If cross-training is on your fitness regimen then you may lead a longer life! According to a new study from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) it isn’t how long you exercise it is how many different types of exercise you do. Moreover, while some exercise modalities plateau after time, others increased bringing greater benefits.
The study tracked 70,725 women and 40,742 men over thirty years—all physically fit at the start with no trace of illness or injury. Walking, running, racquet sports, strength training and rowing showed lower mortality rates, with those in the highest physical activity variety group having a 19 per cent lower case for mortality.
The study also highlighted activities that were linear—with no plateau— and non-linear. Running, racquet sports and strength training came top in the linear category while the benefits of walking and rowing leveled off once a threshold has been reached. Surprisingly swimming fared poorly, saying it has a “significant non-linear association with respiratory disease mortality.”
Source: https://bmjmedicine.bmj.com (January, 2026)
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