#ExerciseScience

A new home-fitness trend is changing how people train their cores. Instead of traditional sit-ups and crunches, many are turning to dynamic, dumbbell-based moves. A firsthand feature by Fit&Well’s Yanar Alkayat highlights a weighted core circuit guided by a musculoskeletal specialist, and explains why Thai readers might rethink their approach to ab training.

In today’s fitness culture, core routines often revolve around endless crunches. However, new research and expert insights suggest a broader focus is needed. In Thailand, many people follow online videos and apps that emphasize visible abs rather than functional strength. Weighted core exercises with dumbbells target deeper muscles around the ribs, spine, and pelvis—key for posture, balance, and daily tasks like walking, lifting, and climbing stairs.

A new training trend is shaking up home fitness routines worldwide: swapping traditional core exercises like sit-ups and crunches for dynamic, dumbbell-based moves. As detailed in a firsthand feature on Fit&Well, journalist Yanar Alkayat shares her experience adopting a weighted core circuit, guided by musculoskeletal specialist Kelly Marshall, highlighting key reasons why Thai readers may want to reconsider their approach to ab training (Fit&Well, 2025).

In today’s fitness culture, core workouts are almost synonymous with endless repetitions of crunches—but new research and expert insights suggest this may be a missed opportunity. Many of us in Thailand follow online videos or fitness apps that focus mainly on “visible abs.” However, strengthening only the superficial muscles overlooks vital deep core muscles that underlie our posture, balance, and daily movements. Weighted core exercises, particularly those using dumbbells, have emerged as a way to target deeper muscle layers around the ribs, spine, and pelvis—muscles crucial not only for aesthetics but for practical function such as walking, lifting, and climbing stairs.

Exercise routines across Thailand may soon get a shakeup, thanks to new advice from world-renowned exercise scientist Dr Mike Israetel, who recently called out five common gym moves as “a waste of time” in a MensHealth UK feature dated April 10, 2025. Dr Israetel—co-founder of Renaissance Periodization and a respected figure in the global fitness community—argues that smarter exercise choices can lead to greater muscle growth and injury prevention, a claim especially relevant for fitness enthusiasts and trainers navigating Thailand’s fast-evolving wellness landscape (MensHealth UK).

A global fitness expert is reshaping how Thai gyms approach training. Dr. Mike Israetel, co-founder of Renaissance Periodization, argues that five common moves are inefficient for building muscle and preventing injuries. His insights, featured in a MensHealth UK article dated April 10, 2025, prompt trainers and enthusiasts in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and beyond to rethink routine design.

According to Israetel, the plank, Superman, rack pull, triceps kickback, and single-arm dumbbell press are not the best options for meaningful strength gains. He suggests better alternatives that engage the core and surrounding muscle groups more effectively. The guidance is especially relevant for Thais pursuing stronger cores, leaner physiques, and safer lifts in both luxury health clubs and public fitness parks.

Recent research heralds weight training not just as a pathway to physical strength, but a powerful tool in safeguarding the aging brain—offering fresh hope for millions of Thai seniors and families facing the threat of cognitive decline. A study featured in Medical News Today highlights how resistance exercise, commonly known as weight or strength training, can slow and potentially reverse cognitive deterioration often seen in dementia, a condition increasingly prevalent in Thailand’s rapidly greying society (Medical News Today). The significance of these findings cannot be overstated, given that dementia remains incurable and current treatment options are limited. Isadora Ribeiro, PhD, one of the researchers cited, explained, “Since there is still no cure [for dementia], finding ways to delay or prevent its onset—especially through accessible, non-pharmacological strategies—is essential to improve quality of life in aging.”

New research suggests weight training is more than a muscle-builder—it may protect the aging brain and reduce dementia risk for Thais. A study highlighted by Medical News Today shows resistance exercise can slow cognitive decline and support memory and attention. While dementia remains incurable, accessible, non-drug strategies like strength training could improve quality of life for Thailand’s growing number of seniors.

Thailand faces rapid population aging. By 2024, about one in five residents were 60 or older, a trend that places emotional and economic strain on families and the health system. Many Thai households still care for elderly relatives across generations, underscoring the importance of prevention and management of cognitive decline for communities and healthcare budgets.

Deciding between strength training and cardio is a common dilemma for gym-goers in Thailand. A recent GQ feature and new research suggest the best path is a smart balance, not choosing one side. For Thai health, weight management, and brain health as we age, this approach matters now more than ever.

Both cardio and strength training offer distinct, complementary benefits. Strength training builds lean muscle, boosts metabolism, improves bone density, and lowers injury risk. A respected NHS-registered dietitian notes that resistance work is essential for vitality. Long-term data from a major Harvard study showed those prioritizing strength maintained lower body fat over 12 years, even though cardio workouts burn more calories in the moment. For Thai adults dealing with central obesity, maintaining muscle helps keep metabolism higher and supports healthier waistlines.

