“Feel the burn!” Jane Fonda used to exclaim to her aerobics disciples. “No pain, no gain.”
These were popular exercise mantras, embraced by many American fitness buffs. Yet these days, you won’t hear many health experts repeating them.
Exercise, obviously, is a good thing. But even if you aren’t a triathlete in training, you still have options.
Intense, painful exercise dragging on for hours at a time isn’t necessarily “better” than a more temperate approach. In fact, engaging in just 30 minutes of moderate exercise per day has been associated with many significant health benefits, even when the 30 minutes are divided into several shorter workouts.
Given that many people are more likely to squeeze in exercise when it seems easier or less painful, “intermittent” exercise may be the best option for some folks.
What exactly is intermittent exercise?
Fitness experts have used the term somewhat loosely to describe several types of physical activity, namely interval workouts and short, separated bouts of exercise. The premise behind both is simple: Follow a brief period of exercise with a varying level or amount of rest. And many researchers are beginning to sing its praises.