Walking Breaks More Energy: Dogs Unhappy | Fitness

Let me preface by stating that I am not in the market for ways to increase my fatigue levels. I am already exhausted enough as it is. Nevertheless, a study proposing that exercising with frequent breaks actually demands more energy than a continuous, steady effort has a certain intriguing appeal: I can enhance my workout by taking more pauses.

The findings of the research, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, are quite remarkable. Participants on treadmills and stair climbers utilized 20-60% more oxygen when engaging in 10-30 second bursts of activity compared to exercising without interruption over the same distance. This is attributed to the inefficiency of starting and stopping repeatedly. “We discovered that starting from a resting position requires a significant amount of oxygen to initiate walking,” explained Francesco Luciano, the study’s author. “This energy expenditure occurs regardless of whether one walks for 10 or 30 seconds, making it more prominent in shorter bouts.” Could this method work for me?

To test this theory, I embarked on a half-mile walk to the nearest post office. While walking there at a brisk, continuous pace, I opted for 30-second bursts with rests on the way back. However, it proved challenging as 30 seconds didn’t get me very far. In fact, it was only about 75 steps, which was insufficient to even reach the nearest bench. Not only did this method look foolish, with frequent and seemingly inexplicable stops, but it also drew unwarranted attention. The return journey took more than half an hour compared to the outbound trip’s 12 minutes.

In conclusion, both the dog accompanying me and I were left unusually exhausted after our highly ineffective walk. Whether it was due to the increased oxygen consumption or sheer frustration remains uncertain.