Our Chiropractors, Dr Angus Steventon and Dr Bryce Conrad, visit the second gym in their tour of Central Coast independent gyms to find out what is on offer for their patients.

In this episode Bryce and Angus meet Jared from DMR Bootcamps, and he puts them through a torturous “Barbell Buster” routine, which involves a combination of deadlifts, barbell lunges and other torture. In between that they run as a group, elevating the heart rate. Dr Bryce is a regular runner, but running isn’t Dr Angus’  favourite activity, and he spends most of the session complaining about it.

Exercise, Depression, Anxiety and Mental Health

The type of exercise they performed in this session was a combination of high intensity interval training (HIIT) and resistance training. Although it’s not included in the interview, Jared spoke to Angus and Bryce, after the session, about the benefits he found from getting into resistance and cardiovascular training, after the death of his nephew (after which his gym in named). Exercise, and particularly resistance training, has been shown to have very positive effects on improving mental health.

A study, published this year in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, demonstrated that resistance exercise training (RET) significantly reduced depressive symptoms among adults regardless of whether they were generally healthy or sick, how much exercise they did (even a little bit helped), and it didn’t even matter if they gained any significant improvements in strength.

But depression isn’t the only thing improved by exercise. It turns out that evidence is piling up that indicates that resistance exercise also produces anti-anxiety effects. Aerobic exercise helps, too. Activities such as brisk walking, running, cycling, or playing tennis have been shown in many, many studies to help improve your mood, reduce your stress levels and boost your overall feeling of well-being.

Our Chiropractors Recommend:

  • Everyone needs regular exercise (either resistance, cardiovascular, or a combination)
  • Vigorous exercise should be performed at least 3 times per week
  • 20 minutes walking should be the minimum, on other days
  • Any amount of exercise is a good start!
  • If you are stuck on exercise ideas, or worried about injuries, chat to your Chiropractor

Have you experienced the positive mental health benefits of exercise? Comment below!

References

Association of Efficacy of Resistance Exercise Training With Depressive Symptoms Meta-analysis and Meta-regression Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Psychiatry. 2018;75(6):566-576. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0572

The anxiolytic effects of resistance exercise. Front Psychol. 2014; 5: 753.