Brit’s Vid, Runner’s Burn and Weights’ Plus
Brit sets her eyes on a workout DVD, runners burn extra cals all day long, and strength training boosts cardio health.
Brit To Make Dance Workout DVD?
First it was K-Fed, now it may be Britney Spears. Yes, that’s right, Brit is rumored to be planning to release her own series of dance-based workout DVDs. Her inspiration? Jane freakin’ Fonda. I can’t wait. I’m already salivating at the blogging material in that DVD. If only they had created one together back when they were married…
Brit allegedly wants a dance-based format because dance is what helped her get back in shape earlier this year. Now don’t get too excited. It’s just speculation, but my goodness, I hope it’s true!
Feel the Burn
Do you run for more than four hours a week? If you do, wow, go you. If you don’t, it may be time to carve out some more workout time. According to a recent study from Yale University, endurance athletes have a higher metabolism—even when they’re not running—than sedentary folks. In fact, the subjects who ran four hours or more a week burned 54 percent more calories than the couch taters. Fifty-four percent?! That’s crazy insane awesome.
Now, I hear ya. Four hours a week of running or other hard-core activity is tough to squeeze in, and you have to be in darn good shape to do it. But with benefits like that, I may just have to up my mileage.
Strength Gains
After reading the above bit, the benefits of cardio are obvious. But what about weight training? Sure it builds muscle, boosts your metabolism and makes you look awesome and toned, but what about its effect on the heart? While cardio is usually credited as making the heart stronger and less susceptible to disease, new research shows that strength training is pretty darn beneficial, too.
A National Strength and Conditioning Association study of more than 51,000 men who weight trained for 30 minutes or more per week found that the weight-lifting men reduced their heart attack risk by 23 percent. Now, compare that to men who rowed for an hour each week and reduced their risk by just 18 percent. Sure, those who ran an hour or more a week dropped their risk by 42 percent, but 23 percent for just 30 minutes or more a week ain’t too shabby. Plus, it’s way more doable this time of year than four hours.
Looking for new strength moves? We have them here.