Exercise Meaningful in Having Good Mental Health
In this cross-sectional study, we analysed data from 1 237 194 people aged 18 years or older in the USA from the 2011, 2013, and 2015 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System survey. We compared the number of days of bad self-reported mental health between individuals who exercised and those who did not, using an exact non-parametric matching procedure to balance the two groups in terms of age, race, gender, marital status, income, education l...How to Improve Self-Control in Schools
Make school more demanding for all students In its coverage of U.S. secondary education, the popular press tends to focus on two relatively small groups: students headed for elite colleges (many of whom are under tremendous stress and pressure) and students at risk for dropping out (many of whom come from the most disadvantaged communities). These stories are important to tell, but they leave out the vast majority of students, who don't fall into either of these extremes. These high school st...Evidence on Creatine
Strong scientific evidence for this use Enhanced muscle mass / strength: Several high-quality studies have shown an increase in muscle mass with creatine use. However, some weaker studies have reported mixed results. Overall, the available evidence suggests that creatine does increase lean body mass, strength, and total work. Future studies should include the effect of individual differences such as fitness levels, sex, and age. Unclear scientific evidence for this use Athletic performance...An Algorithm for Predicting Longevity
For the test, participants exercised on a treadmill at increasing speed and incline. While they were exercising, the researches measured peak heart rate (%MPHR) and their ability to withstand physical exertion. On that latter point, they measured metabolic equivalents, or METs, which gauges how much energy the body expends during exercise. The more intense the exercise, the higher the METs (e.g. slow walking = ~2 METs, whereas running = ~8 METs). [...] FIT Treadmill Score = %MPHR 12(M...You can get your MPHR for your age here. I found a chart of METS here for various exercises.
Activity | METS | Activity | METS |
Aerobic Dancing | 6.0 | Running 12 min/mile | 8.5 |
Backpacking | 7.0 | Racquetball | 8.0 |
Badminton | 7.0 | Rugby | 8.3 |
Basketball | 6.0 | Skating ice/roller | 7.0 |
Bicycling - 24mph | 5.0 | Skiing cross country | 8.0 |
Calisthenics | 4.5 | Soccer | 8.0 |
Golf | 5.0 | Softball | 5.0 |
Gymnastics | 5.5 | Swimming | 6.0 |
Handball | 8.0 | Tennis | 7.0 |
Hockey | 8.0 | Volleyball | 4.0 |
Horse riding | 3.5 | Walking | 3.5 |
Running 8 min/mile | 12.5 | Weight lifting | 4.5 |
Stage | Minutes | % grade | km/h | MPH | METS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 3 | 10 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 5 |
2 | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 7 |
3 | 3 | 14 | 5.4 | 3.4 | 10 |
4 | 3 | 16 | 6.7 | 4.2 | 13 |
5 | 3 | 18 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 15 |
6 | 3 | 20 | 8.8 | 5.5 | 18 |
7 | 3 | 22 | 9.6 | 6.0 | 20 |
Total Durations = 21 minutes
So, if I'm understanding this correctly. If I reach a 160 heart rate out of 179.0 MPHR predicted for my 41 years of age while running 12 minute miles worth 8.5 METS. My score would be:
83.7 12(8.5) - 4(41) = 21.7
The same heart rate for my age running 8 minute miles:
83.7 12(8.5) - 4(41) = 69.7
HICT Sample Program
The following is an example of a 12-station HICT program. All exercises can be done with body weight and implements easily acquired in almost any setting (e.g., home, office, hotel room, etc.). The exercise order allows for a total body exercise to significantly increase the heart rate while the lower, upper, and core exercises function to maintain the increased heart rate while developing strength. Exercises are performed for 30 seconds, with 10 seconds of transition time between bouts. Tot...Series of 12 exercises to be performed 30 seconds each for a 7-minute total workout.
Exercise Rejuvenates the Body
As noted earlier, mitochondrial degradation is a primary culprit in dwindling muscle mass. But recent evidence indicates that exercise can slow down this effect. According to Mark Tarnopolsky, a professor of pediatrics and medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, resistance training activates a muscle stem cell called a satellite cell. In a physiological process known as ‘gene shifting,' these new cells cause the mitochondria to rejuvenate. Tarnopolsky claims that after six mon...Strength training specifically prompts the body to produce stem cells that repair motochondria, promotes the production of telomerase to maintain DNA, increase lifespan by six to seven years, and improve cognitive function dramatically as we age.
Put Your Health Above All Else
With your talents and industry, with science, and that steadfast honesty which eternally pursues right, regardless of consequences, you may promise yourself every thing—but health, without which there is no happiness. An attention to health then should take place of evey other object. The time necessary to secure this by active exercises, should be devoted to it in preference to every other pursuit.Everything should be secondary to exercise.
Look for New Problems to Solve
[My father] advised me to sit every few months in my reading chair for an entire evening, close my eyes and try to think of new problems to solve. I took his advice very seriously and have been glad ever since that he did.An interesting regular mental exercise for any scientist.
Activities With Children
After my children turned 3, I employed some fun activities to improve executive function, roughly based on the canonical work of Adele Diamond. I would tell them that today was “opposite day. When I held up a drawn picture of the night, an inky black background sprinkled with stars, they were supposed to say “day.” When I held up a picture with a big blue sky inhabited by a big yellow sun, they were supposed to say “night.” I would alternate the pictures with increasing rapidity ...Some activities the author engages with his children to teach them self-control.
Exercise with your Children
This rise in pediatric obesity is painful to hear in the brain science community, especially because we know so much about the relationship between physical activity and mental acuity. Exercise—especially aerobic exercise—is fanastic for the brain, increasing executive function scores anywhere from 50 percent to 100 percent. This is true across the life span, from young children to members of the golden-parachute crowd. Strengthening exercises do not give you these numbers (though ther...Exercise is so important for improved cognitive function.