High intensity interval training and male and female brain differences

– Beverly Sills

Today, Tony and I ran about 14 miles on the trail. He said something to the effect that “this is hard”. I agree. Although we started early, it seemed warm when we got to that last hill going towards third gate. I realize that it is supposed to be difficult and I agree with Beverly Sills that there are no shortcuts. All it takes is hard work, sweat, determination, and perseverance. Another training run completed and that feels good because it is good.

Cardiologists are finally getting it right. The June 28, 2011 Wall Street Journal had an article about high intensity interval training for heart patients (heart failure, coronary artery disease, and those recovering from bypass surgery and heart attacks). High intensity interval training is defined as short spurts of intense exercise at 85% to 95% of maximum heart rate alternating with periods of moderate exercise. To determine your maximum heart rate use the formula 220 – age= maximum heart rate. Treadmills have built-in heart monitors. . Or, you can buy a heart monitor and use it on the trail or on the track. Further, research suggests that intense interval training might benefit people at risk for diabetes. People with insulin resistance essentially need to dispose of the glucose that reaches too high levels in their blood .In other words the action of the muscle fibers that fire quickly to generate power needed in intense exercise is called fast twitch muscles and they may increase the capacity of the muscles to take up additional glucose .it seems to me, one might consider exercise and possibly high intensity interval training before you develop a cardiac problem. It’s only a suggestion to consider.

Yesterday, I pointed out that the female brain evolved faster in language and motor skills compared to boys. Yet, in elementary school, boys and girls are given the same assignments and evaluated on same. Perhaps, it would make more sense for the boys and girls to be separated in their school tasks. Simply put the boys could be taught reading and writing at a later age than the girls. It’s not surprising that the boys in elementary school are considered “hyper” because they are likely having difficulty sitting still and performing these most difficult school tasks. Their brains are not as well developed in language and fine motor and they are emotionally unable to cope with school assignment failure. The task of the individual ,during school years, is to develop mastery or what Erik Erickson would say is to develop a sense of industry.  A child can only develop a sense of industry with success. If the child has failure in school he develops a sense of inferiority. Give the boys a better chance to succeed. It shouldn’t be a surprise to find out that the US is lagging educationally and that we have such a high dropout rate in the inner-city schools. There are other factors that contribute to these statistics as well.  Brain difference   is one of many issues that confront our society. However we don’t hear about this contributing to the problem.

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."