Physical Fitness And Wellness

What is womens health wellness saying about Interval Training? It's Good for Your Heart!

More and more research is supporting the benefits of interval training for physical fitness and wellness.  I was first introduced to interval training through Bill Phillips book “Body for Life”.   If you are just starting out, this is a great program to follow that produces results!

Physical fitness and wellness is always evolving.  In a recent study performed at Canada’s McMaster University, subjects did three sprint interval training workouts per week.  The sprints were challenging and intense, with the subjects maintaining sprints for 30 seconds at a time. Meanwhile, another group did moderate longer cardio five days per week.  The study confirmed that short-burst interval training workouts were just as heart-healthy as the moderate cardio workouts.  It turns out that when it comes to physical fitness and wellness interval training is the way to go. 

Womens Health wellness shares these benefits of interval training.

Interval exercise can help prevent the early onset of cardiovascular disease by reducing the stiffness of blood vessels.  Other benefits include lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, stronger immune system and overall increase in youthful health.  Yes, it's time to update our physical fitness and wellness workouts with short-burst interval training to improve our physical and emotional wellness and yes even our spiritual wellness. 

If you are new to this type of physical fitness and wellness increase your intensity level slowly to avoid injury.  The subjects in the above study did the intervals on stationary bikes.  There is less risk of impact injury and muscle strains using a stationary bike compared to sprinting.

Listen to your body by getting in touch with your mind body connection.   Keep this awareness as you continually increase your intensity level throughout your interval training.   Aim for twenty minutes where you start at a slow or moderate level for two minutes and then increase your speed for 30 sec and then reduce the intensity for two minutes and then increase again. 

You’ll be surprised at how quickly you will increase your strength and endurance.   Womens health wellness gives a thumbs up to interval training!

 Editors Note:  If you would like to see how this relates to your overall womens health wellness, please check out our articles on carbohydrate sensitivity and glycemic index.