Today, I did something I don’t
usually do. When I jog, I typically climb a hill, but today I walked up it and
then ran down. The reason is that, as illogical as it may seem, running
downhill might be better for me than running uphill.
What I did is considered
unconventional exercise and there’s nothing strange about it. Interestingly,
while descending may feel easier, unconventional exercises are actually crucial
for all health benefits, including muscle repair, growth, flexibility, and bone
density.
Although it might surprise you (it
certainly surprised me), the easy part of the exercise, where you go downhill,
is actually one of the fastest ways to build strength. It’s not just about
running downhill; it’s any exercise where you lengthen muscles under
resistance, like lowering weights: when you lift weights, you are contracting
your arm muscles (this is concentric exercise); when you lower the weights, the
muscles lengthen.
Don’t you like exercising? Here are
10 scientifically proven tips to motivate you to be physically active:
- Stretch your muscles in various ways; it’s the most
effective part of exercise. - When done correctly, unconventional exercises can
provide remarkable benefits, from keeping you fit to helping your body
burn more calories. - Would you like to try something new? If you want to
know, you can try the ‘sit and stand challenge.’ Just sit on a chair very
slowly for 3-5 seconds, then stand up on both legs. If you’re particularly
strong and have good balance, try sitting on one leg. Repeat this at least
10 times a day.
of many movements you’re already doing, and they are like a hidden secret in
your workout routine. You just need to be more aware of them, include them in
your routines, and ensure the muscles are working.
But are they really important for
your overall health benefits?
Study
In one of my favorite studies,
people were asked to walk up or down a 10-story building twice a week and use
the elevator in the other direction. Not surprisingly, both groups saw
improvements in many health outcomes, but surprisingly, the group that went up
in the elevator and down the stairs was better: they showed significant
improvements in heart rate. The result was particularly surprising because
going down stairs doesn’t require as much effort from the heart as going up.
The group that walked down the
stairs also saw improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood fat levels.
Unconventional exercise can also
help strengthen bones and muscles. In a study on stair climbing, the group that
descended stairs saw more improvement in muscle function and bone density
compared to the stair climbing group. Astonishingly, the group that walked down
stairs saw a 34% improvement in muscle strength, double that of the stair
climbing group.
A 2019 study compared older
individuals doing traditional exercises with those doing unconventional exercises
and found that the unconventional exercise group saw a 38% improvement in leg
strength, while the traditional exercise group saw only an 8% improvement.
It also reduces the risk of injury
and can improve balance, which is crucial for overall health.
Standing on one foot can provide
significant benefits. Other studies show that focusing on the easier phase of
lifting weights can increase the rate of calorie burn after exercise.
So, for some reason, the part of the
exercise that feels easiest actually has the most beneficial effect… but why?
Professor Tony Kay of the University
of Northampton in the UK explains why unconventional exercise is so effective.
Firstly, because it is easier to do.
Going up is much harder, yet we are moving our body’s weight equivalently.
The second reason is in how muscles
work. It’s simple math: let’s say we are lifting 100 kg sitting down. We use
100 muscle fibers, so each one bears a load of 1 kg. When descending, we use
different muscle fibers that are much larger and more powerful, so we only use
25 muscle fibers. Each of these has to bear four times the load, causing
significant microscopic damage to those fibers.
It’s fascinating that part of the
benefit of exercise comes from the damage it causes: it creates micro-tears,
and it’s the recovery that makes you stronger. Indeed, while exercise makes us
healthy and fit, it creates microscopic damage that triggers hormonal
responses, and with nutrition, rest, and sleep in the following days, you
rebuild those muscles to a new level, longer and stronger.
And can it help you burn more
calories too?
Yes and no. No, while you are
exercising. But yes, afterward. This is because it causes more microscopic
damage, forcing the body to increase its metabolic rate in the following days
as it repairs itself, so the metabolic rate remains elevated for a longer
period.
What Are the Benefits as We Age?
As we age, we become weaker, our arm
muscles shrink, and our bones also become weaker. Easy exercises have shown
more positive effects on all three repeatedly.
We looked at the effects of
unconventional training on young, healthy male football players, and it showed
a dramatic increase in strength.
We then applied the same exercises
to individuals over 65, some with medical conditions. They experienced a
significant increase in strength, anywhere from 30% to 50%, and a 10% increase
in muscle volume in just six weeks.