Amazing ways to achieve fitness as fast as possible, backed by science 

 

A deeper understanding of what happens to our bodies as we get healthier could reveal ways to speed up the process.  

New Scientists. Our website and magazine feature science news and long-form articles by expert journalists reporting on developments in science, technology, health and the environment. 

 It's exciting to watch athletes reach the top of their game. Expand your own sporting potential. Staying healthy is hard and painful - we know that. But that's not always the case. In fact, research shows that people who just start moving more than usual improve surprisingly quickly, regardless of the workout they choose. Even better, it turns out there's a way to speed up the fitness process. 

The key to improving your fitness is actually simple: you need to go beyond your "normal load." This is an elegant way to do more activity than you've ever done before. This puts a strain on your body, and  it has to adapt. 

When you start aerobic exercise as a beginner, "one of the first things that happens is your blood volume increases," says Abi Lane of the University of Michigan. Within 24 hours of exercise, this volume increases by up to 12 percent due to water retention, increasing your plasma volume and therefore the amount of oxygen you can deliver to your muscles. After two weeks of training, you usually reach your maximum blood volume, which is about 15 to 20 percent more for athletes than for sedentary people.