Getting Fit The Truth About...


Getting Fit

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I'm medical journalist Dr Michael Mosley.

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It's that time of year when, like most of us,

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I'm already struggling with my New Year's resolution

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to become much more active.

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Ooh! Now, I know I should do more regular exercise

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but the honest truth is, I have neither the time

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nor the inclination.

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What I want is the absolute maximum gain for the minimum pain.

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The good news is that new science is giving us the best ways to keep fit,

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without taking up too much time.

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More research is going into exercise than ever before and I'm delighted,

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because what the latest science is showing us

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is the most effective ways to get fit and healthy

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with the minimum sweat.

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So I'm teaming up with the scientists...

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Off you go.

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..who are turning what we know about fitness on its head.

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That's excellent.

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Together, we'll show you a far more effective way to walk yourself fit

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than 10,000 steps...

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-Going to follow me?

-Yes!

-Here we go. Right.

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A little bit faster.

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..how two minutes of intense exercise a week

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may be all you need...

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That's quite an easy way to get back into fitness.

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..the latest research that will help you

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actually stick to your fitness plans...

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If you're relying on willpower for you to exercise,

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it will probably fail.

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..and the activity that can make you instantly cleverer.

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It's so amazing to see the results, because I just think,

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"I can shake, shake, shake, but actually to know, wow, I'm getting smarter..."

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Whether you want to get fit, look good, lose weight,

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gain strength or be healthier,

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we're going to use the latest research to find

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the most effective ways for you.

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This is The Truth About Getting Fit.

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We don't all love the gym.

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In fact, 20 million Brits are classed as physically inactive.

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But, if you are unfit, scientific studies show

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you'll make the biggest health gains from doing even a little exercise.

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So, what shape are you in right now?

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How can you tell how fit you are at the moment?

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Well, I'm going to show you a couple of simple tests you can do at home,

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without having to use any fancy equipment.

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Very good! Faster!

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These are tests you can do right now in your house

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and they will give you a quick, but reasonably accurate,

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measure of your current fitness.

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Helping me is Professor Lorna Paul,

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a health scientist at Glasgow Caledonian University.

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I like the idea that if you can't be bothered to go to the gym,

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you bring the gym to your house.

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Yeah. And, indeed, that's what we've done. What we are going to do today

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is two tests that everybody can do in their own homes.

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The first test is how long it takes you to stand up and sit down

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from a chair ten times.

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All you need is a hard chair and a way of timing yourself.

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This test assesses one of the key aspects of fitness, our strength.

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It's an important test,

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because it's testing our big muscles in the lower limbs,

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so our quadriceps at the front, and our gluteals at the back.

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-These big muscles.

-Biggest muscles in your body!

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These muscles start to weaken if we don't use them,

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so it's the use it or lose it.

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It's the time it takes that gives you your score.

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That's 15. Well done. 17. Well done.

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The faster, the better.

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-How are we doing?

-Eight seconds.

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OK! Good!

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This test is used around the world

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as a measure of how fit you are for your age.

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Men under 35 should be able to do

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ten chair stands

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in ten seconds or less.

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For women, it's 12 seconds.

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If you're under 55,

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men should do it in 13 seconds.

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Women in 15 seconds.

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And men over 55 should take

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less than 18 seconds.

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19 seconds if you are a woman.

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It's harder than it looks.

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-Yeah.

-Nine, ten.

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Now it's time for test number two.

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So, although this is clearly a bit of gym kit,

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presumably you can just use the steps at home.

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Yes, so if you've got stairs in your house

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or you've got a front doorstep, just use the step you've got at home.

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This is a test of aerobic fitness -

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how strong your heart and lungs really are.

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We're going to get you to step up and down on the step

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for three minutes.

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But we're going to set the pace, and we want you to keep to the pace.

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It's up, up, down, down.

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-OK.

-Up, up, down, down.

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The key thing we're looking at is heart rate.

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The lower your heart rate, the fitter you are.

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If you're less fit, then your heart rate is going to have to go up more.

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Yeah, your heart is going to have to pump harder to get that oxygen to

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your tissues. So that's why heart rate

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is a good indicator of your fitness.

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Three minutes of steps later, it's time to take my pulse

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and work out my beats per minute.

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If you can't find it, think about where your index finger is,

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and just come straight down.

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If people find that hard, that might be a bit easier.

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I reckon my pulse is about 96 at the moment.

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For a man of your age, we'd certainly be looking

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for a pulse under 115, so that's great.

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That's a good measure of fitness.

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What should your heart rate be?

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If you're under 35 and male,

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it should be

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under 105 beats per minute.

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For a woman, 110.

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If you're a man under 55,

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less than 110.

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115 for women.

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Over 55 and male, 115.

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Female, 120.

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So, those are a couple of tests you can do at home

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to measure how fit you are at the moment.

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But what should you do if you actually want to get fitter?

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Well, keep watching.

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One obvious way for most of us to get fitter is walking.

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But how much do you really need to do to make a difference?

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There is one number everyone bangs on about - 10,000 steps a day.

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These days, you see a lot of people wandering around,

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wearing something like this.

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It's an activity monitor. And, amongst other things,

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it keeps track of the number of steps you take.

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10,000 steps a day is the goal.

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10,000 steps to stay young and healthy for ever!

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It's become a huge health craze -

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13 million Brits now tracking their steps.

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But where does that magic number come from?

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In the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics in 1964,

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a company came up with a device they called a Manpo Meter.

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That literally means a 10,000 step meter.

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So that magical figure didn't come as a result of

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rigorous scientific studies, but was actually the product

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of a clever marketing campaign.

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It was clearly a great marketing slogan,

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but is 10,000 steps really worth doing?

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I've come to a factory in Sheffield,

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where six employees have agreed to help me put it to the test.

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Hi, all. Hello.

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Thank you very much for agreeing to take part in this.

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They all have different reasons for wanting to get fitter.

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I'm very aware that I'm not as fit as I used to be

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and I've put a lot of weight on.

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My only hobby at the moment is knitting.

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I've got a little six-year-old girl that runs about like a dafty

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and I can't catch her up.

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We're going to put the fabled 10,000 steps

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up against a much shorter walking target.

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Running the experiment is Professor Rob Copeland,

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from Sheffield Hallam University.

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So, you're going to test 10,000 steps against something

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which may be more doable and more practical

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and also, perhaps, more effective?

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That's what we're really interested in,

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exploring this concept of 10,000 steps -

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is that really the best thing to aim for?

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Or is there something that perhaps you could fit into your life

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that might give you the same bang for your buck, if you like?

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Fantastic. I'm in, then.

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Rob is splitting our six volunteers into two groups.

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Today, Dave, Darren and Gillian

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will, a little reluctantly, be attempting to hit

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the 10,000 step target.

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That's around five miles.

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All I want you to do is to incorporate 10,000 steps

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into your normal day. Simple as that.

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Meanwhile, Nathan, Gary and Judy

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will be trying something Rob calls Active Ten.

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What I'd like you to do today

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is try to incorporate three ten minutes of brisk walking

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into your normal day.

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-We'll do it together.

-We'll do it together.

-And I'll race you.

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-Walking buddies.

-Yes.

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That's a good idea. I like that. It's a good idea.

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Three sessions of an active ten minutes of brisk walking

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adds up to a total of around one and a half miles, more like 3,000 steps.

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Rob wants to compare the health effects

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of these different approaches.

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Everyone is given a monitor to track their activity.

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And Rob is particularly interested in how much

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they increase their heart rate.

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Everyone goes back to work, with their new targets.

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The 10,000 step group have quite a challenge on their hands.

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To get 10,000 steps, today, one of the things I've been doing

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is parking my car further away from the factory.

