Why Train?

A 2003 study by Queen's University in Belfast Ireland found that only vigorous exercise helps lower the risk of early death from heart attack. This contradicts Unites States guidelines and a World Health Organization consensus report that say 30 minutes of moderate activity daily is sufficient. The study followed about 200 men, between the ages of 49 and 64 with no evidence of heart disease, for ten years. The study found that men who did the most exercise over the ten years were 40 percent less likely to die than those who did the least.

A 2003 study by the American Cancer Society tracked 900,000 adults for 16 years and found that excess body fat may contribute to about 20% of all cancer deaths in women and 14% of all cancer deaths in men. Overweight and obese women had a higher risk from most types of cancer, including cancer of esophagus, colon, liver, pancreas, and kidneys. Overweight and obese men had an increased risk of death from cancer of the stomach and prostrate. Obesity did not raise the risk of death from lung cancer, brain cancer, or melanoma.

"I don't need to work out, I work hard everyday!" In 2003 study, German researchers looked at nearly 800 people, 40 to 68 years old, about 40 percent of them with confirmed heart disease, to discern the relationship between heart disease and exercise. They found that people who work hard during the day, such as landscapers or dock workers, but are couch-potatoes at night are more likely to develop heart disease than desk jockeys who train regularly. They found that those who experienced heavy work-related physical strain had a 5 percent chance of having coronary heart disease–five times the rate of those in jobs without physical strain. Regular exercise helped lower the risk for hear disease in both groups.

Many studies suggest that when people fall into rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep soon after learning something new, they are more likely to retain the new knowledge. And non-REM sleep may give inactive neurons a chance to repair damage caused by free radicals. So late night Taekwondo classes are good for learning new patterns.