The Benefits of a “Short Burst” Exercise Routine
Eating plant-based has rewarded me with more stamina, faster recovery, and increased mental clarity. And I had to do something with all this extra phytonutrient-induced energy!
So I decided that one of my 2020 goals would be to pump out 1,000 push-ups a day by year’s end. Not just any push-up will do; Calisthenic Movement has produced my favorite video tutorial on the proper push-up form to avoid injury.
I’ve never set my sights on doing 1,000 consecutive push-ups. Instead, every couple of hours, I pause what I’m doing and knock out 100. And I balance them with squats, pull-ups, and running.
A Special Forces friend of mine warned that doing so many push-ups without enough other exercises would leave me with a distinctly shoulders-forward look. That’s one physique I don’t aspire to!
Most people like to complete their exercise routine in one or two daily sessions. I enjoy spreading mine throughout the day. So I was very interested in the findings of a “short-burst exercise” study discussed in this week’s Harvard Gazette.
According to researchers at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital:
“Short bursts of physical exercise induce changes in the body’s levels of metabolites that correlate to an individual’s cardiometabolic, cardiovascular, and long-term health.”
The researchers measured the concentrations of 588 circulating metabolites in 411 individuals, both before and after 12 minutes of exercise. They found “favorable exercise-induced changes” positively affecting:
insulin resistance
obesity
lipolysis
oxidative stress
inflammation
vascular reactivity
and longevity.
For me, this was great news! With 40 days left in the year, meeting my goal of 1,000 push-ups a day, 100 at a time, will do much more than impress my wife and children.
It’ll also help me enjoy a longer, healthier life!
