A report on exercise resistance and suggestions for future research

In the modern age, technology is engineering physical activity out of our daily lives. The consequences of this are real in the United States in terms of health and national financial outcomes. Fortunately, exercise has been known to improve overall health and prevent cardiovascular disease, but it has come to the attention of human physiology researchers in the Human Performance Lab (HPL), that if one takes few steps and remains sedentary for most of the day, the metabolic cardioprotective benefits of exercise may not be realized. The phenomenon by which a person performs the nationally recommended dose of physical activity, but does not achieve it’s expected health benefits due to prolonged inactivity throughout the day has become known as exercise resistance in the HPL. This is a report on the process of investigation of exercise resistance that has taken place in this lab, as well as suggestions for future research to amend the national physical activity guidelines to include steps, length of time seated, power training, and potentially strength training.