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Forget long, hot sweat sessions! Jamé Heskett, M.D., reveals the water-workout strategy that fires up metabolism, eases aches and torches calories to help trim inches in record time
When it comes to slimming exercise strategies, one approach has emerged as the clear winner in both effectiveness and efficiency: “microbursts” of intense activity followed by periods of rest. In a recent study at McMaster University in Canada, subjects who completed three 20-second microbursts of highintensity exercise a few times per week lowered their blood-sugar levels by 53 percent, increased their cardiovascular fitness by 19 percent and boosted their muscles’ calorie-burning activity by 48 percent—improvements equal to or better than those seen in the group that exercised for 50 minutes straight. And other studies show microbursts
can curb cravings, improve liver function and rev fat burn by 213 percent.
As powerful as microbursts can be for weight loss, though, many women struggle to get the perks. “Turning up the intensity of exercises like walking and biking puts you at a very high risk for injuring a joint, which can sideline you when you’re just starting to exercise,” explains Jamé Heskett, M.D., author of The Well Path. And this risk is especially problematic for those of us born before 1977. “As we get older, the stability of our joints and our balance decline,” asserts Dr. Heskett. That leaves joints more vulnerable to stress injuries from the impact of hitting hard pavement. Add the energy-sapping effects of summer humidity to the equation and high-intensity bursts can take an even greater toll on the body.
But take microbursts to the pool and the downsides are eliminated. The natural buoyancy of water cushions the joints, reducing the impact of your body weight by up to 75 percent. This not only makes exercise feel easier, it also minimizes the risk of injury. “You can get to that high intensity and engage your muscles without taxing the joints or your balance system,” explains Dr. Heskett. “I recommend the pool all the time to my clients if they haven’t exercised in a while because it allows you to incorporate the more intense bursts but with a safety net of it being lower impact.”
Pool microbursts also deliver greater toning perks. Since water provides 12 to 15 times more resistance than air, muscles have to work up to 800 percent harder to push through it—an effect that can double calorie burn. And unlike on land, where air provides resistance in just one direction, water creates it from multiple directions. “Normally, we tend to overexercise our strongest muscles, so the weaker ones get weaker,” says Dr. Heskett. “But in the pool, that doesn’t happen—you’re in a much more threedimensional plane, so all your muscles are working, which will yield more allaround fat burning and toning.”
The benefits go beyond slimming. Studies show that the pressure of water on the skin has a massage effect that stimulates circulation and improves the flow of lymph. This flushes trapped toxins and fluids to visibly reduce puffiness and bloat instantly. Water’s cushioning effect also helps increase joint stability. In fact, Brazilian researchers found that microburst pool workouts helped postmenopausal women improve balance enough to slash the number of falls they experienced by 86 percent. “Plus, being in the water is a mental break. You don’t even feel like you’re working out sometimes,” cheers Morgan Root, 35, who lost 100 pounds in 17 months with help from pool microbursts. “It gave me my life back!”