All Workouts are NOT Created Equal

A new research study done by Les Mills International has revealed that some workouts, even if done for the same amount of time and have burned the same amount of calories, do not give you the same long-term metabolic benefit.

In the study, twelve healthy, fit female subjects completed both an indoor cycling and a resistance workout on different days. The researchers took a blood sample from each woman before, immediately after, and 45 minutes after each workout. The researchers then measured the women’s hormonal and physiological responses based on these blood samples.

The data analysis revealed that the human growth hormone (HGH) and blood lactate levels were both significantly higher following group resistance training than they were from the indoor cycling. HGH in particular has made a lot of news in the fitness industry over the last few years, since it stimulates things like protein synthesis and bone mineralization.

Nigel Harris, PhD, the lead author for the study, stated, “The type of exercise used to burn those calories impacts the long-term positive effects that exercise has on the body.”   Should you put away your spin shoes? Not necessarily. Just consider incorporating both aerobic (spinning, running) and anaerobic (weight-training, Pilates) into your fitness regimen for a more balanced and more effective approach.

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