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In an attempt to get my steps up,

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I'm going to load the dishwasher item by item.

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Fitting five miles of walking into a busy day can take some ingenuity.

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For the Active Ten group, the aim is to get their pace up,

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so they're working their heart and lungs.

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This should get them a bit out of breath.

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They can still talk, but not sing.

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-You follow me?

-Yes.

-Here we go!

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I'm joining them for their first brisk outing.

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-ALL:

-# It's a long way to Tipperary... #

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We're not going fast enough.

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Shouldn't be able to sing!

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One ten-minute walk down, two to go.

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The next morning, everyone is back at the factory

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to hand in their activity trackers.

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So, how easy was it for the volunteers to reach their targets?

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First, the 10,000 steps group.

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Hi, gang. Good to see you again, looking lean and mean.

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Gillian, Dave and Darren, two of you managed to achieve

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your target of 10,000 steps, so well done.

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Darren, you actually managed to do 11,000, so that was fantastic.

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Dave, you were slightly below that - you managed just over 5,000 steps.

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-Slightly below.

-Slightly below.

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-Did you find it hard to hit that target?

-Yeah.

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It took more time up from my day than I thought it was going to.

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Dave, what do you think? You're shaking your head.

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Yeah, no, I found it really difficult. I'm office-based.

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I do, like, 2,000 normally, and I found it really hard work.

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And what about the Active Ten group?

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Nathan, Judy, and Gary, you all managed to fit into your daily life

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these three ten-minute bouts of brisk walking,

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so that's absolutely fantastic.

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Well done for that. Really good.

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So, how did you find doing those bursts of ten minutes?

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Quite easy, actually.

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Me and Nathan chose to do it together on two occasions,

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which made it a bit more interesting as well.

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And who was the driving force?

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-Me.

-Yeah, definitely, definitely.

-Yeah.

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10,000 steps was harder to achieve,

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but which of our activities was better for health?

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The Active Ten group actually moved for 30% more

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in the moderate to vigorous physical activity intensity,

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even though you moved for less time.

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And that's where you start to get the greatest health benefits.

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The recommended amount of exercise

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is 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity physical activity.

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This means getting out of breath and increasing heart rate.

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So even though the Active Ten group spent less time moving,

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they did more worthwhile moderate exercise.

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What we wanted you to do, actually,

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was to get your heart beating faster.

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There's lots of evidence to suggest that you can lower your risk of

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diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, even up to 20%,

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if you can increase your physical activity.

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You going to join the club, Dave?

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It's not a very good looking club, but I'll...

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-That's why we need you, Dave.

-Raise the average age.

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That's why we need you.

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So, three short brisk walks were easier to fit in the day

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and better for health.

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I thought that was really interesting

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and I found it very encouraging,

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because I really don't like doing 10,000 steps,

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so the fact that you can get similar, perhaps greater, benefits

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from a few brisk walks a day is enormously encouraging.

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To start doing some Active Tens in your day,

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you can download this free Public Health England app

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to see how much brisk walking you're doing,

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and how to do more.

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If even 30 minutes of walking a day sounds a little too much,

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then don't despair. It's possible to get significantly fitter

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in far, far, less time.

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There's a form of exercise which, it is claimed,

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can give you the benefit of a long workout in a fraction of the time.

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It's called Hiit - high-intensity interval training.

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It's said that just two minutes a week can transform your body.

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So, how much benefit can you really get from just two minutes a week?

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To find out, we're doing an experiment

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that has never been done before.

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We're installing an exercise bike in this London office.

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And six busy office workers will be putting it to the test.

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Hi, all. Hello.

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Thank you for volunteering.

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Do you think it's going to work?

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I really hope it will because, if it does,

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then that's quite an easy way to get back into fitness.

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Personally, I don't think it's going to work.

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I'm more used to doing an hour, hour and a half,

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of really intense exercise,

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and feeling like I've had a proper workout.

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Dr Niels Vollaard is an exercise scientist and Hiit expert.

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First, he tests everyone's aerobic fitness,

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by measuring how efficiently their body uses oxygen.

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He will test them again in five weeks' time,

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to see if they've improved.

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Now it's time for their first session of high-intensity training.

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They'll cycle as hard as they can, in just two bursts of 20 seconds.

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Not as bad as I thought it was going to be, actually.

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Yeah, it's pretty good.

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It was harder than I expected.

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I'd be delighted if it works.

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They have to do 40 seconds of high-intensity sprinting,

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three times a week.

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That means two minutes a week in total, plus a warm-up

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and cool-down each session.

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Niels's research has shown that one of the main ways Hiit seems to work

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is by triggering changes deep inside the muscles.

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He can detect these changes using an ultrasound on Igor,

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one of our volunteers.

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So, what are you hoping to do here?

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So, we're going to measure Igor's muscle glycogen,

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or muscle sugar stores, here, before and after exercise.

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In this image of Igor's muscle, the dark areas are glycogen,

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a type of sugar that we store in our muscles.

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Igor hasn't done any exercise today, so the muscles' sugar stores,

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at the moment, are full. So, 100%.

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Niels will measure his sugar store again after a Hiit sprint.

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So, are you ready to go?

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-Yep.

-OK, right. Good luck.

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As Igor sprints, the sugar stored in his muscles is released,

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broken down and used to power the exercise.

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After the sprint, Niels measures the amount of sugar

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that's left in Igor's muscle.

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You looked as though you were going flat out.

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You are really going for it, there?

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It's definitely my max.

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There are now fewer dark areas,

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which means his glycogen stores have fallen.

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They can calculate exactly by how much.

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We have a result. He has a depletion

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of 24% on average for his whole muscle.

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OK, 24% of the sugar has been,

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sort of, bashed up, smashed up and removed.

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The body responds to this stress

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by trying to make itself more resilient. It stimulates genes

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which improve the function of the whole cardiovascular system.

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And so it's also affecting the heart and all sorts of other things?

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Yeah. The adaptations will affect the whole body,

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even though they start off in the muscle.

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-How are you feeling? Recovered?

-Yeah, I've recovered.

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-A little bit.

-Another five goes?

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No. No way.

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All exercise releases some glycogen from our muscles,

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but Hiit does it faster and more effectively.

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To achieve the same results with other types of exercise,

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you'd have to run for 45 minutes.

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But does it actually make you any fitter?

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Five weeks later, Niels is back to find out.

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He's retesting the fitness of our office workers

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to see whether this novel exercise regime

0:18:120:18:15

really has made any difference.

0:18:150:18:17

Yeah, we've analysed the results and I'm very pleased to say

0:18:180:18:21

that all of you improved.

0:18:210:18:23

Charlie, you were our star performer -

0:18:240:18:26

-14% increase in your fitness levels.

-Wow!

0:18:260:18:28

As a group, the improvement that we saw in your fitness levels

0:18:280:18:32

was on average 11%, which is an excellent improvement.

0:18:320:18:36

-Are you surprised?

-I'm very surprised, yeah.

0:18:360:18:38

-Definitely.

-I did run up the escalators today, and I did feel...

0:18:380:18:42

I didn't feel as out of breath as I would normally have felt.

0:18:420:18:44

An 11% increase in aerobic fitness is really impressive

0:18:440:18:49

and, if they keep it up, has significant health benefits.

0:18:490:18:54

You might think, "Oh, well, 11%, that's so-so."

0:18:540:18:57

That's actually really good.

0:18:570:18:59

We can compare that to risk of disease,

0:18:590:19:01

risk of getting heart disease, for example.

0:19:010:19:04

Your risk of getting heart disease over a certain amount of time

0:19:040:19:09

has been reduced, on average, by about 20%.

0:19:090:19:13

Do you think that, having heard the numbers,

0:19:130:19:15

you will be tempted now to keep going?

