Short and high intensity exercise can reduce an adolescent's risk of developing a heart condition, revealed a new study by researcher Alan Barker and his University of Exeter team. The researchers observed that performing eight to ten minutes of high intensity interval exercise thrice a week can improve important markers of cardiovascular health.
For the study, the research team asked six girls and seven boys aged between 13 and 14 years to carry out six high intensity workouts over two weeks. The teenagers were asked to cycle in high speed bursts of one minute, with a 75 second break in between.
The results revealed that the training improved both blood vessel function and the brain's ability to control the beating of the heart. Barker said, "Both of these measures are considered to be important markers of cardiovascular disease. The study indicated that providing the intensity was high, health benefits were achievable with just eight to ten minutes of exercise."
The study is published in the Journal American Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology.