06.02.2007
Optimal exercise: the psychophysiology of keeping active
Exercise as part of daily life, such as walking, offers great potential for people's health and well-being. But for gym fanatics, is there such a thing as doing too much exercise? And for those lazy ones among us who do nothing, how can we be encouraged to sustain an active lifestyle?
These very issues will be explored by Professor Jonathan Doust, Head of the Chelsea School at the University of Brighton, at an inaugural lecture on Thursday 22 February.
British people are becoming increasingly inactive with higher rates of obesity. Despite the growing number of gyms in the UK, only 25 per cent of the population have joined up partly due to personal and financial restraints.
Drawing upon this background Professor Doust will explore the ways to combat these problems, as he explains:
"When exercising the body's perception of physical effort derives from a variety of signals which can be a useful means of controlling the intensity of exercise within safe but effective limits. For example the 'talk test' which encourages exercise at a pace that allows you to continue a conversation."
Other concepts to be explored will be new initiatives such as Walking the Way to Health, calorie maps, active transport and green exercise, such as conservational activities.
Professor Doust, who joined the university last year, is a physiologist interested in training for peak performance and exercise for health. Obtaining a BSc from Loughborough and a PhD from Nottingham Medical School, he was made a fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences in 2000.
Applying sports science to performance, Professor Doust has worked with Olympic and Commonwealth gold medallists and world cup winning teams and had more than 40 academic papers published from his research
Thursday 22 February 2007 at 6.30pm
Hillbrow Lecture Theatre, 129
Eastbourne BN20 7SR
All welcome - if you would like to attend please email events@brighton.ac.uk.
For more information about sports courses offered at the university go to: www.brighton.ac.uk/chelsea.
Contact: Marketing and Communications, University of Brighton, 01273 643022