0:19:150:19:17

-Yeah.

-Absolutely.

-Definitely.

-You're all going for it, are you? OK, yeah.

0:19:170:19:20

In this office, it looks like the bike is here to stay.

0:19:200:19:25

Hiit, high-intensity training, isn't for everyone.

0:19:250:19:27

If you prefer going for a long run

0:19:270:19:29

or a vigorous game of football, great.

0:19:290:19:31

But if you're looking for something

0:19:310:19:33

which gives you the maximum health benefits

0:19:330:19:35

in the minimum possible time, then Hiit is it.

0:19:350:19:39

Hiit is clearly an incredibly efficient way

0:19:430:19:46

to get the most out of exercise,

0:19:460:19:48

but what if you don't have access to a Hiit bike?

0:19:480:19:51

Until very recently, almost all the studies which have looked at

0:19:540:19:57

the benefits of Hiit have been done on specialised bicycles.

0:19:570:20:01

But there is really new research which has shown it's possible

0:20:010:20:04

to get all those lovely benefits of Hiit without a bicycle -

0:20:040:20:08

in fact, without even leaving your home.

0:20:080:20:11

-Hi, Beth.

-Hi.

-Come in.

0:20:140:20:16

Dr Beth Phillips is an assistant professor at Nottingham University.

0:20:160:20:21

She's going to show me the short programme of intense exercise

0:20:210:20:25

that she has developed for you at home.

0:20:250:20:27

What do I do?

0:20:270:20:29

OK, so, this Hiit protocol is based around five minutes of hard work.

0:20:290:20:33

First, it's some gentle jogging to warm up.

0:20:330:20:37

Feels slightly bonkers doing this inside, but still, yeah...

0:20:370:20:40

The first exercise that we're going to go into is your star jumps,

0:20:420:20:45

OK? So, you're going to do a minute, hard and as fast as you can,

0:20:450:20:48

-so when you're ready...

-I'm ready.

0:20:480:20:49

-Off you go.

-OK.

0:20:490:20:51

Two, three, four...

0:20:510:20:53

Well done. That's great.

0:20:530:20:55

19, 20...

0:20:550:20:56

-Try and keep the pace.

-21, 22...

0:20:560:20:58

-And halfway.

-Halfway?

0:20:580:21:00

BETH CHUCKLES 32, 33...

0:21:000:21:04

I have to do as many as I possibly can in one minute.

0:21:040:21:07

And three, two, one, and recover.

0:21:090:21:12

So, that was about 57.

0:21:120:21:15

After a brief recovery, it's exercise two -

0:21:150:21:18

one minute of squats.

0:21:180:21:20

Make sure those knees don't go over your toes.

0:21:200:21:22

That's it. Weight on the heels.

0:21:220:21:23

-Well done.

-15, 16...

0:21:230:21:25

Nearly there. Last five seconds.

0:21:260:21:29

43...

0:21:290:21:30

Three, two, one, and recover.

0:21:300:21:34

Oh, feel them thighs. 46.

0:21:340:21:35

Now, exercise three - static sprinting.

0:21:350:21:40

Usain Bolt. That's it - keep it going, keep it going. Really good.

0:21:400:21:44

Well done. Keep going, come on.

0:21:440:21:46

That's it. Great stuff. Well done.

0:21:460:21:48

Really good. Come on, keep that pace, keep that pace.

0:21:480:21:51

That's it. Really, really well done.

0:21:510:21:53

20 seconds left. Three, two, one, and recover.

0:21:530:21:58

That was knackering!

0:21:580:22:00

Ha!

0:22:000:22:02

Certainly feel it.

0:22:020:22:03

Now I do the squats and star jumps again to finish.

0:22:040:22:08

That's it. Don't slow at the end. Keep it going.

0:22:080:22:11

Three, two, one, and recover.

0:22:110:22:14

Well done. Great work.

0:22:140:22:16

End of. How did you find it?

0:22:160:22:19

It was actually more intense than I was expecting it to be.

0:22:190:22:23

-And no equipment.

-No equipment at all.

0:22:230:22:25

In Beth's research, people who did five minutes

0:22:260:22:29

of these living-room exercises three times a week

0:22:290:22:32

made the same impressive gains in fitness as those who used a bike

0:22:320:22:36

in the lab. But it's worth getting a checkup before you start doing

0:22:360:22:40

high-intensity exercise, especially if you've been

0:22:400:22:43

inactive for a long time.

0:22:430:22:44

Try and get your knees up,

0:22:490:22:51

try and get the thighs parallel to the floor.

0:22:510:22:54

We've started by looking at the best ways

0:22:540:22:56

to improve your aerobic fitness - your heart and lungs.

0:22:560:22:59

But now I want to look at what the latest science says

0:22:590:23:02

is the best way to get stronger.

0:23:020:23:05

Strength training is a hugely important part of getting fit,

0:23:070:23:10

and it's often neglected.

0:23:100:23:11

There is, however, a trend, particularly amongst young women,

0:23:110:23:14

to building muscle under the slogan "strong over skinny".

0:23:140:23:18

These hard-won abs and toned biceps are the results of hours

0:23:190:23:23

pumping iron down the gym. But I'm hoping there might be an easier way.

0:23:230:23:28

So, what's the best way to build muscle?

0:23:290:23:32

Researchers from Glasgow University

0:23:320:23:34

are about to start an intriguing study to find out.

0:23:340:23:37

Dr Stuart Gray and his colleague Danai Stefanaki

0:23:400:23:43

want to test whether it's best to lift heavy weights

0:23:430:23:46

or if you'll get just as good results from lifting light weights.

0:23:460:23:50

They've got five female recruits

0:23:510:23:53

who currently don't do any strength training.

0:23:530:23:57

Do you think that strength exercises are more typically a male thing?

0:23:570:24:01

Do you perceive it as that?

0:24:010:24:03

I think, from my experience, certainly sometimes the gym I go to,

0:24:030:24:06

the weights area is full of men.

0:24:060:24:10

I think things are changing, though.

0:24:100:24:11

Young girls are much more inclined to go for strength now as opposed to

0:24:110:24:14

skinny, so they're wanting muscles and six-packs and things and putting

0:24:140:24:19

them up on Instagram rather than trying to look like Kate Moss.

0:24:190:24:23

To compare the effects of light and heavy weights,

0:24:240:24:26

they're going to use an unusual training method.

0:24:260:24:29

With one arm, our volunteers will lift a heavy weight

0:24:310:24:34

and with the other, a light weight.

0:24:340:24:36

And the same with the legs - heavy on one side, light on the other.

0:24:360:24:40

So is there a risk we'll end up

0:24:420:24:43

with one huge bicep and one not-so-huge bicep?

0:24:430:24:47

I wouldn't like to prejudge. We shall wait and see

0:24:470:24:49

what the result shows and we'll hopefully find out at the end.

0:24:490:24:53

There's just one important rule.

0:24:530:24:55

Both arms, regardless of the weight,

0:24:570:24:58

have to go until you can't lift any more.

0:24:580:25:01

Stuart measures how strong they are at the start by asking them

0:25:010:25:05

to lift the heaviest weight they can.

0:25:050:25:07

Up, up, up, up.

0:25:070:25:09

He'll measure how much stronger they are at the end.

0:25:110:25:14

Now training can begin.

0:25:140:25:15

They'll do two sessions a week for six weeks.

0:25:220:25:25

My first training session was good. It was pretty tiring.

0:25:300:25:33

I'm not really used to doing weights at all.

0:25:340:25:36

I can feel it already,

0:25:360:25:37

so I think tomorrow it's going to be even worse.

0:25:370:25:39

I felt really strange.

0:25:390:25:40

Obviously, the heavy one feels really strong on your arm,

0:25:400:25:43

whereas the light one feels like you're almost repeating nothing.

