Abstract
For the prevention or improvement of lifestyle related disease an 8-week exercise program involving a bench step exercise was arranged. Methods: Thirty-three employees who had been recommended to change their lifestyle following a routine health check were enrolled. Before and after the program, their physical performance was evaluated, and their waistline, total cholesterol value and blood pressure was recorded and compared. There were no dietary restrictions. The 33 subjects were randomly divided into two groups: an exercise group and a control group. The exercise group was instructed to execute a bench-stepping exercise over ten consecutive minutes three times a day (i. e. twenty-one times a week) at a bench height and stepping rate that varied depending on each individual's lactate threshold as determined by an exercise stress test. Results: Only 11.8% of the participants completed the step exercise program as planned (21 times/week), but 42.2% executed it 14 or more times a week. These participants showed not only an improved physical performance, but experienced a significant reduction in weight, waistline size and total cholesterol value. Furthermore, the blood pressure of those participants suffering from hypertension was lowered. Conclusion: The step exercise over 8weeks at the lactate intensity threshold leads to a significant reduction in waistline, total cholesterol value and blood pressure. We recommend executing the step exercise at the lactate intensity threshold more than twice a day (i. e.14 or more times/week).
