It’s thrilling to watch athletes at their peak, but not to reach your full potential. Getting healthy is hard and painful – or at least, that’s what we think.
This article is part of a fitness series that answers 8 questions about exercise and how it affects our bodies and minds. Find out more here.
But that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, research shows that people who start to move more than usual see surprisingly quick improvements, no matter what kind of exercise they choose. And even better, it turns out there are ways to speed up your fitness journey.
The key to improving your fitness is essentially simple: you need to exceed your “habitual load.” This means doing more activity than you’re used to. This puts stress on your body and forces it to adapt.
When beginners begin aerobic exercise, “one of the first things that happens is blood volume increases,” says Avi Lane of the University of Michigan. Within 24 hours of exercise, hydration can increase blood volume by up to 12 percent, boosting plasma volume and increasing the amount of oxygen available to muscles. Peak blood volume typically occurs after two weeks of training, and is about 15 to 20 percent higher in athletes than in sedentary people.