0:25:430:25:46

I'm feeling worked out and I've only been here a few minutes.

0:25:460:25:51

Strength training is important for our mobility and our health.

0:25:510:25:55

If we don't do it, there's a natural muscle wastage as we get older.

0:25:550:25:59

Normally about the age of 35, people will start to lose muscle -

0:26:000:26:04

roughly about 1% of your muscle mass every year.

0:26:040:26:07

You probably won't notice it until you kind of cross a threshold

0:26:070:26:10

where you lose the ability to carry out things,

0:26:100:26:12

tasks you could normally do, like climbing up the stairs,

0:26:120:26:15

getting off a chair and these kind of things.

0:26:150:26:17

The good news is, this loss of muscle mass can be prevented -

0:26:170:26:21

at any age.

0:26:210:26:23

So, these are MRI images which are looking down

0:26:230:26:26

into somebody's thigh from the top. You can see the kind of bone here.

0:26:260:26:30

A cross-section through the thigh?

0:26:300:26:31

Yeah, and then you've got the muscle tissue

0:26:310:26:33

and then you've got the fat just under the skin, round the edge.

0:26:330:26:36

So this is a 65-year-old who is relatively sedentary,

0:26:360:26:40

doesn't do a lot of physical activity at all,

0:26:400:26:43

and this is a 65-year-old who has throughout their life

0:26:430:26:45

done a lot of physical activity.

0:26:450:26:47

As well as maintaining mobility,

0:26:480:26:50

there are other important benefits to having bigger, stronger muscles.

0:26:500:26:55

They can reduce our risk of type-two diabetes.

0:26:550:26:58

Muscle is the main place where sugar goes when you eat a meal,

0:26:580:27:01

so this muscle here is going to be able to take a lot more sugar

0:27:010:27:05

than this muscle here, because of the size and quality of the muscle,

0:27:050:27:08

and if the sugar doesn't come out of the blood

0:27:080:27:12

and hangs about in the blood,

0:27:120:27:14

that's going to increase your risk of diabetes.

0:27:140:27:16

Right, so it's like a giant sponge in a way,

0:27:160:27:18

sucking the sugar out of your system and reducing the amount that is

0:27:180:27:21

circulating in a rather unhelpful way around the rest of you?

0:27:210:27:24

Our volunteers are hard at it with their training programme.

0:27:260:27:29

So, I've woken up this morning, my legs feel OK, my right arm feels OK,

0:27:310:27:36

but my left arm, I can definitely feel that I've put it to work.

0:27:360:27:40

Well, guys, do you think I'm more muscly?

0:27:400:27:42

I'm finding that the day after, the lighter side,

0:27:460:27:49

my lighter leg is really...

0:27:490:27:51

Especially the leg is really killing me.

0:27:510:27:53

After six weeks of commitment...

0:27:530:27:55

Oh!

0:27:550:27:57

..hard work...

0:27:570:27:58

..and determination...

0:27:590:28:01

..everyone has been retested to see how much stronger

0:28:030:28:06

their arms and legs are at the end.

0:28:060:28:09

So which has made more of a difference to their strength -

0:28:090:28:12

the heavy or the lighter weights?

0:28:120:28:14

Show of hands -

0:28:140:28:15

who thinks the heavy weight will produce the biggest result?

0:28:150:28:18

OK, that's two of you. Who thinks the light weight?

0:28:180:28:21

OK, one of you, and who's going for both? OK, two of you.

0:28:230:28:26

So, did it make any difference whether they were doing

0:28:260:28:29

the heavy weights or the light weights?

0:28:290:28:31

The short answer...is "no".

0:28:310:28:32

THEY CHEER

0:28:320:28:34

I knew it!

0:28:340:28:36

OK, so, two of you voted for no difference - exactly.

0:28:360:28:41

No gloating. Come on.

0:28:410:28:42

Regardless of weight, arms increased by 18%, 19%

0:28:430:28:47

and the legs by about 25%, but the weight made no difference at all.

0:28:470:28:51

An increase in strength of 25% in just six weeks is impressive.

0:28:510:28:57

And the volunteers haven't ended up lopsided.

0:28:570:28:59

They've got stronger by the same amount in both arms and both legs.

0:28:590:29:04

But which did they prefer?

0:29:040:29:06

The heavy or the light weights?

0:29:060:29:09

Who will actually want to continue with the heavy weights?

0:29:090:29:13

So, all of you.

0:29:130:29:14

All of you preferred the heavy weights to the light weights?

0:29:140:29:17

Interesting. Because I would have thought, I must admit,

0:29:170:29:20

light weights sound easier, but it wasn't?

0:29:200:29:21

No, I don't think light weights are easier.

0:29:210:29:23

I think it burns more at the time, so, yeah,

0:29:230:29:26

-I definitely don't think it's easier.

-And it took longer?

0:29:260:29:28

And it takes longer.

0:29:280:29:30

This is a surprise result.

0:29:300:29:32

We found that light weights are just as effective as heavy.

0:29:320:29:35

But all of the volunteers preferred the heavy weights,

0:29:350:29:38

because it didn't take as long.

0:29:380:29:40

I've never, ever been tempted to do weights before.

0:29:410:29:44

But I must admit, as a result of seeing what happened in this study,

0:29:440:29:48

I am going to take it up. And, like our volunteers,

0:29:480:29:51

I am tempted to use the kind of heavier weights,

0:29:510:29:54

because it's over and done with really fast.

0:29:540:29:57

Although you can, of course, do the lighter things but, in that case,

0:29:570:30:00

it's going to take you longer before you reach the point of exhaustion.

0:30:000:30:04

But the great thing is, you only need to do this twice a week.

0:30:040:30:07

To build muscle, you don't have to use weights.

0:30:100:30:14

You can use your own body weight

0:30:140:30:16

with exercises like squats and press ups.

0:30:160:30:19

Aim for twice a week, and keep going until you're tired.

0:30:190:30:22

So far, we've seen how the latest science is pointing us

0:30:270:30:31

towards quicker, more effective ways to improve

0:30:310:30:34

our aerobic fitness and our strength.

0:30:340:30:36

Heavy weights came out on top as the fast favourite to build muscle.

0:30:380:30:42

And whether it's brisk walks or short, sharp bursts of Hiit,

0:30:420:30:46

intensity is best.

0:30:460:30:47

The problem many of us face is how to make our good intentions last.

0:30:510:30:56

We waste nearly £600 million a year on unused gym memberships.

0:30:560:31:02

So what's the secret to sticking to our fitness plans?

0:31:020:31:05

Like a lot of people, I have these moments when I think,

0:31:060:31:09

"Ooh, I must get in shape,"

0:31:090:31:10

and so I start doing loads of exercise, and then I injure myself

0:31:100:31:15

or it gets cold and dark outside or perhaps I just get busy at work,

0:31:150:31:20

I give up, and then I find it incredibly difficult

0:31:200:31:23

to get motivated again.

0:31:230:31:25

So what is the secret behind discovering an exercise regime

0:31:250:31:28

that you will stick to? Is it simply a matter of willpower

0:31:280:31:32

or is it something else?

0:31:320:31:34

Willpower is all about determination,

0:31:350:31:37

making yourself do something that's not easy.

0:31:370:31:40

Studying it is exercise psychologist Dr Ian Taylor

0:31:420:31:45

at the University of Loughborough.

0:31:450:31:48

So, Ian, a lot of people sign up to places like this,

0:31:480:31:50

they pay their money, they come for a few weeks, and then they give up.

0:31:500:31:54

-Now, why is that?

-People are mostly motivated by willpower.

0:31:540:31:58

And it's a not-very-good motivation at all.

