Burst Training for Breast Cancer Health: Why Spend an Hour Exercising When You Can Do It In Twenty Minutes?

I have been a runner since I was 16 years old. Even today, I love to put those running shoes on and go outdoors. There is nothing that compares to that endorphin rush as your lungs fill with fresh air and you begin to pump those muscles.

“Regular exercise lessens the likelihood of heart disease, lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of many cancers, builds bones, lifts your spirits, keeps your brain sharp, and can add years to your life,” says Gregory Curfman, M.D. of Harvard Medical School.

What’s more, studies have shown that physically active women have a 20 to 80 percent lower risk of developing breast cancer than inactive women.

Still, I remember a time when “more was better” when it came to getting a good workout. Interestingly, now there seems to be a shift in the idea that the longer we train, the better the results will be. According to Dr. Al Sears, MD, we were not meant to do long-duration exercise. Our ancestors had short periods of exertion while hunting, followed by periods of rest. And studies in the Journal of Physiology found that about 20 minutes of high-interval training provides many benefits. In fact, a short but powerful workout may prove to be a better strategy for overall longevity.

High-Intensity training is known as Burst or Interval Training. Burst means basically going all out for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whether you are sprinting for 30 seconds or repeating an exercise for 1 minute following by a rest period, the intensity of this form of exercise appears to have many benefits:

• It produces similar or superior physiological changes in people, whether you are healthy or unhealthy to begin with;
• It increases the ability of your muscles to generate more energy with less effort;
• It improves oxygen uptake and blood flow;
• It Increases insulin sensitivity and thus keeps blood sugar balanced;
• It speeds up muscle contractions;
• It improves cardiac function;
• It burns up to three times more fat;
• It burns fat while you sleep;
• And lastly is the TIME factor. An interval of burst training can easily be accomplished in 20 minutes! Note: The most common “reason” people use for NOT exercising is lack of time so now there is no excuse!

Here is an example of a “burst” workout, if you like to run or walk:

• Warm up for 4 minutes.
• Sprint all out for 30 seconds (if you are just starting out, walking as hard and as fast as you can will have the same effect)
• Recover for 60 to 90 seconds (by walking slowly or just resting).
• Repeat 8 times.
• Cool Down for 2 minutes and you are done. That is a total of 22 minutes. If you feel really adventurous, you can even add a few extra minutes of weight training.

Burst Training is thought to work because by mixing up exercise tempos and activities, you are improving both your speed and endurance in one short period. Others tout the benefits of working out at your “total maximum capacity,” which is hard to do for long periods of time. Plus, it is a workout that almost everyone can do.

“There’s a very large growing body showing interval training can be safely applied to many different people, including those with chronic diseases,” says Martin Gibala, chairman of the kinesiology department McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. “Interval training can be scaled to any starting level of fitness.”

As many hours and years that I have spent running, I can see the improvement in my muscle tone and overall shape of my body since I have been applying this method of training. I challenge you to try Burst Training for two weeks. By adding a quick 20-30 minute Burst routine to your day, you will be healing your body naturally─ and your body will thank you!

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Dr. Veronique Desaulniers (“Dr. V”) is a best-selling author and founder of breastcancerconqueror.com. She specializes in Chiropractic, Bio-Energetics, Meridian Stress Analysis, Homeopathy and Digital Thermography. After 30 years in active practice, she decided to “retire” and devote her time to sharing her personal, non-toxic Breast Cancer healing journey with others. Her years of experience and research have culminated in “The 7 Essentials™ “, a step-by-step coaching program that unravels the mystery of healing the body. Her website and personal healing journey have touched the lives of thousands of women around the globe.