New Scientist - The Essential Guides

The Essential Guide series brings together the best recent coverage from New Scientist specially curated into beautiful compendiums about the most exciting themes in science and technology today. Written and edited by some of the world’s best science writers, these guides will leave you with everything you need to know about subjects from nutrition to the solar system and more.

NEW SCIENTIST ESSENTIAL GUIDE EXERCISE

New Scientist

THE BASICS OF EXERCISE

WHAT IS EXERCISE? • We are told that exercising is the key to vitality, and yet it isn’t necessarily obvious which types of physical activity count as exercise. Before we can work out if we are getting enough, we must get to grips with how to measure it.

BORN TO MOVE • Today, many of us see exercise as something we need to fit in to our busy schedules. It is a counterbalance to too much time spent sitting. Of course, things haven’t always been that way, and our physical requirement to move is a reflection of our evolutionary past.

ON YOUR FEET!

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE? • Even Socrates, not remembered as an athlete, recognised that exercise led to good health, and bemoaned the lack of fitness among his students. Today, many people would like to be more active to improve their health. Before we look at the amount of exercise we should be aiming for, we need to understand exactly what it does to our bodies. It has taken a surprisingly long time to figure that out, but recent work is illuminating.

IS EXERCISE WORTH IT?

HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO WE NEED? • We have seen that exercise is akin to a wonder drug, and yet around the world, 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men don’t do enough physical activity to stay healthy. What is the ideal dose?

10,000 STEPS

EXERCISE AT ANY AGE • If one thing is becoming clearer than ever, it is that we need to throw out the idea that exercise and fitness are the preserve of the young, and that older generations should be putting their feet up. Keeping fit and strong into old age brings innumerable physical and mental benefits.

THE BEST KIND OF EXERCISE

RUNNING VS WALKING • Running can get your heart pumping, but while some people are addicted to pounding the pavements, for others the very thought of doing it brings discomfort and dread. Is it really necessary, or could a brisk walk be just as effective?

MECHANICS OF LOCOMOTION

THE BENEFITS OF STRENGTH TRAINING • When it comes to fitness, building muscle power has long played second fiddle to aerobic exercise, perhaps because many people think it is simply for bulking up muscle. But strength training could add years of life and protect you from some major killers. Skip it and you could be overlooking one of the best forms of exercise for the body and mind.

THE POWER OF HIIT • The promise of getting super fit with very short bouts of exercise might sound like wishful thinking, but high intensity interval training can be worth working up a sweat about.

DO YOU NEED TO STRETCH BEFORE EXERCISE?

HOW IMPORTANT IS FLEXIBILITY? • Many people strive to touch their toes or do the splits, but it is perfectly possible to get all the benefits of stretching without pushing your body to its limits.

NEW SCIENTIST ESSENTIAL GUIDES DELIVERED DIRECT TO YOUR DOOR

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORT

HOW BRAIN TRAINING COULD SMASH WORLD RECORDS • The limits of endurance are set not by the body but the brain. Overriding it could push us to dramatic new feats of athletic performance.

DOES LISTENING TO MUSIC MAKE EXERCISE EASIER?

THINK YOURSELF FIT • New research into the body-mind connection is revealing that the way you think about your body and your lifestyle could be directly affecting how physically fit you really are.

IS IT EASIER TO RUN ON A TREADMILL?...