0:31:580:32:00

It's a very fragile type of motivation.

0:32:000:32:02

Hopefully, I'm going to demonstrate this to you in an experiment,

0:32:020:32:05

exactly how fragile it is.

0:32:050:32:07

Ian has invited ten volunteers to the University.

0:32:120:32:15

They've been told they are here to take part in a study

0:32:150:32:18

about exercise techniques.

0:32:180:32:20

But they don't know it's really a psychology experiment,

0:32:200:32:24

or that it has anything to do with willpower.

0:32:240:32:27

Who here has ever joined a gym?

0:32:270:32:30

-Me.

-All of you? OK.

0:32:300:32:32

I did try for about three weeks, but I only managed to get there twice.

0:32:320:32:35

I made about two months,

0:32:350:32:37

and continued paying the membership for about another six months.

0:32:370:32:40

We're going to look at what affects willpower,

0:32:410:32:43

and how big a part it really plays in how much exercise you do.

0:32:430:32:49

So, if we can have Sally, Sam, Brett, David and Alex on this side.

0:32:490:32:55

After being split into two groups,

0:32:550:32:57

each volunteer does a timed wall sit,

0:32:570:33:00

using their thigh muscles to balance against a wall,

0:33:000:33:03

which they'll repeat after their willpower has been tested.

0:33:030:33:07

Each group has their own experiment room -

0:33:090:33:12

identical, except one will feature some freshly warmed,

0:33:120:33:17

delicious smelling, tasty treats.

0:33:170:33:19

A volunteer from each group had been brought into their room

0:33:220:33:24

for stage one of the experiment.

0:33:240:33:26

They can't see us but we can see them.

0:33:290:33:31

What's going on in here?

0:33:340:33:35

So we've got a participant at the minute,

0:33:350:33:37

filling out some questionnaires, and they're completely bogus.

0:33:370:33:40

They're nothing to do with the experiment.

0:33:400:33:41

But what we've got on the table, as you can see, is some cookies.

0:33:410:33:44

Don't worry about the cookies -

0:33:440:33:46

they're for something we're doing later.

0:33:460:33:48

We've also wafted the smell of cookies.

0:33:480:33:50

Now, we've told the participants not to eat for a couple of hours

0:33:500:33:53

before the experiment, so they'll probably be hungry.

0:33:530:33:55

So the idea is that while they finish out those questionnaires,

0:33:550:33:58

they'll be tempted by the cookie smell

0:33:580:34:02

and they'll have to resist that temptation.

0:34:020:34:03

They'll be using willpower at the moment.

0:34:030:34:05

I mean, just standing here, I'm tempted. I can't smell them,

0:34:050:34:08

I can see them, I like cookies, I'm hungry,

0:34:080:34:09

-I want to go in there, grab one. I'm not going to.

-Exactly, exactly!

0:34:090:34:13

In the other room, their willpower won't be tested

0:34:130:34:15

before they're asked to exercise.

0:34:150:34:18

OK, same sort of room, no cookies.

0:34:190:34:21

Got a couple of questionnaires for you to fill out.

0:34:210:34:24

This is the room where they're doing exactly the same thing.

0:34:240:34:27

The only difference is, they can't smell cookies,

0:34:270:34:30

they can't see cookies.

0:34:300:34:31

So they're not being tempted,

0:34:310:34:33

they're not having to use willpower to resist the cookies.

0:34:330:34:36

After five minutes of form filling and some cookie smelling,

0:34:360:34:40

the volunteers repeat the wall sit.

0:34:400:34:42

So will having to use willpower to resist the cookies

0:34:440:34:47

affect how long they can do the exercise?

0:34:470:34:50

The hypothesis is that,

0:34:510:34:52

because they have not used any willpower to resist cookies,

0:34:520:34:56

they should be more willing to use willpower in the second task,

0:34:560:34:59

the wall-sit task.

0:34:590:35:00

Legs gave out before I wanted to.

0:35:000:35:02

After analysing the results, it's time to reveal to our volunteers

0:35:060:35:10

what today has really been about.

0:35:100:35:12

Now, you came here thinking this had something to do with exercise,

0:35:130:35:17

efficiency, better ways of doing exercise.

0:35:170:35:20

Actually, it has absolutely nothing to do with that.

0:35:200:35:22

THEY CHUCKLE

0:35:220:35:24

Who here went into a room where there were some biscuits?

0:35:240:35:28

Oh, are you beginning to get a hint here?

0:35:280:35:30

That is part of what we were looking at.

0:35:300:35:32

We were actually looking at willpower.

0:35:320:35:35

For two people, there was very, very large effects,

0:35:350:35:38

where you had big decreases from your first wall sit

0:35:380:35:41

to your second one in the cookie group.

0:35:410:35:44

So, within your group, who do you think it was?

0:35:440:35:46

I think I was.

0:35:460:35:47

-You think as well?

-It might have been me.

0:35:470:35:50

OK. Was it out of those two?

0:35:500:35:52

It was...Giuseppe...

0:35:520:35:53

-..and Ian...

-THEY CHUCKLE

0:35:540:35:56

..who were... Yeah, you absolutely replicated the effects well.

0:35:580:36:02

Huge decreases from your first to second wall sit.

0:36:020:36:05

All the volunteers in the room without the cookie temptation

0:36:060:36:10

lasted just as long in the wall sit as they did at the start of the day.

0:36:100:36:14

But Ian and Giuseppe,

0:36:150:36:16

after manfully resisting the delicious smelling cookies,

0:36:160:36:19

managed 30 seconds less than they had previously.

0:36:190:36:23

This experiment was based on a renowned psychology study in the US.

0:36:230:36:27

We're trying to replicate an effect that's been shown in the research

0:36:290:36:32

where, when you use willpower once, you will use less the second time.

0:36:320:36:37

So you'll give up on the wall sit a lot quicker,

0:36:370:36:40

because willpower reduces over time.

0:36:400:36:41

So if you think about the cookies in your experiment,

0:36:410:36:44

equate that to the sofa for exercise.

0:36:440:36:46

The sofa is the cookie.

0:36:460:36:47

-Get rid of the sofa.

-Get rid of the sofa!

0:36:470:36:50

Or at least don't go into that room where the sofa is,

0:36:500:36:53

or go straight to the gym after work.

0:36:530:36:54

What are the temptations in your house and think,

0:36:540:36:58

"OK, how can I avoid those temptations?

0:36:580:37:00

"Can I remove those temptations?"

0:37:000:37:02

Basically, make sure there's no wine in the house, then, as well.

0:37:020:37:05

If you're relying on willpower for you to exercise,

0:37:050:37:08

it will probably fail.

0:37:080:37:09

If willpower isn't a good motivator, what is?

0:37:090:37:13

What you need to do is to look at more immediate satisfactions.

0:37:130:37:17

A podcast while you're walking or if you enjoy the company

0:37:170:37:21

of the fitness instructor, what do you enjoy?

0:37:210:37:24

If you fancy the fitness instructor...

0:37:240:37:26

I didn't want to say that!

0:37:260:37:27

Sometimes you have to get motivation

0:37:270:37:29

for doing stuff with other people, don't you?

0:37:290:37:32

I find I'm far more motivated to go

0:37:320:37:34

if it's with somebody else. If it's by myself, there's no chance.

0:37:340:37:38

If you really enjoy your daughter's company or your friend's company,

0:37:380:37:41

then it's short-term satisfaction.

0:37:410:37:44

They will keep you going.

0:37:440:37:45

It's the enjoyment and the value of that exercise,

0:37:450:37:48

rather than the guilt or other people telling you to do so.

0:37:480:37:51

If you don't enjoy going to the gym, don't go to the gym.

0:37:510:37:54

Find something else that you DO enjoy.

