The expertise of UW-Madison’s Jill Barnes has appeared in two recent reports from Runner’s World magazine.
Barnes is an assistant professor with the School of Education’s Department of Kinesiology. Her research interests include the regulation of blood flow and blood pressure in humans, and how this changes with aging and exercise. She has published more than 50 peer-review articles on these topics and oversees the Barnes Lab.
In one Runner’s World article from Feb. 19, Barnes adds to recommendations for women embarking on postpartum exercise. She affirms that women working out post-pregnancy need to alter their mindset and workouts to reflect changes in their body.
Barnes explains to Runner’s World that women “may have less strength or endurance during the postpartum period.” She suggests that women listen to their bodies, and implement five short, 10-minute exercises throughout the day, rather than typical 30-minute workouts.
Read the entire article here.
In a second article posted on Jan. 7, Runner’s World features Barnes as well as other experts in the field to discuss how long it takes to benefit from a hard workout.
The article highlights some immediate benefits from intense workouts, such as an increase in endurance and speed. However, Barnes explains to Runner’s World that this doesn’t necessarily mean “you should capitalize on these cardio gains with a marathon immediately following a sprint session.” She notes that too many back-to-back intense workouts without adequate recovery can cause overuse injuries and impair performance.
Barnes tells Runner’s World that while there are some immediate benefits, it takes at least five to 10 high-intensity workouts to really improve performance. The article lists other studies that confirm this finding.
Read the entire workout benefits article here.