Live Longer with This Workout

April Daniels Hussar,SELF magazine

You know thatworking out does a bikini body good, but if you're looking for a new type of exercise to add to your routine, how about one that can add six more summers by the pool to your life?

According to new research, lacing up a pair of running shoes and hitting the path on a regular basis can do just that! And the best news is that pushing yourself too hard or for too long isn't at all necessary -- in fact, it's better not to overexert yourself.

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The Copenhagen City Heart Study of around 20,000 men and women from 20 to 93 years old has been researching cardiovascular and related health issues since 1976. To look at the benefits of running specifically, researchers compared the mortality of 1,116 male runners and 762 female runners to the death rates of non-runners in the main study population. The runners also answered questions about the amount of time they spent running each week and whether they felt their pace was slow, average or fast.

The results? Regular running -- at a moderate pace -- adds years to your life! The study researchers found moderate, consistent running increased the life expectancy of men by an average of 6.2 years and women by an average of 5.6 years.

They key here, interestingly, is the word "moderate." The benefits of running proved optimal when participants ran for at least one hour but no more than two and a half hours a week, over two to three sessions, at a slow or average pace. Amounts both less -- and greater! -- than that showed diminished benefits.

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"The relationship appears much like alcohol intake," says Peter Schnohr, chief cardiologist of the Copenhagen City Heart Study, in a press release. He explains that people who report moderate running have a lower mortality rates than both non-runners and people undertaking extreme levels of exercise. According to Dr. Schnohr, the ideal running pace is achieved by striving to feel a little breathless. "You should aim to feel a little breathless, but not very breathless," he advises in the release.

For those in the running community, the new research comes as good news. "It's a triumphant day for running!" says Paul Greer, associate professor of health and exercise science at San Diego City College, and director of the Rockin' 'n' Runnin' marathon training program. Greer, who has been a running coach for the past 27 years, says, "We always knew that running was beneficial, particularly with respect to heart disease, but this qualifies it from a universal perspective."

Greer notes that it's not just quantity of years that running can add -- it's quality as well. "Running is one of the best activities in terms of burning calories.," he says. "All the accompanying health benefits will improve the quality of your life."

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Greer says it can be hard to teach the general population about effort and intensity, but he thinks Dr. Schnohr hits the nail on the head with his "slightly breathless" advice. "That's perfect," Greer says, because it's an uncomplicated concept that people can easily understand and apply. By doing that, Greer says, you'll probably be hitting your target heart rate and not straining too hard.

Inspired to dig out your running shoes? If you're a novice, or haven't run in a while, take it easy, says Greer. "Start easy and slow, as the study suggests," says Greer. "Don't overdo it -- that's my number one piece of advice." Greer says it's starting out too fast that creates over-use injuries and can leave you overly sore and discouraged.

Only 20 minutes, three days a week will get you to the study's lower-end target of an hour a week, says Greer. "Start with 10, 15 minutes of jog-walking, and increase from there," he says. "You'll be encouraged by the effects -- you'll start feeling and looking better and will want to do more!


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