I have seen two articles/posts recently that got me thinking that I should share them and some of my thoughts. One is posted on the BBC News site here and the other was posted by the always insightful Erica Robinson of Whole Life Health Services here.
Both articles point to the possibly detrimental effects of endurance training on the heart (Erica’s article is a little more holistic in that it shows more global effects of endurance type cardiovascular exercise). It is important to note the points made don’t state that endurance training is a no-no, more that extreme endurance training (above one’s limits) can be detrimental in multiple ways. For some of us it is the only way we feel comfortable exercising so intelligent application of endurance training is better than having a complete couch potato life. For some of us we can attain the heart health benefits from resistance exercise and do it in less time (thanks Erica!).
What do I want the take home message to be? There are many ways to skin a cat! The best idea is to figure out what form of exercise you want to partake in and then get trained help to aid you in designing an intelligent program. No one fitness program fits everyone so yours should consider all of your needs and wants.
Your heart lives under your ribs - Osteopathy can make sure it lives without interference
If you want any advice I am available for consultation on exercise programs. I am also available to perform Osteopathic Manual Therapy for patients to ensure that their heart is not obstructed by physical imbalances (click here if you are interested in reading an Osteopathic take on some heart issues).