Deciding whether to prioritize strength training or cardio is a question that plagues gym-goers and health-seekers worldwide, and Thai fitness enthusiasts are no exception. A recent article in GQ (GQ, 2025), along with a slew of emerging research, sheds new light on the debate, suggesting that a smart balance—not picking sides—is the true key to lifelong health, effective weight loss, and even brain wellness as we age. As Thailand faces its own health challenges, understanding how to tailor our routines to these findings is both timely and relevant.

In a bold and refreshingly candid critique of conventional gym wisdom, exercise scientist Dr Mike Israetel has shared his thoughts on common workout moves many Thais might be relying on, warning that five popular exercises simply don’t deliver the results people expect. Speaking to Men’s Health UK, Dr Israetel emphasises that while no exercise is inherently “stupid,” some are much less effective than others—an important revelation for Thai fitness enthusiasts eager to maximise their time at the gym or during home workouts (source).

If you often feel like your intense workouts at the gym seem to last forever, you are not alone—and science may finally have an explanation. According to a new study published in the journal Brain and Behaviour and reported by The Guardian, pushing yourself hard during exercise can cause a “time warp” effect that makes your workout feel subjectively longer than it actually is. This finding could have important implications for anyone hoping to improve their fitness—or simply survive a particularly sweaty spin class—with researchers suggesting that our perception of time may be heavily influenced by the discomfort and effort of the activity itself (The Guardian).

New findings from UK researchers show that marathon training does more than boost fitness. Novice runners who commit to six months of preparation can lower systolic blood pressure and improve arterial health, making arteries function like those of someone younger. The study, led by researchers at Barts Health NHS Trust and University College London and funded by the British Heart Foundation, tracked central blood pressure and arterial stiffness before and after a six-month training plan.

As the excitement builds for the 2025 London Marathon, emerging research is offering even more reasons to lace up those running shoes. Scientists have discovered that not only does marathon training boost fitness, but it can also lower blood pressure and make your arteries function as though they are years younger—a finding with significant implications for heart health in Thailand and beyond (Get Surrey).

This ground-breaking revelation comes from a study conducted by Barts Health NHS Trust and University College London, funded by the British Heart Foundation. Their research focused specifically on novice marathon runners, measuring both their central blood pressure and the stiffness of their main artery—called arterial stiffness—before and after six months of marathon preparation. The results were compelling: participants recorded a reduction of 4mmHg in their systolic blood pressure (the higher number in a blood pressure reading) and a 3mmHg reduction in diastolic blood pressure (the lower number). Even more notably, they experienced an improvement in arterial elasticity equivalent to turning the clock back on their arteries by four years.

A leading exercise scientist challenges conventional gym wisdom, urging Thai readers to rethink five common moves that may not deliver the best results. In a candid interview with Men’s Health UK, Dr. Mike Israetel explains that while no exercise is stupid, some are far less productive than others. This perspective is especially relevant for busy Thais who want to maximize every workout, whether at the gym or at home.

Thailand’s urban lifestyle has spurred a growing interest in health and wellness. In Bangkok and other cities, gym memberships and at-home programs are rising, often shaped by Western fitness trends seen on social media. Dr. Israetel’s views invite Thai fitness enthusiasts to evaluate whether their routines yield optimal gains and to consider smarter alternatives.

A new study in Brain and Behaviour reveals a neural and experiential reason why intense workouts can drag on. Researchers found that during demanding exercise, people tend to overestimate elapsed time by about 10 percent. The effect, described as a “time warp,” is linked to the heightened focus on bodily signals like pain and fatigue. This insight has implications for both personal training and how fitness programs are designed to keep people engaged.

A new study points to weight training as a potential tool to reduce dementia risk, offering hope for an aging global population. Researchers from UNICAMP in Brazil found that resistance exercise may play a meaningful role in delaying or preventing dementia, a condition characterized by memory loss and behavioral changes.

Dementia affects around 55 million people worldwide, and numbers are rising with aging populations. While there is no cure, lifestyle choices are a central defense. Prior research suggests lifestyle changes could prevent up to 45% of dementia cases, and the latest study reinforces resistance training as a valuable preventive measure.

A recent study has unveiled a promising approach to combating the onset of dementia, a progressive brain condition affecting millions globally. Researchers from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil have discovered that weight training might play a crucial role in reducing dementia risk, offering hope to an ageing population facing the rising tide of this syndrome marked by memory loss and behavioral changes.

Dementia affects an estimated 55 million people worldwide, a number anticipated to increase as populations age. With no known cure, lifestyle changes remain a primary defense against the disease. Previous research has suggested that lifestyle adjustments could prevent up to 45% of dementia cases, and the latest study adds to this body of evidence by identifying resistance exercise as a key preventive measure.