Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/XbRK74f4Hog   Short bursts of exertion to near maximum creates more cardiovascular fitness than the traditional continuous exercise in one-third less time.  A Japanese study in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings followed 679 subjects over a 5 month period.   The interval training routine was walking at a pace 70% of the individuals maximal capacity for 3 minutes, then at 40% of capacity for 3 more.  This cycle was repeated 8 to 9 times over the week for a max of 50 minutes.  Those using this plan showed a significant 14% increase in aerobic capacity and a 17% decrease in lifestyle-linked disease compared with those following the traditional 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise.   The bottom line:less is more.   Shizue Masuki, Mayuko Morikawa, Hiroshi Nose. High-Intensity Walking Time Is a Key Determinant to Increase Physical Fitness and Improve Health Outcomes After Interval Walking Training in Middle-Aged and Older People. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.mayocp.2019.04.039