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Are You Exercising Yourself to Death
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., M.S.

If you are following the masses and spending hours assuming that 30-45 minutes on the treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical machine is the best thing you can do for your heart and to lose fat, then I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you are placing yourself at risk of getting a heart attack.

Long duration exercise is a waste of your time and simply increases your risk of dying of a heart attack.

Doubt me?

Well I don't blame you.

Pick up almost any book or magazine on exercise and you'll probably read that the best form of exercise for cardiovascular health is to work out for 30 to 60 minutes three or four times a week.

There is only one problem with this.

It simply doesn't work.

Now hear me out and let me share a little bit of medical science you are unlikely to read in any of those highly advertised fitness magazines.

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The Problem with Long Duration Forms of Exercise

Long duration exercise such as riding a stationary bike, walking or running on a treadmill or any exercise contraption that has you exercising for longer than 30 to 60 minutes makes your heart more efficient, but

IT REDUCES YOUR HEART AND LUNG RESERVE CAPACITY

Let me explain:

Your reserve capacity is your body's ability to respond effectively to sudden demands you place on it.

This is the most important thing you can do for your heart and that is to INCREASE your heart and lung reserve capacity (Think of increasing your heart's horsepower).

It can mean the difference between a long healthy life and sudden death from a heart attack.

When you exercise continuously for more than about 10 minutes, your heart begins to adapt becoming more efficient.

This would at first appear to be a good thing, but read on.

Long duration exercise makes your heart and lungs smaller so that it can go longer with less energy, but their is a major problem with this.

Basically your heart becomes very good at handling a 60-minute jog, but it gives up the ability to provide you with

Big Bursts of Energy for Short Periods

This is far cry from protecting your heart.

In fact, losing this ability increases your risk of getting a heart attack ten-fold.

Remember, heart attacks don't happen due to a lack of endurance. They typically occur when there is a sudden, sizable demand on the heart.

Heart attacks commonly occur when someone lifts a heavy object or experiences an unexpected emotional blow.

start quoteHeart attacks don't happen due to a lack of endurance. They typically occur when their is a sudden, sizable demand on the heart. This is more of a reason to build your heart's horsepowerend quote
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Basically when you do long-duration exercise you a making the heart smaller.

It is like putting a small engine in a big three ton truck.

What do you think would happen when that small engine is placed under the heavy load of this heavy truck?

Right?

It will likely explode and shut down.

Well that is what happens when you do long duration type of exercises.

Yes, your heart may be more efficient under normal no stress loads, but watch out if you plan to engage in any increased stress loads.

You don't what your heart to explode, do you?

Doubt me?

Well a recent Havard study found that men who performed short bouts of exercise reduced their heart disease by 20 percent

Another study reported at the American College of Sports Medicine found that long duration types of exercise decreased cardiac function.

The study found that people who trained using long duration methods had a lower peak stroke volume.

Think of peak stroke volume as the horsepower of your heart.

It is the highest volume of blood your heart can pump per beat when it is challenged.

Another study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that the heart's exercise capacity was the most important criteria in predicting heart failure.

They concluded that the size of your heart's horsepower was much more important when it comes to heart health.

Of course long duration exercise does nothing to build your heart's horsepower.

The absolute best form of exercise to improve heart function, decrease fat, increase male testosterone is high intensity short duration exercise.

Dr. Grisanti's Comments:

If you are interested in learning how to burn fat in the fastest time possible while at the same time improving your heart function, I recommend reading my medically documented soon to be released book:

How To Lose Weight After 40: A Medically Researched Program for Losing Weight Safely and Effectively in Middle Age

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References:

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Speed CA, Shapiro LM. Exercise prescription in cardiac disease. Lancet. 2000 Oct 7;356(9237):1208-10

Lee IM, Sesso HD, Oguma Y, Paffenbarger RS Jr. Relative intensity of physical activity and risk of coronary heart disease. Circulation. 2003 Mar 4;107(8):1110-6.

Lee IM, Sesso HD, Paffenbarger RS Jr. Physical activity and coronary heart disease risk in men: does the duration of exercise episodes predict risk?

Circulation. 2000 Aug 29;102(9):981-6.

Sesso HD, Paffenbarger RS Jr, Lee IM. Physical activity and coronary heart disease in men: The Harvard Alumni Health Study. Circulation. 2000 Aug 29;102(9):975-80.

Lee IM, Paffenbarger RS Jr. Associations of light, moderate, and vigorous intensity physical activity with longevity. The Harvard Alumni Health Study.

Am J Epidemiol. 2000 Feb 1;151(3):293-9.

DeBusk RF, Stenestrand U, Sheehan M, Haskell WL. Training effects of long versus short bouts of exercise in healthy subjects. Am J Cardiol. 1990 Apr 15;65(15):1010-3.

Jakicic JM, Wing RR, Butler BA, Robertson RJ. Prescribing exercise in multiple short bouts versus one continuous bout: effects on adherence, cardiorespiratory fitness, and weight loss in overweight women. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1995 Dec;19(12):893-901.

Schmidt WD, Biwer CJ, Kalscheuer LK. Effects of long versus short bout exercise on fitness and weight loss in overweight females. J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Oct;20(5):494-501.

Murphy MH, Hardman AE. Training effects of short and long bouts of brisk walking in sedentary women. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998 Jan;30(1):152-7.

Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):814-8.

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