Renowned exercise physiologists Martin Gibala and Stuart Phillips of McMaster University teach the surprising new science of cardio fitness and strength-building—and then provide you with hacks to get fit and strong (and healthy!) in less time than you ever thought possible. What’s the right mix of exercise between cardio and strength? How do you know if you’re working out hard enough? What’s better, heavy or light weights? These questions and more are addressed through a course designed to provide even the most inexperienced of exercisers the tools you need to design time-efficient workouts that can be done virtually anywhere, from your own home to a city park or even at your workplace.
Hacking Exercise For Health. The surprising new science of fitness.
McMaster UniversityAbout this Course
70,179 recent views
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 23 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
What you will learn
How to evaluate the role that physical activity plays in your health
How your cardiorespiratory fitness can be improved with aerobic training
How strength training results in strength gains and improve your health
How to formulate you own cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal exercise routine to improve your health
Skills you will gain
healthCardiorespiratoryexercisemusculoskeletalNutrition
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 23 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English, Spanish
Offered by
McMaster University
Founded in 1887, McMaster University is committed to creativity, innovation, and excellence by inspiring critical thinking, personal growth, and a passion for learning. Ranked amongst the Top 100 universities in the world, McMaster pioneered a learner-centred, problem-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning that is now known worldwide as the “McMaster Model”.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
3 hours to complete
The Basics of Fitness
The human body is rare in that it actually improves with use. In fact, the changes that various kinds of exercise trigger in the body are downright miraculous. This week, Marty and Stu explain the mechanics behind that process. They start by breaking down the two types of fitness: “Cardiorespiratory” and “musculoskeletal.” Next, they’ll tell you why each one is important to living a long and healthy life. With a can-do attitude designed to inspire, they’ll inform you how much of each activity you’re supposed to get, then wrap up the week by posing a question that exercise scientists have been debating for years: Which type of exercise is better for you?
3 hours to complete
5 videos (Total 28 min), 5 readings
5 videos
Week 1 Video 1 - What is fitness anyway?5m
Week 1 Video 2 - What is the exercise continuum?6m
Week 1 Video 3 - How to assess your own fitness4m
Week 1 Video 4 - How do you get the biggest bang for your exercise buck?5m
5 readings
Introduction Glossary10m
Week 1 Video 1 - Glossary10m
Week 1 Video 2 - Glossary10m
Week 1 Video 3 - Glossary10m
Week 1 Video 4 - Glossary10m
4 hours to complete
Cardiorespiratory Fitness
This week Marty tells you all about cardiorespiratory fitness, and the latest research in terms of time-efficient ways to get fitter faster. Why do some scientists think that cardiorespiratory fitness should be the fifth vital sign? What is VO2max? What’s an easy way to determine your own VO2max? And how does aerobic exercise boost it? The week wraps up with Marty teaching a series of techniques to build cardiorespiratory fitness in less time than you ever thought possible.
4 hours to complete
6 videos (Total 31 min), 5 readings
6 videos
Week 2 Video 2 - Where do the Physical Activity Guidelines come from, anyway?4m
Week 2 Video 3 - How can you hack cardiorespiratory fitness?5m
Week 2 Video 4 - Why does H.I.T.T. work?4m
Week 2 Video 5 - Which burns more calories: Interval or Endurance Training?4m
Week 2 Video 6 - What are some interval workouts I can do at home?8m
5 readings
Week 2 Video 1 - Glossary10m
Week 2 Video 3 - Glossary10m
Week 2 Video 4 - Glossary10m
Week 2 Video 5 - Glossary10m
Week 2 Video 6 - Glossary10m
6 hours to complete
Musculoskeletal Fitness
Many people believe strength training isn’t for them. They might feel intimidated by lifting weights because they think it’s only for big hulking bodybuilders. Besides, what are the health benefits of lifting weights? During week 3, Stu argues that everyone should engage in some form of strength training—and the practice becomes more important, not less, as you age. Once you’re convinced, Stu teaches techniques that will help everyone to be stronger, to stave off the decline in muscle strength that otherwise happens as we age. Finally, Stu provides hacks to get you comfortable performing strengthening exercises—and teaches you to design your own resistance-training workouts.
6 hours to complete
6 videos (Total 39 min), 9 readings
6 videos
Week 3 Video 2 - What’s up with muscle fibre?7m
Week 3 Video 3 - Can we actually prompt our muscles to grow?6m
Week 3 Video 4 - What does protein have to do with muscles?6m
Week 3 Video 5 - How does one hack strength training?8m
Week 3 Video 6 - What should I consider as I design my own workouts?5m
9 readings
Week 3 Video 1 - Glossary10m
Week 3 Video 2 - Glossary10m
A Motor Unit-Based Model of Muscle Fatigue30m
Neither Load nor Systemic Hormones Determine Resistance Training-Mediated Hypertrophy or Strength Gains in Resistance-Trained Young Men30m
Week 3 Video 3 - Glossary10m
Week 3 Video 4 - Glossary10m
Week 3 Video 5 - Glossary10m
IOC Consensus Statement: Dietary Supplements and the High-Performance Athlete30m
Week 3 Video 6 - Glossary10m
10 hours to complete
Combining Cardio and Strength Fitness
Remember the question Marty and Stu posed in the first week? What’s more important, cardiorespiratory or musculoskeletal health? In the last week they’ll finally answer it for you. They’ll talk about some of the surprising benefits of exercise—like the fact that it can help you mentally retain information (sweat so you don’t forget!). They’ll discuss the debate over the exercise pill. They’ll teach you hacks that help you boost muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness, together—and finish the course by teaching you techniques to design your own fun, combined workouts designed to keep you exercising for the rest of your life!
10 hours to complete
6 videos (Total 34 min), 6 readings, 1 quiz
6 videos
Week 4 Video 2 - What does a cardio & strength training workout actually look like?5m
Week 4 Video 3 - Can you design your own cardio & strength workout?6m
Week 4 Video 4 - How can exercise affect your mental health?4m
Week 4 Video 5 - Can't you get exercise in a pill?!5m
Week 4 Video 6 - What are our top ten tips to hack exercise for health?6m
6 readings
Does Strength-Promoting Exercise Confer Unique Health Benefits? A Pooled Analysis of Data on 11 Population Cohorts With All-Cause, Cancer, and Cardiovascular Mortality Endpoints30m
Week 4 Video 2 - Glossary10m
Research studies1h
Research studies2h
Week 4 Video 5 - Glossary10m
Overall Course Glossary1h 30m
1 practice exercise
Final Course Quiz2h
Reviews
TOP REVIEWS FROM HACKING EXERCISE FOR HEALTH. THE SURPRISING NEW SCIENCE OF FITNESS.
by JBNov 26, 2019
I found the information very useful and enlightening. Even if I have been exercising continually for a very long time, you can always learn new things to improve or be more productive.
by RMDec 13, 2019
i loved it and learnt alot about how to help people exercise to get results with factoring in shortage of time todays life style of people being busy all the time
by MCJul 23, 2020
It's a really awesome course with excellent information, it is not just hacking it is life motivation. Keep practicing the tips given by professors.
by MGMar 30, 2020
Un curso obligado para todo aquel que busque reafirmar conocimientos en el area de las ciencias de la salud de manera amena y basada en evidencias.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
- The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
- The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You’ll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. Learn more.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
