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I'd be interested to see the difference in "forced" versus "high intensity" exercise. What if the animals are forced to run at a much lower pace than they pref

I'd be interested to see the difference in "forced" versus "high intensity" exercise. What if the animals are forced to run at a much lower pace than they prefer? Do we get the same results? My guess is that the forced part of this has little to do with the effects. It's the increased intensity that is providing benefits.

ellyagg 15y ago
No kidding. The emphasis on forced made it a little confusing. It seems extremely likely that the "forced" can be internal. When I'm at CrossFit, the criteria of the workout force me to exert much more strenuously than I'm comfortable with.
- rkalla 15y ago
  ha, when I read that article all I had in my head was images of me doing death-by burpees and thinking "... I hope there are health benefits to that, because it really hurts..."
  - malbs 15y ago
    > death-by burpees a most unpleasant way to die!
- aaronblohowiak 15y ago
  From the Article: > In one study from 2008, rats forced to run wound up with significantly more new brain cells after eight weeks than those who ran when they chose, even though the latter animals ran faster.
- Nessuss 15y ago
  I think the idea is that what you want to do differs from what you are doing, or what you must do. When you run faster than you're comfortable with, the will to do that comes from yourself. External forced, not using your willpower.
ParkinsonsRLazy 15y ago
Rush Limbaugh was right after all. Parkinsons "patients" are just faking an illness that (if it actually exists to begin with) can be cured by getting a job. On a side note, couldn't we use them as a (forced) alternative energy resource or put them to use rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure? It'll be like the Matrix for lazy Parkinsons "patients". Instead of a computer generated dream world, we put them on stationary electricity generating bicycles and strap a few electrodes to sensitive bodily areas. (cue Morpheus and the Duracell battery..) Megadittos.
aidenn0 15y ago
The linked article claims that the affects on the rodents were measured even when they ran at a faster pace when not forced
- justsomedood 15y ago
  I was curious about this as well, and the abstract from the study said: "voluntary wheel running is characterized by rapid pace and short duration, whereas forced exercise involves a slower, more consistent pace for longer periods of time. This basic difference between the two forms of exercise is likely responsible for their differential effects on brain and behavior." It also did say that both groups ran the same distance, but the non-forced rats did it in more sessions and a faster pace.
  - musmoerk 15y ago
    I think that in order to understand the nature of "forced" vs "voluntary" in this instance, you may have to consider how the rats normally cover distances. Humans, unlike most mammals, are designed to run for longer periods of time. Sorry if it's already been said.

ellyagg 15y ago

No kidding. The emphasis on forced made it a little confusing. It seems extremely likely that the "forced" can be internal. When I'm at CrossFit, the criteria of the workout force me to exert much more strenuously than I'm comfortable with.

rkalla 15y ago
ha, when I read that article all I had in my head was images of me doing death-by burpees and thinking "... I hope there are health benefits to that, because it really hurts..."
- malbs 15y ago
  > death-by burpees a most unpleasant way to die!
aaronblohowiak 15y ago
From the Article: > In one study from 2008, rats forced to run wound up with significantly more new brain cells after eight weeks than those who ran when they chose, even though the latter animals ran faster.
Nessuss 15y ago
I think the idea is that what you want to do differs from what you are doing, or what you must do. When you run faster than you're comfortable with, the will to do that comes from yourself. External forced, not using your willpower.

ParkinsonsRLazy 15y ago

Rush Limbaugh was right after all. Parkinsons "patients" are just faking an illness that (if it actually exists to begin with) can be cured by getting a job. On a side note, couldn't we use them as a (forced) alternative energy resource or put them to use rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure? It'll be like the Matrix for lazy Parkinsons "patients". Instead of a computer generated dream world, we put them on stationary electricity generating bicycles and strap a few electrodes to sensitive bodily areas. (cue Morpheus and the Duracell battery..) Megadittos.

aidenn0 15y ago

The linked article claims that the affects on the rodents were measured even when they ran at a faster pace when not forced

justsomedood 15y ago
I was curious about this as well, and the abstract from the study said: "voluntary wheel running is characterized by rapid pace and short duration, whereas forced exercise involves a slower, more consistent pace for longer periods of time. This basic difference between the two forms of exercise is likely responsible for their differential effects on brain and behavior." It also did say that both groups ran the same distance, but the non-forced rats did it in more sessions and a faster pace.
- musmoerk 15y ago
  I think that in order to understand the nature of "forced" vs "voluntary" in this instance, you may have to consider how the rats normally cover distances. Humans, unlike most mammals, are designed to run for longer periods of time. Sorry if it's already been said.