0:37:540:37:56

So the secret of willpower is not to need it in the first place.

0:37:570:38:01

Another reason some of us are reluctant to exercise

0:38:100:38:13

is a fear of doing ourselves damage.

0:38:130:38:16

And there's one activity that has a particularly bad reputation,

0:38:160:38:20

especially for our joints.

0:38:200:38:22

But new research

0:38:230:38:24

could be about to turn this fear of running on its head.

0:38:240:38:28

Running is good for your heart and your lungs.

0:38:290:38:31

But there are many people, including me,

0:38:310:38:33

who worry that it's bad for the joints,

0:38:330:38:35

particularly the knees.

0:38:350:38:36

Is this true? I'm about to find out.

0:38:360:38:39

I've come to St Mary's University in London

0:38:400:38:42

to meet Professor John Brewer,

0:38:420:38:44

exercise scientist and running enthusiast.

0:38:440:38:48

I'm pretty convinced that when I run, when I exercise,

0:38:480:38:52

it leads to potential injuries to the knee.

0:38:520:38:53

Because it makes sense, you're pounding away on the concrete.

0:38:530:38:56

-Yeah.

-And that sends shocks through your knee,

0:38:560:38:58

and that adds to wear and tear, osteoarthritis and things like that.

0:38:580:39:01

That's an easy assumption to make,

0:39:010:39:02

because of course there'll be forces going to the foot, the lower leg,

0:39:020:39:05

and the knee when you're running.

0:39:050:39:07

And it's thought that those forces

0:39:070:39:09

will damage this all-important cartilage

0:39:090:39:10

that rests between the bones of the knee.

0:39:100:39:12

We're doing an experiment to measure the forces that go through our knees

0:39:140:39:17

when we run, compared with walking.

0:39:170:39:20

And I'm the guinea pig.

0:39:200:39:22

John is using motion capture technology.

0:39:230:39:26

This helps him to see exactly how my body moves.

0:39:260:39:30

My first challenge is an easy one.

0:39:310:39:34

So you're going to walk along the track here.

0:39:340:39:37

We've got two force platforms.

0:39:370:39:38

They will measure the force every time your foot hits the ground.

0:39:380:39:41

So just walk naturally, look ahead,

0:39:410:39:43

nice and steadily down towards the camera at the end there.

0:39:430:39:46

-Take your time, off you go.

-OK.

0:39:460:39:48

I'm glad there aren't any mirrors in here,

0:39:500:39:52

as I don't think this is a good look.

0:39:520:39:56

First, walking.

0:39:560:39:58

By analysing my movement and the forces going through my joints,

0:39:580:40:01

this will allow John to measure how much impact and potential damage is

0:40:010:40:06

happening to my knees.

0:40:060:40:08

Now for something a little more energetic.

0:40:080:40:12

OK, Michael, so this time we're not going to walk.

0:40:120:40:14

We're going to ask you to run. In your own time, a nice...

0:40:140:40:17

No, no, no. Definitely not, not Usain Bolt.

0:40:170:40:19

-More Mo Farah.

-OK.

-OK.

0:40:190:40:20

Even Mo Farah is probably about three times as fast as I am.

0:40:200:40:24

-Yeah, yeah.

-By tracking my running movements,

0:40:240:40:26

John can see how they compare with walking.

0:40:260:40:29

So which causes the greatest impact on my knees,

0:40:300:40:34

running or walking?

0:40:340:40:35

John has analysed the results.

0:40:350:40:38

We have two lines here. This first red graph shows the forces that your

0:40:380:40:42

foot encountered when you were running,

0:40:420:40:44

and the blue one is when you're walking.

0:40:440:40:46

The forces from running were higher

0:40:460:40:48

than the forces from when you were walking,

0:40:480:40:50

when you were going much more slowly.

0:40:500:40:52

So that one is nearly twice as big as that one?

0:40:520:40:54

Yes, it is. So that would in a sense play into the hands

0:40:540:40:57

of the theory that running causes a lot of extra force and more damage.

0:40:570:41:00

Yeah.

0:41:000:41:01

As you might expect, at the moment I hit the ground, the forces going

0:41:010:41:06

through my knee are greater when I run than when I walk.

0:41:060:41:10

But John has also compared how much time my knees

0:41:100:41:13

experience that impact.

0:41:130:41:15

What's really interesting is that when you look at this a little

0:41:150:41:18

bit more closely, you can see that the length of time that your foot

0:41:180:41:21

was experiencing force for

0:41:210:41:23

was much longer than when you were walking.

0:41:230:41:25

We can actually see that the force per metre, from running,

0:41:250:41:29

was significantly lower,

0:41:290:41:31

almost half the force from walking.

0:41:310:41:34

OK, I find that very surprising, I must admit.

0:41:340:41:37

Mmm, it is, it's a big surprise,

0:41:370:41:39

but it's a function of the speed that you're going at,

0:41:390:41:41

your stride length, and the shorter period of time

0:41:410:41:44

that your foot is in contact with the ground.

0:41:440:41:46

When I ran, my foot touched the ground for less time

0:41:460:41:49

and I made fewer steps in total.

0:41:490:41:52

This means that, overall, the force through my body

0:41:520:41:55

was actually lower for running than it was for walking.

0:41:550:41:59

It's still the case that when I was running, there was more sharp impact

0:41:590:42:03

and, you know, if I punch you hard

0:42:030:42:05

or I punch you more gently but slower,

0:42:050:42:08

you're still going to feel the hard punch much more than the gentle one

0:42:080:42:12

which goes on for a while.

0:42:120:42:13

If we look at the peak force,

0:42:130:42:14

that's actually quite acceptable a force

0:42:140:42:16

because it's the sort of force

0:42:160:42:18

that the human body is designed to experience.

0:42:180:42:21

We are all designed to both walk and to run.

0:42:210:42:23

We had to run, you know,

0:42:230:42:24

our ancestors had to run in order to catch food or to avoid being prey.

0:42:240:42:28

So running is a natural part of our lives.

0:42:280:42:30

So the type of force that we see is not excessive.

0:42:300:42:33

When it comes to our knees,

0:42:350:42:37

John doesn't simply believe running is harmless.

0:42:370:42:39

He believes it might actually be beneficial.

0:42:390:42:42

Scientific studies suggest that the regular impact from running

0:42:420:42:46

repeatedly compresses and releases the cartilage.

0:42:460:42:49

Surprisingly, that's actually good for the joint.

0:42:490:42:53

One of the benefits is that the regular impact from running,

0:42:540:42:57

actually, are compressing and then relaxing the cartilage.

0:42:570:43:00

That's stimulating blood flow,

0:43:000:43:01

it's bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the cartilage,

0:43:010:43:04

and of course that will help it to both repair,

0:43:040:43:07

and to grow and to develop.

0:43:070:43:09

-So not an excuse?

-Not an excuse at all.

0:43:090:43:10

Get your training shoes on and get out for a run.

0:43:100:43:13

New research shows that runners are in fact less likely to suffer

0:43:150:43:20

from arthritis than non-runners.

0:43:200:43:22

So it would seem that in the long term,

0:43:240:43:26

running can be good for our joints.

0:43:260:43:28

But I know all too well there are plenty of other ways

0:43:300:43:32

that you can injure yourself while running.

0:43:320:43:36

I managed to injure my knee while running.

0:43:360:43:38

I was going through a wood, I sort of slid on something, twisted it,

0:43:380:43:41

-and it hasn't been the same since.

-Injuries are an occupational hazard,

0:43:410:43:44

they will always happen to anybody in sport,

0:43:440:43:47

particularly at higher risk in running,

0:43:470:43:49

when you're on an uneven or slippery surface.

