New study shows that high intensity exercise is easier to do than you think

High Intensity Interval Training, better known as HIIT, has gained popularity over the years the Stay healthy because it's a quick way to get your recommended daily physical activity. But this is not the most accessible form of exercise for all kinds of reasons. Despite this, research shows that some activities that you are already this can have an impact similar to that of HIIT. This is why a group of scholars from several European universities published an editorial in the British Journal of Sports Medicine which says high intensity accessory Physical activity is the new trend in exercise designed for everyone, regardless of your age or fitness level.

The editorial was co-authored by academics from the University of Sydney, Loughborough University, University College London, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. , and the National Center for Research on the Working Environment – Denmark, according to a press release. They decided to write the editorial after the US Physical Activity Guidelines of 2018 removed the requirement to do physical activity for at least 10 minutes at the same time. times, says the press release, a directive that the authors say has never been scientifically supported.

Based on these changes, they recommend that people adopt high intensity, incidental physical activity, or HIIPA. Not to be confused with HIPAA, or your rights to health care confidentiality, HIIPA involves using the science of HIIT and incorporating it into the activities you already do every day, according to the press release.

Let's go back for a second. As a reminder, HIIT programs include brief periods of intense physical activity done at maximum effort, says the Mayo Clinic, after short periods of low intensity work to give your body a chance to recover. Your typical HIIT workout might include a three-minute warm-up, four 30-second sprints, an active 60-second salvage, and a three-minute salvage, according to the Mayo Clinic. The science behind HIIT is that you're supposedly getting the same results as endurance training in less time, says the Mayo Clinic.

"[HIIT] Interval training has attracted interest recently because studies have suggested improving cardiovascular fitness as with traditional endurance regimens, but with shorter exercise periods, "said Dr. Neel Chokshi, director of PennMedicine's cardiology and sports fitness program in a PennMedicine blog post. "So, if you do not have the time to follow the 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise recommended in a traditional way, this could serve as a substitute."

But if the HIIT workout I described seemed great, good, intense and not for you, you're not the only one feeling that. This is why the authors of the editorial recommend a new approach to HIIT – HIIPA – using the same science. The authors say that eliminating the 10-minute requirement means that you can use what you do in your daily life – they call it an "accidental physical activity" – to get physical activity you need to stay healthy.

"A regular casual activity that makes you sick even for a few seconds is very promising for health," said Emmanuel Stamatakis, professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the Charles Perkins Center and at the School of Public Health of the University of Sydney, in a press release.

The authors say that accidental physical activity can include climbing a few stairs, housework, shopping, active commuting, and can last from a few seconds to a few hours. It all depends on what makes you "blow" more, say the authors.

"The beauty of HIIPA and the idea of ​​using activities that we already do in everyday life, is that it is much more realistic and achievable for most of people, "said Professor Stamatakis in a press release. "It's just a matter of making good decisions, like parking the car at the edge of the car park and shopping 50 or 100 meters away.[[[[sic]. "

So, if you are not doing a super intense workout, do not worry. More and more research is saying that taking some of its daily activities a step up is a great way to ensure that your physical activity is sufficient. Plus, dancing on a parking lot or running a friend up the stairs can be a fun break in your day.