Interesting -- have you heard of Nassim Taleb&#x27;s book &quot;Antifragile&quot;?  He talks about weightlifting vs. &quot;traditional&quot; aerobic exercise.<p>I guess this may be common knowledge in some exercise circles... but it is probably not common knowledge with the general public.<p>This article has a summary, though there may be better ones:<p><a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;gettingstronger.org&#x2F;2013&#x2F;07&#x2F;antifragile&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;gettingstronger.org&#x2F;2013&#x2F;07&#x2F;antifragile&#x2F;</a><p><i>How does the barbell strategy apply to health?  A great example is combining occasional, high intensity weight lifting or interval training, alternating with long stretches of rest, recovery and  “doing nothing”.  The intermittent stress of lifting an extreme weight pushes the body to overcompensate and prepare for an even greater future challenge, but the interlude of rest and recovery is restorative and avoids the downside of chronic overuse.   We can extend this idea of a bimodal “barbell” strategy to practices such as intermittent fasting or cold showers.  The barbell strategy is the exact opposite of the conventional wisdom to engage in moderate  aerobic exercise on the treadmill every day, or to eat regular small meals throughout the day.</i>