Recently, researchers from Australia (University of New South Wales & Neuroscience Research Australia) discovered that exercise can increase people's ability to tolerate pain.
They took 24 healthy participants and split them into two groups. Both groups were given an initial pain tolerance test to determine a base-line. The first group was then allowed to go on about their daily lives with no changes in their exercise habits. The second group, however, was placed on a 6 week aerobic cycling program where they exercised at 75% of their VO2 max for 30 minutes 3 times a week.
After six weeks both groups were brought back into the lab where they had their pain tolerance tested once again.
The no-exercise group showed no change in their ability to tolerate pain. But the exercise/cycling group showed a marked increase in their ability to deal with pain (as well as improved aerobic fitness). I've got a hunch that many who come to this blog aren't going to be surprised by this research. But, it's still cool to have research confirm something that has a direct impact on our training as fighters.
I wonder if anyone is currently conducting research on how taking a kick to the face affects pain tolerance?
Source -
1. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24504426
I have always been cursed with a very low pain tolerance level. The smallest cut or bruise will cripple me, and I will complain about a small side ache all day. I've been wanting to find a way to increase my pain tolerance, and exercise might be the answer for me. Do you know by how much the pain tolerance increased for the group that was doing aerobic exercises?
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