0:43:490:43:51

But I think what we've seen today is that the scientific evidence

0:43:510:43:54

shows that, actually, running can be good for you,

0:43:540:43:56

particularly if you start off slowly and build up gradually.

0:43:560:43:59

A mistake that many people make is to do too much, too soon.

0:43:590:44:01

The most common cause of injury is trying to run too far or too fast

0:44:010:44:06

before your body has had a chance to get used to it.

0:44:060:44:09

So start with brisk walking,

0:44:090:44:11

and build up distance and pace gradually.

0:44:110:44:13

If you are very overweight or have an injury,

0:44:140:44:17

then you might be better off doing something like cycling or swimming.

0:44:170:44:20

But for most of us, a small amount of running

0:44:200:44:22

can be good for our health and our knees.

0:44:220:44:25

So the claim that running, at least in moderation,

0:44:270:44:29

leads to wearing out of the joints and possibly to arthritis,

0:44:290:44:33

turns out to be false.

0:44:330:44:35

Another excuse for not doing exercise bites the dust.

0:44:350:44:38

Most people exercise to improve their health, lose a bit of weight,

0:44:420:44:45

and tone their bodies.

0:44:450:44:47

But some people, and they can be very annoying,

0:44:470:44:49

do exercise just because they love it.

0:44:490:44:52

New science is beginning to explain why exercise can be so pleasurable.

0:44:520:44:58

Many runners claim that when they go for a run,

0:44:580:45:00

they get this runner's high,

0:45:000:45:02

the release in the brain of feel-good chemicals,

0:45:020:45:05

a bit like illegal drugs,

0:45:050:45:08

which just makes them feel terrific.

0:45:080:45:09

Now, I have never experienced anything like that,

0:45:090:45:12

so can it possibly be true?

0:45:120:45:14

For a long time, it's been claimed that the runner's high

0:45:150:45:18

is the result of endorphins,

0:45:180:45:20

something our bod produces during exercise.

0:45:200:45:24

But now, physiologist Dr Saoirse O'Sullivan

0:45:240:45:26

believes a different brain signal may be responsible,

0:45:260:45:30

one that is very similar to an illegal drug.

0:45:300:45:33

So I'm interested in a class of chemicals called endocannabinoids.

0:45:330:45:38

And these are presumably like cannabis?

0:45:380:45:41

So they're...they're similar in structure to the main chemical

0:45:410:45:45

that you find in cannabis, but we make them in our own body.

0:45:450:45:48

We're interested in whether or not these chemicals

0:45:480:45:50

might be part of the high.

0:45:500:45:53

To find out, we're doing a brand-new experiment

0:45:530:45:55

with the help of some runners in Nottingham.

0:45:550:45:58

Saoirse is going to see if the level of endocannabinoids in their blood

0:45:580:46:02

increases after they've been for a run.

0:46:020:46:05

-Has this been done before?

-It hasn't been done

0:46:050:46:07

in an outdoor setting before, so there's been a couple of studies

0:46:070:46:10

that have been done, but they were in a laboratory setting,

0:46:100:46:13

and they've actually got them to exercise

0:46:130:46:14

for quite a long period of time.

0:46:140:46:16

We want to find out if you can get an increase in endocannabinoids from

0:46:160:46:20

the sort of easy short run that you or I might do in the local park.

0:46:200:46:25

I think it's probably time for you lot to go off.

0:46:250:46:27

-I'll see you back here in about half an hour.

-OK.

-OK.

-Enjoy.

0:46:270:46:31

-Good luck.

-You look as though you're quite jealous.

0:46:310:46:34

I am, really jealous. I'd like to be doing that now.

0:46:340:46:37

Whereas I absolutely wouldn't.

0:46:370:46:39

The idea that cannabinoids might increase during exercise is new.

0:46:390:46:44

These natural brain chemicals were discovered by accident

0:46:440:46:48

when scientists were researching why the drug cannabis makes us high.

0:46:480:46:52

They first discovered that there is a specific receptor in the bodies,

0:46:520:46:56

so a protein found on the outside of cells, to which the chemicals from

0:46:560:47:00

cannabis combined and that's what brings about their actions.

0:47:000:47:04

And once they knew that we have this in our brain,

0:47:040:47:07

people started looking for, what do we make in our body

0:47:070:47:10

that binds to this?

0:47:100:47:12

Because we don't have proteins and receptors that bind to cannabis

0:47:120:47:15

for no reason. We must make some chemical in our body that also binds

0:47:150:47:18

to them that might have similar effects.

0:47:180:47:21

And it was just a couple of years later

0:47:210:47:22

that they discovered the first compound

0:47:220:47:25

that they called anendocannabinoids.

0:47:250:47:27

The image on the right is a cannabinoid from cannabis,

0:47:270:47:31

on the left is an endocannabinoid we produce in our body.

0:47:310:47:35

They're almost identical.

0:47:350:47:36

They're structurally very similar.

0:47:360:47:39

They're very similar compounds,

0:47:390:47:40

have very similar pharmacological properties.

0:47:400:47:43

Both chemicals put out positive emotions and increase appetite -

0:47:430:47:47

sensations that people report after they've been for a run.

0:47:470:47:50

OK, whoa, slow down. Well done, how are you feeling?

0:47:520:47:55

Really good. Really exhilarated, actually.

0:47:550:47:57

I feel tingly, warm, light on my feet.

0:47:570:48:00

Good, alive, pumping.

0:48:000:48:02

But is their euphoria due to a rise in endocannabinoids?

0:48:030:48:08

We are about to find out.

0:48:080:48:10

Their blood samples are analysed.

0:48:110:48:13

And the results are in.

0:48:130:48:16

And what we found was, when you came back from the run,

0:48:160:48:19

you had 30% more endocannabinoids in your blood than you did.

0:48:190:48:23

So exercise seems to stimulate across all of you

0:48:230:48:27

a big increase of endocannabinoids in your blood.

0:48:270:48:30

-Surprising?

-That's very surprising.

0:48:300:48:32

That is surprising, isn't it? That proves what I thought,

0:48:320:48:34

-to be honest with you.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:48:340:48:36

More of a runner's bliss than a runner's high, maybe.

0:48:360:48:40

So even a relatively short run can bring chemical bliss.

0:48:400:48:44

But why do people produce endocannabinoids when they exercise?

0:48:440:48:48

Saoirse believes it may be our body's way of encouraging us

0:48:480:48:53

-to keep fit.

-Now we know exercise is good for us,

0:48:530:48:55

we know that we're fitter and healthier.

0:48:550:48:58

We're mentally and physically healthier, we're more fertile,

0:48:580:49:01

and there's lots of reasons why exercise is good for us.

0:49:010:49:04

So the body having a reward mechanism for exercise would seem

0:49:040:49:08

like a good evolutionary thing that, you know,

0:49:080:49:11

just makes us want do it more,

0:49:110:49:13

and that makes us fitter and stronger and happier.

0:49:130:49:15

So how is getting, you know, a bliss from doing exercise different to,

0:49:150:49:20

for example, from smoking cannabis?

0:49:200:49:22

So I think probably the big difference

0:49:220:49:24

is the amount of these chemicals.

0:49:240:49:26

So you've got a 30% increase.

0:49:260:49:28

It caused a mood-altering effect in you, it made you feel better.

0:49:280:49:32

But if you were to smoke a cannabis cigarette or joint,

0:49:320:49:35

you would have a much, much bigger increase and that can have a lot of

0:49:350:49:39

negative impacts on some people as well.

0:49:390:49:42

Taking in too many cannabinoids can overwhelm our system.

0:49:420:49:46

But when our bodies produce cannabinoids,

0:49:460:49:49

it keeps them within safe limits.

0:49:490:49:52

So we experience a high without the downsides.

