle that makes fitness training a
priority.
Long, slow, and boring
Long & slow forms of
cardio - like walking - are great ways to begin for someone who is inactive.
But don't be misled. The research is clear. This form of exercise doesn't
compare to the benefits of anaerobic exercise. We're talking about the
difference between kindergarten and college.
Low-intensity exercise is
absolutely necessary as a starting point, but it needs to be the starting point
and a stepping stone that leads to moderate-intensity exercise, which in turn,
needs to be a stepping stone for high-intensity anaerobic exercise.
Low-intensity does not prevent death
from heart
disease
For years, the gold
standard for exercise was 30 minutes of activity a day. And walking for 30
minutes a day was said to be adequate enough to delay heart disease and
premature death. Not true, report researchers.
A new study of 2,000 men
over 10 years destroys the low-intensity, walking standard. Researchers show
that low-intensity does nothing to prevent death from heart
disease.
Nearly 2,000 men, ages 45
to 59, were tracked for 10 years. Initially, none of the men had any evidence
of heart disease. Exercise was performed and measured by three levels of
intensity; low, moderate, and high.
Low-intensity included
walking & bowling. Golf & dancing qualified as moderate-intensity.
Running & swimming were placed in the high-intensity category.
Of the 252 deaths that
occurred during the 10 year study, 75% were linked to heart disease and stroke.
And cancer accounted for 25%.
Conclusion: Walking
30-minutes five times a week is not enough to prevent early death from heart
disease. Moderate-intensity also failed to reduce premature deaths.
Only the highest levels
of exercise intensity lowered death rates.
Solution - add anaerobic
exercise…wisely
Be wise. Don't read this
and go run a 200 meter sprint full speed. Pulling a hamstring or killing
yourself to improve fitness misses the point.
Anaerobic exercise is
the most productive form of exercise, and it should be a part of every fitness
routine. However, anaerobic exercise is also the most dangerous form of
exercise. Physician clearance is a must.
A progressive build-up
program - from low, to moderate, to high-intensity - is necessary. The
progressive build-up will help prevent injury, and it will condition and
develop the body so you can receive all the benefits from increasing
exercise-induced growth hormone.
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,
Research Summary 1
Summary 2
Summary 3
Summary 4
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. |
