Update March 2012 – Good news for those struggling to find time to move: indulging in two 15-minute periods of physical activity a day has as much, if not more, benefits than one session of exercise. continuous half-hour exercise.
This is what the results of a study reveal1 during which 37 moderately active people were subjected to an aerobic exercise program of their choice for 24 weeks. They either had to perform 30-minute continuous sessions four times a week, or be active twice a day for 15 minutes, at the same weekly frequency. Halfway through the study, each participant changed the distribution of their training sessions for the last 12 weeks: those who trained for 30 minutes continuously were then required to participate in sessions of twice 15 minutes, and vice versa. versa.
At the end of the study, all subjects improved their lung capacity, heart rate and blood pressure. A slight increase in the level of good cholesterol (HDL) was recorded only in the group which indulged in the physical exercises divided into two 15 minutes.
In fact, the benefits were most marked in those who were initially subjected to the physical exercises divided into two 15-minute sessions. Between the start and the end of the study, their lung capacity increased by 17% compared to 10% in those who followed the exercise program for 30 minutes continuously. As for the heart rate, it improved by 16% and 8% for each respective group. On the treadmill, the “2 x 15 minute” group also had better endurance than the “30 minute” group.
According to the study authors, it is possible that dividing the duration of physical activity into smaller periods allowed participants to exert more effort than if they had been active for 30 minutes. continuously. The more intense the effort, the better the benefits for cardiovascular health, according to them.
Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
1. Quinn TJ, Klooster JR, Kenefick RW, Two short, daily activity tips vs one long tip: are health and fitness improvements similar over twelve and twenty-four weeks?, Journal of strength and conditioning research, February 2006, Vo. 20, No 1, 130-5.