The Top 12 Fitness Studies of 2012

Recapping a Year in Fitness

Ditch the Treadmill

Think twice before hitting the gym for your next run. According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, walking or running indoors requires less effort than moving at the same speed outdoors. Researchers tracked how much energy people burned walking outside and on a treadmill, and found that choosing a 3 percent slope on the treadmill best matches the energy requirements of walking on flat ground outdoors. Read the story at: How the Treadmill Is Killing Your Workout

Create the Perfect Warmup

Your next personal best is only a warmup away. Incorporating squatting and whole-body vibrations into your next pre-exercise routine may be enough to boost your sprint power by 6 percent, according to a study in Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. Problem is: You don’t have a whole-body vibrating machine. Instead, follow this three-step program proven by researchers at Bloomsburg University to boost your golf stroke speed by up to 24 percent: Take two minutes to do aerobic exercises like walking lunges, stretch for another three, and then take practice swings for another two. Read the story at: The Perfect 6-Minute Workout

Cool Off to Recover Better

Take the polar plunge for a performance boost. According a review published in The Cochrane Library, cold water immersion (CWI) can reduce muscle soreness between 15 to 20 percent in the 24 to 96 hours after an intense workout session. Researchers compared the effects of CWI to passive recovery (basically doing nothing), active recovery (slowly jogging for several minutes), and compression (from socks and other tight clothing). The results: The ice baths were about as effective as active recovery or compression. (Compression tights may also help your performance on a next-day workout, a new study found.)

Boost Your T-Levels with This Pre-Lifting Routine

Which should come first: Cardio or strength training? If you want to boost your testosterone levels, pick the cardio. According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, doing 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise before you hit the weight rack can boost your testosterone levels more than doing the same workout in reverse order. Read the story at: Should You Do Cardio Or Weights First?

Get Teenage Strong

Think you’d dominate your high school pick-up basketball game? Think again: According to German researchers, the average 25-year-old is only as fit as a 15-year-old kid. Researcher tested the running speed and chinup strength of 8,000 German students, and compared their numbers to guys in their 20s. The results: Both the average kid and 25-year-old could hold a chinup for 40 seconds and complete a 1,000 meter run in 270 seconds. Ouch. Your move: Hammer out intervals three times a week to burn three times as many calories compared to a moderate-pace run that’s twice as long, according to researchers at the University of New South Wales. Read the story at: Are You Stronger Than a 15-Year-Old?

It's OK to Go Light to Build Muscle

You can lift light and still build big muscles, says new research from the Journal of Applied Physiology. Guys who did three sets of knee extensions with light weights three times a week increased their muscle volume as much as guys doing the same exercises with heavy weights. The key: Both groups worked out until failure—meaning they couldn’t lift the weight again at the end of each session. Read the story at: Can Lighter Weights Mean Bigger Muscles?

Go Low to Get High

Need to add a few inches to your vertical jump? Try squatting deeper. According to a study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, bringing your squats below parallel when you’re squatting is the best way to improve your vertical jump. Before you start deep squatting, take a look at your heels: If they lift off the ground as you go low, use box squats to build mobility and strength before dropping to the floor. Read the story at: The Exercise That Boosts Your Vertical Jump

Stay Loose For a Better Situp

For stronger abs, keep your legs loose. According to a study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, doing situps with your feet unrestrained activates your rectus femoris—a quadriceps muscle that acts as a hip flexor—more than doing a situp with your feet restrained. What’s more: Doing situps with your legs tied-up put more stress on your lower back, potentially leading to injury. Read the story at: The Perfect Situp

Concentrate On Your Pecs

Are you working out like a zombie? You might be missing out. Paying attention to the specific muscles used during basic lifts—like thinking about your pecs during a bench press—make your muscles work 22 percent harder, according to research in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning. For extra credit: Tighten your butt to boost your bench. “Dig your feet into the ground and keep your glutes tight throughout. It’ll keep you more stable during this move, and allow you to handle more weight,” says Tony Gentilcore, C.S.C.S., cofounder of Cressey Performance in Hudson, Massachusetts. Read the story at: The Instant Way to Get 22 Percent Stronger

Work Out With a Buddy

Having trouble staying motivated? Grab a training partner. Hitting the gym with a buddy can double the length of your workout, according to researchers at Michigan State University. Even better: Join a team. Participants who rode together on the same team exercised for two minutes longer than their counterparts who rode with a single partner. Read the story at: The Easiest Way To Work Out Longer and Harder

Drink Coffee to Lift More Weight

The best performance enhancing drug may be a legal one. Caffeine may help you lift more weight and reduce your perception of pain, according to research in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. Guys in the study who drank the caffeine equivalent of two cups of coffee completed three more bench press reps at 60 percent of their maximum load compared to guys who downed a placebo drink. They also found the lifting to be easier and experienced less soreness, the researchers reported. (Make it easier to navigate the vitamin aisle with the Men’s Health Supplement Guide.)

Clench Your Teeth For More Power

Think mouthguards are just for the pros? Think again: They can improve your performance on upper and lower body power exercises, according to a study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. Researchers found that people who used a mouthguard could jump higher on a vertical jump test than those who without anything in their mouths. What gives? Researchers believe that clenching your teeth—what you do when you’re wearing a mouthguard—can increase blood flow to the areas of the brain associated with motor control and timing—skills you need to maximize your explosive power. (Here are 18 Health Tricks To Teach Your Body.)