0:49:520:49:55

Now, I have always been rather cynical about the idea

0:49:570:50:00

of a runner's high, having never personally experienced it.

0:50:000:50:03

But this new research really does suggest there may be

0:50:030:50:06

naturally occurring chemicals that can help explain

0:50:060:50:10

why some people really love exercise.

0:50:100:50:12

So far, we've been looking at the science of how good

0:50:180:50:21

exercise is for our bodies, but some of the most exciting new research

0:50:210:50:24

is looking at the impact it can have on our brains.

0:50:240:50:29

In this final test,

0:50:300:50:33

I want to look at an exercise that may be able to make us

0:50:330:50:35

instantly cleverer.

0:50:350:50:37

Now, there is plenty of evidence that exercise is good for the brain

0:50:380:50:42

but there is one particular activity

0:50:420:50:45

which seems to be unusually beneficial,

0:50:450:50:47

and we're about to test it out.

0:50:470:50:49

SALSA MUSIC

0:50:490:50:51

I've come to Coventry University to meet a team of scientists

0:50:510:50:55

who want to test whether our brains get an immediate boost from dancing.

0:50:550:51:01

Cognitive scientist Professor Michael Duncan is running

0:51:030:51:06

the experiment.

0:51:060:51:08

OK, I must admit it is a great deal more fun seeing them doing this

0:51:110:51:15

than being on a treadmill, or something like that, but why dance?

0:51:150:51:18

Dance is physically active but it's also very co-ordinative.

0:51:180:51:22

It has a cognitive element in order to accomplish that.

0:51:220:51:24

You have to use your brain, basically, to remember the steps,

0:51:240:51:27

-and things like that.

-Yeah.

-So what you're going to be measuring

0:51:270:51:30

is the effect, if you like, of doing a dance class on your brain.

0:51:300:51:33

If we give somebody one session,

0:51:330:51:35

does that produce an immediate response?

0:51:350:51:38

They're obviously enjoying themselves.

0:51:380:51:40

The question is, is it actually making them in any sense smarter?

0:51:400:51:42

Yes.

0:51:420:51:43

SALSA MUSIC

0:51:430:51:46

Helping Mike with the experiment is salsa instructor

0:51:500:51:54

and exercise scientist Dr Pablo Domene.

0:51:540:51:58

He's invited his entire dance class to the lab.

0:51:580:52:01

What keeps you coming back?

0:52:010:52:03

Like, the power, the atmosphere, enjoyment that you come

0:52:030:52:07

and you don't want to finish.

0:52:070:52:08

Do you feel smarter afterwards?

0:52:080:52:10

I'm not sure about smarter.

0:52:100:52:12

You have a much better spatial awareness and much better reflexes.

0:52:120:52:16

These dancers will do some mental tests before and after

0:52:160:52:19

a dance session to see if there's any change in performance.

0:52:190:52:23

So, we've got one which looks at decision-making

0:52:250:52:28

and ability to avoid distractions.

0:52:280:52:30

We've got another one that looks at working memory

0:52:300:52:34

and can you recognise patterns, and we have another one

0:52:340:52:36

that looks at, can you anticipate moving objects?

0:52:360:52:39

So it's basically being able to anticipate something

0:52:390:52:41

in space and time, if you like?

0:52:410:52:43

It has wide application in a whole range of different parts of life.

0:52:430:52:47

The test assesses skills we use every day - decision-making, memory,

0:52:470:52:53

and our ability to judge how fast things are moving through space.

0:52:530:52:58

Now the volunteers have had their brains assessed,

0:52:580:53:01

it's time to test their feet.

0:53:010:53:03

As the class progresses, the music gets faster, and so do the moves.

0:53:080:53:13

Con brazos!

0:53:130:53:14

Everyone is building up a sweat.

0:53:160:53:18

Salsa basica.

0:53:180:53:20

After 30 minutes of high-paced salsa...

0:53:200:53:23

..it's time for everyone to repeat the mental test.

0:53:230:53:27

So, did the dance class make any difference?

0:53:270:53:29

Mike has the results.

0:53:310:53:33

The anticipation timing task,

0:53:340:53:36

which looks at the perception and cognition together,

0:53:360:53:40

we found an 8% improvement pre to post for the whole group.

0:53:400:53:44

-Pretty good?

-Yeah, pretty good.

0:53:440:53:46

For the visual discrimination test,

0:53:460:53:48

where we're looking at can you focus and avoid being distracted,

0:53:480:53:52

-we saw a 13% improvement which, again...

-I could do with that.

0:53:520:53:57

I find I get distracted by all sorts of things when I'm at work.

0:53:570:53:59

-So, yeah.

-The test that's probably more surprising to me

0:53:590:54:03

and the biggest change is the one that looked at working memory,

0:54:030:54:06

where we found an 18% improvement in that particular test.

0:54:060:54:10

Working memory is our ability

0:54:110:54:13

to hold different bits of information in our heads

0:54:130:54:17

and use it to get the job done,

0:54:170:54:19

anything from following a recipe to holding a conversation.

0:54:190:54:22

And Mike has never seen a result like this for any other type

0:54:250:54:28

of activity, including running and cycling.

0:54:280:54:32

It's so amazing to see the results because I just think

0:54:330:54:35

I just shake, shake, shake.

0:54:350:54:36

But actually, to know, wow, I'm getting smarter!

0:54:360:54:39

I think cognition, the ability to repeat something, I think

0:54:390:54:42

it is a great asset at work.

0:54:420:54:44

So, what's special about dancing?

0:54:460:54:47

Most types of exercise will have a positive effect

0:54:490:54:52

on cognitive performance.

0:54:520:54:54

With something like salsa dance, you have to think about these steps,

0:54:540:54:58

you have to think about the pattern, you have to think about

0:54:580:55:00

staying in time with the music,

0:55:000:55:02

so that actually requires a lot of cognitive manipulation

0:55:020:55:06

while the dance is going on,

0:55:060:55:09

while you are also physically exerting yourself.

0:55:090:55:12

One reason people say they don't do exercise

0:55:140:55:15

is because they ain't got time,

0:55:150:55:17

but presumably this would suggest that if you put...

0:55:170:55:20

find a bit of time to do a bit of dancing, then you might become

0:55:200:55:24

a bit more productive and therefore you might get more out of your day.

0:55:240:55:27

You become more effective in your use of existing time.

0:55:270:55:31

So, dance, it's like that.

0:55:320:55:34

Snap. Snap, snap. OK.

0:55:360:55:38

One, two. One, two.

0:55:380:55:41

Exercise really can make us quicker. And perhaps cleverer.

0:55:420:55:47

And current research suggests

0:55:470:55:49

that dancing could be the best exercise of all

0:55:490:55:52

to get maximum brain benefits.

0:55:520:55:54

Focus! Five, six, seven, eight. One, two, three. And shimmy!

0:55:560:56:00

No, that's really good, that's really good.

0:56:040:56:06

Whoo!

0:56:090:56:10

I've come to the end of my search

0:56:120:56:14

into the most effective ways to get fit.

0:56:140:56:18

I've been really impressed at the scientific breakthroughs

0:56:180:56:20

that are helping us to understand exactly how exercise gives us

0:56:200:56:25

all these wonderful benefits, and this new knowledge means

0:56:250:56:28

we can be more targeted when choosing the right activity for us.

0:56:280:56:32

So, what have I learnt about getting fit?

0:56:380:56:41

If lack of time is your problem, then the intensity is the way to go.

0:56:410:56:45

Brisk walks, some Hiit and also some weight training.

0:56:450:56:49

I'm never going to love doing exercise,

0:56:490:56:51

but at least I now know how to do it properly

0:56:510:56:53

and how to get the maximum benefit for the minimum effort.

0:56:530:56:57

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