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Soccer is better exercise than jogging

Posted September 27, 2007 at 11:00 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Alt. Therapies

Researchers in Denmark recently let a study that found the effects of three hours per week of soccer compared with just jogging were markedly better. The article was presented last week at the 2007 British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Annual Conference.

Peter Krustrup, the leader of the study, said he looked at 37 randomly-assigned sedentary males ranging in age from 20-40. After 12 weeks, subjects in the soccer group lost 7.3 pounds of fat as measured using a specialized X-ray imaging, compared with 4 pounds of fat among joggers (there was no change in the control group). Furthermore, the soccer group gained 3.7 pounds of muscle, while the joggers did not gain measurably in muscle.

Krustrup says that the quick, intense physical moves - stops and starts, sprints and kicks - similar to interval training - use mroe muscle fibers, while working the heart at near-max capacity. Jogging, on the other hand, uses fewer muscle fibers while working the heart to a lesser degree.  Moreover, there was no difference between those who had experience playing soccer and those who were just beginning - and there were beneficial affects to both trained and obese and untrained participants.

Research sources and for more information: ["Soccer Scores Exercise Cred: Get your kicks and health, too.” Read Express. September 25-Oct1 issue. Fit: Phys Ed section. Page E5.]; [picture]

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Tags: alternative fitness, british association of sport and exercise sciences annual conference, denmark, fat loss, gain muscle, health, jogging, lose fat, men's fitness, men's health, peter krustrup, physical health, soccer, sport, sports

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