No Time. No Worries.

With the responsibilities of job, social and family, endurance athletes are often time challenged. And sometimes they give short shrift to their workout. However a new study shows that less may be more or at least equal. In a recently published study researchers compared the effect of a high intensity shorter work out to a traditional longer, moderate intensity exercise bout on mitochondrial adaptations. Subjects underwent either five four-minute bouts at 75% peak power output each separated by one minute of rest or one 30 minute bout at 50% peak power output.

Researchers measured metabolic changes in the mitochondria, the energy producing factories in muscle cells. Improvements in endurance performance are directly correlated with mitochondrial adaptations. The researchers found that fewer minutes of higher intensity exercise produced similar mitochondrial responses that resulted in positive beneficial metabolic adaptations as the longer, lower intensity workout.

The investigators concluded exercise may be prescribed according to individual preferences and still produce beneficial metabolic adaptations.