The results have led scientists to determine that intense exercise is better than moderate exercise.

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1 Printed by: Carla Cascio Printed on: September 22, 2017 Slow and Steady Isn't Always Best Article PART 1 COPENHAGEN, Denmark. When it comes to getting in shape, a friendly game of soccer is better than a jog in the park. According to a new study, soccer works off more fat and builds up more muscle than jogging. Soccer is also less tiring. Why? It's more fun. Danish scientists studied 37 men ages 31 to 33. All of the men had roughly the same fitness level. The scientists divided the men into three groups soccer players, joggers, and couch potatoes. The couch potatoes did not exercise at all. The other two groups exercised for one hour, three times a week. To determine how hard the men were working out, the scientists measured the men's heart rates. They also compared blood and muscle samples. These were taken before and after the men played soccer or jogged. After 12 weeks, scientists looked at the results. Not surprisingly, the couch potatoes showed little change in body fat and muscle mass. Both the joggers and the soccer players were in better shape after three months. The soccer players fared best, however. Their body fat dropped by 3.7 percent. The joggers' body fat dropped by 2 percent. The soccer players also increased their muscle mass by almost 4.5 pounds (2 kilograms). The joggers did not have any large change in muscle mass. Photo credit and all related images: AP Photo/Greg Baker China's Han Duan (left) and New Zealand's Rebecca Smith (center, in white uniform) play at the Women's World Cup Soccer Tournament in September Scientists say that playing soccer is a great way to stay fit. Why were the men's fitness levels so different? Scientists decided that the difference had to do with the nature of the two sports. Soccer has bursts of intense activity. Jogging, on the other hand, has steady, moderate activity. "There were periods in the [soccer games] that were so intense that [their hearts had to work hard]," said Dr. Peter Krustrup of Copenhagen University, who led the study. These intense periods in games forced the soccer players' heart rates to go up. Krustrup found that the soccer players and the joggers had the same average heart rate over time. Yet, there were periods during soccer matches when the players' hearts were pumping nearly as hard as they could. The joggers' hearts were never pushed as hard. Therefore, the soccer players got a better workout. The results have led scientists to determine that intense exercise is better than moderate exercise. Scientists also found that the joggers thought that their runs were exhausting. The soccer players did not find their games as tiring. Why not? They were enjoying themselves too much to notice that they felt tired. "The soccer players were having more fun," said Dr. Krustrup. "So they were [thinking about] scoring goals and helping the team, rather than the feeling of strain and muscle pain." What does this study mean for the wider population? Health officials said they were unsure whether the results of the study would change the way that people exercise. Nick Cavill is a heart health expert. He says that it's hard enough convincing people to exercise moderately. Cavill said he doubted whether many people would take on more intense exercise. "There might be enormous benefits to telling people to play [soccer] twice a week," Cavill said. "But if they're not going to do it, then that message may be useless."

2 For those want to join a sports team, health experts have some advice. They warn that people who are not currently exercising should not jump right into intense exercise. Instead, they should ease into some kind of moderate activity. After that, they can work up to more difficult exercise. The Associated Press contributed to this story. PART 2 Dig Deeper Soccer is a fun sport to play, and the running is good for you. But if you don't want to play a sport, how can you still get exercise? Don't worry! Any movement of your body that uses energy counts as exercise. This can include activities such as raking the leaves, walking the dog, jumping rope, or playing basketball. Whatever makes you move is good. Leaders think that kids need at least 60 minutes of exercise a day. If you don't have an hour, there's still hope. You can exercise for 15 minutes at a time. Just do it four times a day and that will add up to the hour you need! Dictionary activity (noun) moving the body; exercise heart rate (noun) the speed at which the heart beats intense (adjective) serious; very strong moderate (adjective) in the middle percent (noun) an amount out of 100

3 Activity PART 1 Question 1 Which best replaces the question mark in the diagram above? Scientists say that soccer is better exercise than jogging. Scientists say that soccer is a lot more fun than jogging. Scientists divided the men in their study into three groups. Scientists began with a group of 37 men ages 31 to 33. Question 2 Let's say that this article could have a different title. The best one would be. Scientists Say Men Need More Exercise Scientists Say Intense Exercise Is Best Scientists Say Soccer Players Should Jog Scientists Say Soccer Is Not Much Fun Question 3 Which information is not in the article? How the soccer players' muscle mass changed What the Danish scientists will study next What the Danish scientists learned from the study How the soccer players' body fat changed

4 Question 4 Think about the study in the article. Which of these must have happened last? This question asks about when events happened. It does not ask where in the article the events appear. Look back at the article for clues, such as dates. Scientists compared blood and muscle samples from the men before and after exercise. Scientists determined that intense exercise is better than moderate exercise. Scientists found 37 men ages 31 to 33 who had the same fitness level. Scientists saw that the soccer players were having more fun. Question 5 Which is the closest synonym for the word intense? A synonym is a word that has the same meaning. Sick and ill are synonyms. Splendid Spun Strong Stationary Question 6 This article could be placed in a category of news called "Sports Extra." In which other category would this article fit best? Kids in the Spotlight World Beat Health Technology Question 7 The reader can tell from the article that. The scientists are unhappy with the results of their study. People who want to lose body fat should play soccer rather than jog. The scientists want to start a new study about baseball. People who want to start exercising should play soccer right away. Question 8

5 The article states: Scientists also found that the joggers thought that their runs were exhausting. The soccer players did not find their games as tiring. Why not? They were enjoying themselves too much to notice that they felt tired. Which would be the closest antonym for the word exhausting? An antonym is a word with an opposite meaning. Something that is opposite is completely different from another. Good is the opposite of bad. Rugged Rotten Relaxing Released

6 Thought Question How much exercise do kids need each day? Why are some exercises better for the body than others? Be sure to use facts and details from the lesson in your answer. Type your answer in the text box below.