Anxiety Lifted

Your cares and troubles could be lifted with a regular regimen of moderate-intensity weight training.

Researchers at the University of Florida, Gainesville, divided 51 men and 33 women into three groups: One group performed four exercises at 50 percent capacity, a second group performed the same exercises at 80 percent, while a third control group watched a video on resistance training.

Anxiety levels and mood states, blood pressure and heart rate were assessed at regular intervals throughout the sessions, with the greatest reductions in anxiety seen in the moderate-resistance exercise, three hours after the workout was completed.

Higher-intensity exercise did not significantly improve anxiety, nor did watching the video.

Source: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1999; 31: 456-462

This appeared in ACE FitnessMatters, ACE's official magazine.
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