Short Bursts of Exercise for Heart Health

For decades, doctors and other health care professionals have urged patients to exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Recent research has proven that this may not be as efficient as originally supposed. The research, which focused on teen-aged subjects, placed them on an exercise program of short, intense bursts of exercise followed by sustained periods of rest. This method gave the subjects equal benefits in blood vessel function and cardiac monitoring via the medulla (brain stem) that they would have received had they exercised for a longer duration.

The exercise program chosen, spinning, involved one-minute bursts of intense cycling on a stationary bicycle followed by 75-second breaks. The heart rate during the break remained elevated enough to benefit the cardiovascular system while the muscles had a chance to relax. Known as high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, this type of exercise routine decreases the number of calories burned since cumulative exercise time is diminished, but the amount of body fat is significantly reduced. Keeping this in mind, patients who need to cut calories, as well as inches, may wish to engage in an HIIT routine a few times a week and a standard cardiovascular exercise routine at least once more per week.

While some participants may find HIIT too invigorating to engage in three times a week, the benefits for a busy individual who would not normally exercise due to time constraints will find it well worthwhile. Contact your primary care provider to determine whether you can engage in high-intensity training.

If one would like to incorporate HIIT into their life, paired with proper cardiac monitoring, it might be the ultimate exercise program to strengthen blood vessels and maintain a normal heart rate. Please browse through our blogs for more information concerning heart health and exercise programs, or contact one of our professionals at (800) 23-HEART (234-3278).

Jodi is a seasoned Human Resources professional who thrives on change and transformation. She fell in love with Human Resources when she attended Penn State University for graduate school in Public Administration with a curriculum that emphasized Human Resources. After earning her Master’s degree she began her career in the manufacturing industry in Talent Acquisition and was eventually assigned the overall HR Management responsibility of three divisions which included collective bargaining. Ultimately, she made her way to transitioning a new division of a Fortune 100 company under the corporate model as well as developing and executing Human Resources policies and procedures across a broad range of functional disciplines. At the next juncture of her career, she was tapped on the shoulder by former Executives that she previously worked with to join in on an exciting start-up. Today, Jodi is the Vice President of Talent Relations and Development for Medicomp Inc dba ReactDx and is responsible for managing the strategic Human Resources function which includes mergers and acquisitions for this rapidly expanding company.

Jodi and her husband enjoy landscaping, finding new restaurants and traveling whenever life gives them the opportunity.

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