all the rage

How an intense sweat session can help you shed the kilos – and the stress.

Fact: fight-or-flight hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are becoming all too common in our daily interactions. “It’s part of life to have our adrenal glands elevated every so often,” says Vanessa Gospel, a Sydney-based personal trainer at Fitness First. “Thousands of years ago, this rush gave us the ability to attempt to outrun a preying animal. But these days, we often feel the rush of nerves when delivering a presentation or running an important meeting at work.”

While constantly elevated levels of these hormones is detrimental to our health, experiencing spikes in a limited, controlled setting, such as a 30-minute fitness class, can actually help the body better cope with that stressful presentation later on. “If we spike our adrenal glands, we learn how to control them,” explains Gospel. “The adrenaline rush from a workout means you’re working hard, and countless studies show the link between shorter, more intense workouts, high kilojoule burn and improved mental strength.” A full-on workout, whether it’s high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or a boxing class, not only burns fat effectively, but also helps train the body to have a more managed response to stress, pumping out less cortisol when anxiety kicks in. Exercise really is like therapy.

CHANNEL YOUR ENERGY...

Intense, aggressive workouts require discipline, attention and top form. “HIIT or boxing classes offer a high-intensity workout for those on a tight schedule, making them a really efficient way to get a feel-good rush and set your entire day up with the focus and energy you need to tackle high-stress situations,” says Gospel.

...BUT NOT AT A CERTAIN PERSON

Boss, boyfriend or BFF working your last nerve? Focus on releasing your frustration instead of bashing their face in. Workouts create feel-good endorphins that can bring clarity and a new perspective, so don’t hinder that by revisiting every last annoying comment with each punch. Finishing a session more pissed off than when you started defeats the purpose.

COOLING DOWN IS KEY

Your muscles and mind need time to return to their level state. “You should always add a cool-down after an intense workout,” says Gospel. “This could be a slow walk or some gentle active recovery. It’s important you keep moving through a stretch-type sequence. This will help to slowly calm your body as your heart rate settles back to normal levels. Try taking five deep breaths while standing and roll your shoulders back slowly as you do this.”

“There’s a link between shorter, more intense workouts, high kilojoule burn and improved mental strength”