Step Aerobics and Strength Training the Perfect Combination?

Health & Medicine︱Kjell Hausken Step aerobics and strength training The perfect combination? Which type of exercise is t is safe to say that 2020 has been them on the path towards achieving best? While the answer is an unusual year. For many people their goals? One popular option is to highly subjective, it is helpful Iaround the world, one indirect attend structured exercise classes led for trainers, coaches and their consequence of the COVID-19 by a qualified trainer. There are many clients to be able to compare pandemic has been chances to from which to choose: from boxercise different forms of exercise. exercise. Stuck at home for weeks and spin classes to high-intensity One way to do this is to look at or months, finding the motivation interval training (HIIT) and group energy expenditure. Professor or opportunity for exercise has strength training sessions. Kjell Hausken of the University been challenging for many. But, as Professor Hausken has developed a framework for evaluating different types of Stavanger, Norway, led a lockdowns lift and gyms re-open, many For trainers, designing an exercise of exercise classes. study of a particular type of people might be looking to re-gain programme that helps clients – exercise class that included their previous level of fitness or even whether individuals or groups – to both aerobic and weightlifting make a “fresh start”. achieve their exercise goals is vital. A Performance Step Interval class Professor Hausken recorded the In the case of a Performance Step exercises. The resulting insights An hour’s structured exercise class, for includes three step aerobics segments heart rates of ten participants every Interval class, however, the researchers into energy expenditure While everyone has their own reason for example, should guide the client to altogether, decreasing in length 15 seconds over the course of the expected that the alternation of the allowed Professor Hausken exercising, their own goals and desired use their energy in the most effective from 15 to 10 to 5 minutes. The first 75-minute class. Each person’s weight, two different types of training would to develop a framework for outcomes, for many the motivations are way, whether that is primarily through is the most challenging in terms age and sex were also noted (all cause participants’ heart rates to evaluating different types of similar: losing weight, building muscle, aerobic exercise, strength training, or a of choreography (on the basis that participants were women aged in their “average out” to a certain extent. The exercise classes. enhancing aerobic capacity, or all these. combination of the two. To determine participants are most rested at that 20s and 30s), as these factors can all higher heart rate reached during an So, how can people choose the best how to do this, an understanding of the stage), while the others are simpler. All, influence energy expenditure. The aerobic segment could be expected exercise for them, one that will put energy expenditure during different however, represent to persist, for a types of exercise is needed. an “explosive” short time, into form of exercise, The energy expenditure of a the subsequent EXERCISE AND ENERGY using the powerful weightlifting activity; EXPENDITURE but quick-to-tire Performance Step Interval class as a on the other hand, To investigate energy expenditure “fast twitch” participants would during structured exercise, Professor muscle fibres. whole is equivalent to running at just recover to an extent Kjell Hausken of the University of over 8km/hour. during weightlifting, Stavanger, Norway, and his co-author For the three therefore starting Ms Anne Tomasgaard focused on weightlifting parts of the class, researchers aimed to use the data to the next aerobic part with a lower one specific type of exercise class. participants select their own weights test several hypotheses, including that heart rate. Performance Step Interval is a based on their individual goals and the participants’ heart rates and energy 75-minute class, mostly comprised abilities. The first weightlifting session expenditure would be higher during The results showed that this is, in of alternating step aerobics and focuses on large muscles, such as aerobics than during weightlifting fact, exactly what happens during weightlifting segments, interspersed those of the thighs and lower legs, via and that Performance Step Interval Performance Step Interval. The with individual balance, standard exercises including squats and bench is as effective, in terms of energy difference in both energy expenditure aerobic and abdominal/back press. In the second, participants expenditure, as running at a little over and heart rate between the aerobics strengthening activities. The class is work on the back and triceps, and in 8km/hour. and weightlifting segments is reduced designed time efficiently to maximise the third segment perform exercises by the interval-based training. To aerobic activity, while also building to target the biceps and deltoids THE BENEFITS OF confirm this finding, the researchers muscular strength. The interval-based (shoulders). Weightlifting uses the COMBINED TRAINING compared their results with studies format of the class is intended to help fatigue-resistant “slow twitch” muscle Normally, a person’s heart rate will be that looked at one type of training participants to maintain motivation and fibres, while allowing the fast-twitch higher during aerobic exercise than alone. In classes which focus on The research of Professor Kjell Hausken, University of Stavanger, gives insights into energy focus throughout the segments. fibres to recover. during weightlifting/strength training. a single form of training, a similar expenditure during different types of exercise. www.researchoutreach.org www.researchoutreach.org technical skills; in this case, the energy expenditure of the preceding segment could be reduced, to ensure Behind the Research participants would be energised and focused for the more demanding activity. In addition, this study demonstrated that comparing the energy expenditure Professor Anne of various exercises, as in this study, with jogging at particular speeds, is a Kjell Hausken Tomasgaard useful way to help trainers and their clients understand the demand of particular activities. E: [email protected] T: +4795084532 W: https://www.uis.no/nb/profile/2083 https://youtube.com/channel/UCogxmrs1pFuny6c8zW9u-2A In this research, Professor Hausken used wristwatch-type heart rate monitors to measure participants’ Research Objectives heart rates during the class. These Kjell Hausken’s study into athletic performance provides a framework for evaluating and comparing the energy expenditure devices proved to be a convenient of different exercise programmes. and effective way to assess energy expenditure, which was calculated Professor Hausken’s study has helped to using a formula based on age, weight Detail develop practical advice that can be used and heart rate. Similar heart rate by trainers and coaches to develop effective exercise programmes for their clients. monitors are relatively inexpensive and Kjell Hausken instructed step aerobics since 2009 Collaborators available in many gyms, meaning that Faculty of Science and Technology and Les Mills BodyPump since 2010, • Coauthor Anne Tomasgaard they could be a simple way for trainers University of Stavanger and has his own youtube channel on for the main article “Evaluating heart rate tends to be maintained important insights into the potential and participants to keep track of 4036 Stavanger, Norway step aerobics; https://youtube.com/ Performance Training and Step throughout: higher for aerobic work benefits of combining different forms energy expenditure during exercise. In channel/UCogxmrs1pFuny6c8zW9u- Aerobics in Intervals.” and lower for weight training. of exercise in the same class, as in the subsequent studies with Dr Sindre Bio 2A. He received his PhD from • Coauthor Sindre M. Dyrstad for Performance Step Interval. M. Dyrstad both heart rate monitors Kjell Hausken is Professor at the the University of Chicago, was a the five backup articles on non- Professor Hausken also found that, as and accelerometers (attached to one’s University of Stavanger where he postdoc at the Max Planck Institute interval zumba, interval running, expected, the energy expenditure of Firstly, Professor Hausken has created hip) were used. does research on economics, risk in Cologne, and has published 250 interval spinning, and interval analysis, and athletics. He has articles in peer reviewed journals. pyramid running. a Performance Step Interval class as a a useful framework for evaluating and whole is equivalent to running at just comparing different types of exercise Performance Step Interval is designed over 8km/hour. Perhaps surprisingly, class. So many options are now with a quick increase in heart rate in the the weightlifting segments alone available for people seeking an exercise first step aerobics segment, boosting References Personal Response actually have a slightly higher energy class that it can be difficult to know metabolism which persists through the • Hausken, K and Tomasgaard, A. (2010), Evaluating expenditure, equivalent to running at where to start. Information such as the strength training segments while the How might a trainer use these ideas to help a client Performance Training and Step Aerobics in Intervals. who wants to lose weight? between 8.05km/hour and 8.37km/hour. relative energy expenditure of different

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