CHASE DOWN STRENGTH
The secret to powering past your plateau in the gym is to pound some pavements
Fitness is full of cliques, much like the school playground. The barbell bros, the running clubs, the yogis – they all prefer their own company. Too often, tribes believe that only their methodology will benefit them. But they’re wrong. According to the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, it pays to broaden your fitness horizons.
If you’re a heavy-lifting gym-goer whose progress has plateaued, the last place you’d expect to find a PB is on the pavements. Tired gym lore states that cardio is catabolic and running anything over 5K will race you towards the physique of Sir Farah. The science disagrees.
Researchers found two hours of cardio spikes your body’s levels of growth hormone more than spending the same amount of time strength training. Released by the pituitary gland, this natural performance enhancer stimulates testosterone production, maximises protein synthesis and muscle growth, and may even speed up your body’s fat breakdown.
Therefore, your aim for this year should be to try new things and become a more rounded athlete. Even if your focus is on size, adding a long Sunday run to your regimen means you can return to biceps curls on Monday with a chemical advantage. Hit the slow lane.