Fall 2019 Research Update: Fitness, Performance and Exercise

Read the latest research about the benefits of an active lifestyle, improving lifting performance and morning versus evening exercise.

It’s Never Too Late

Here’s one instance in which your past will not come back to haunt you: A new study published in the British Medical Journal found that the benefits reaped from living an active lifestyle today are not dependent on whether you used to be active in the past. In other words, if you are currently sedentary or inactive or have been so in the past, you will benefit from starting an exercise program as much as someone who was active in their past. 

Researchers found that with every physical activity increase of 1 calorie/kilogram/day per year, the risk of premature mortality from any cause dropped by 24 percent in mature adults. There was also a 29 percent lower risk of cardiovascular death and an 11 percent lower risk of dying from any form of cancer. So what are you waiting for? Go get your fit on.

Chalk It Up!

Chalking up your fingers and palms may help improve lifting performance by as much as 16 percent, according to a study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science. However, not just any old chalk will do: Performance chalk is composed of magnesium carbonate, which has been shown to give athletes a better grip, decrease friction, stop sweat and kill bacteria.

Morning vs. Evening Exercise

Are you a morning exerciser or an evening exerciser? Though both time slots do a body good, it turns out that they boost different metabolic processes: A study from the University of Copenhagen found that morning exercise stimulates genes in the muscle cells that make them more effective and better capable of metabolizing sugars and fats, while evening exercise increases whole-body energy expenditure for an extended period of time. In terms of overall health and well-being, one is no better than the other, so go ahead and train when it best fits your schedule — because the worst workout is the one you don’t do!