Reread it, sometimes

Galvin competes in both Olympic-length triathlons and half-ironmans and runs, swims, or bikes about an hour a day, starting at 4:45 a.m. He alternates regular sessions with high-intensity intervals and does a longer session on weekends.

The benefits of cardio for longevity are well documented: Cooper Institute research has established that a man’s fitness in his 40s, measured by his one-mile (1.6 km) run time, is a good predictor of long-term heart health. Aim for less than eight minutes. Other research brings unexpected information. A study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology followed more than 55,000 adults over a 15-year period and found that, compared to non-runners, people who runner had a 45% reduced risk of death from heart attack or stroke, as well as a 30% reduced risk of death from any other cause.

What’s surprising, says Dr. Stuart Phillips, a kinesiology professor at McMaster University who studies longevity, is that data has shown that you actually get a lot of health benefits if you just run. about 50 minutes per week. It’s a good idea to use some of this time to do high-intensity work.

In a Mayo Clinic study, researchers found that high-intensity aerobic intervals are particularly effective in helping your body slow down aging. Intervals boost your mitochondrial function, which declines with age, and invigorate your muscle cells. In the study, people did four four-minute maximum-intensity laps on a spin bike, with three minutes
active recovery.

Let’s go!

Do at least 90 minutes of cardio per week and vary the intensity of sessions where you can talk while you exercise at breathless intervals.