Neurologists at the University of South Wales have found that the better aerobic shape a person is in, the more pain they can withstand. We’ve all known that cyclists can take extraordinary amounts of discomfort (just look at their shorts), but this study shows a clear line between measurable levels of aerobic fitness and the ability to endure pain. In the experiment, subjects were placed on a six-week bicycle training program and were tested how long they could squeeze a hand gripper. As the subjects got in better shape, they were able to squeeze the implement for longer, even though it progressively got more painful. Interestingly, hitting the weights seemed to have no effect on pain tolerance. However, men who bicycled and lifted weights did experience improved pain threshold.
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