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Volume 3 Issue 3

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run on a treadmill to burn excess calories they get from a bad diet), the results could be even worse. The combined effect of bad nutrition with bad training can be extremely destructive, and may lead over time to irreversible damage in the mitochondria along with a total metabolic decline." This is precisely the reason why excessive cardio like that performed during marathons or triathlons is likely not much better at improving longevity than being sedentary. In fact, according to a study presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010 in Montreal, regular exercise reduces cardiovascular risk by a factor of two or three. But the extended vigorous exercise performed during a marathon raises cardiac risk by seven-fold! The end result is not to shun all forms of aerobic exercise, but to learn how to do it wisely. What Type of Aerobics is Best for Fighting Aging and Chronic Disease? You may be cheating your body of the optimal exercise benefits if you are focusing your workouts on long periods of cardio. According to fitness exper t Phil Campbell and author of Ready, Set, Go, getting cardiovascular benefits requires working all three types of muscle fibers and their associated energy systems – and this cannot be done with traditional cardio. Here's a quick review: • Slow twitch (red muscle): Activated by traditional strength training and cardio exercises • Fast twitch (white muscle): Activated by shor t bursts of high intensity activity • Super-fast (white muscle): Consists of fast twitch and super-fast fibers. Traditional strength training and cardio exercises work primarily the aerobic process and the slow twitch (red) muscle fibers. On the other hand, shor t bursts of high-intensity work your aerobic AND your anaerobic processes, which is what you need for optimal cardiovascular benefit. This is why you may not see the results you desire even when you're spending an hour on the treadmill several times a week. You're only working HALF of your muscle fibers! In the case of shor t bursts of high intensity exercises, less is more, as you can get all the benefits you need in just a 20-minute session performed twice a week. In fact, you should not do high intensity exercises more than three times a week, as if you do it more frequently than that you may actually do more harm than good – similar to running marathons. High-intensity interval-type training also boosts human growth hormone (HGH) production, which is also essential for optimal health, strength and vigor. Abby's Magazine - May/June 2015 | Page 35

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