Did Dory have it wrong all along?! Should we not "just keep on swimming" - or running, in this case?!
According to the report published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, long term strenuous endurance exercise can hinder, not help, the heart. Such findings were not intended to act as an invitation to stop running, but instead suggest that people aim to log 150 hours of exercise each week for optimal heart health.
As an avid treadmill runner (5 miles / 5x a week), I found my hand hovering over the machine's "STOP" button when I first heard about this report on the morning news. Unsure whether my workout was "out working" my cardiovascular system, I decided to do some additional research of my own.
In opposition of the report, I noticed that the study's sample only included 36 "strenuous jogger" participants. Of the the 36 only 2 had died. To me, that is TOO SMALL of an amount to base any findings/theories off of. Also, no outside factors were mentioned and/or considered? Did those 2 individuals who died have other medical issues that played into their passing?
Score: Running 1 / Not Running 0
On the other hand, I agree with the report's plea for exercise moderations and modifications since multiple studies have shown that sweat session lengths are inversely proportional to health benefits. Take for example HIIT training. High Intensity Interval Training, which has the support of the American Heart Association, alternates quick bursts of vigorous exercise with brief recovery periods. By upping the intensity, workouts can be performed in half the amount of time that a regular routine would last!
Score: Running 2 / Not Running 0
After weighing the pros and cons, I greatly appreciate the findings presented by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and thank them for their suggestion to "get up and move" for 150 hours/week. I guess we all will "Just Keep (moderately) Swimming!"
((Photo Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/health-31095384))
No comments:
Post a Comment