Need Some Cardio Options?

We made it to the end of another productive week.

Since it's Friday I wanted to make sure to share with you another exercise to add to your locker of exercises to keep your routines fun, fresh, and challenging.

I've received a few questions asking for alternatives to jumping rope during circuit training.  Not everyone likes, nor can handle the impact of rope jumping.  You're in luck.  I have just the movement to help keep your hips flexible, your core working and your heart rate moving.

When I was a kid the movement was called squat thrusts and part of the Presidents Fitness Council protocol that we all had to do as part of Physical Education class.  Well times are a changing for sure, but this exercise is still one of the most challenging cardio movements I know.  The beauty of the movement is that no matter what your fitness level almost anyone can do it in modified form. 

It's a great movement to use between 3-5 resistance (weight lifting) movements to keep your heart rate elevated and give that "sprint" feeling (think interval training) between the lower heart rate of weight lifting.  In addition, because we tend to sit so much as a society, it allows you an opportunity to keep your hips flexible and functional so you can decrease your chances of back pain from stiff, inflexible hips.

In the video below I share with you 4 different versions that should meet just about any fitness level. 

So now you have no more excuses for not including a cardio component in your circuits.

And as a side note, always remember to engage your core as your perform this movement.

Foods That Make You GAIN Weight and Other Tips

In this day and age of information overload, sometimes it's easy to miss the important information that matters.  We are so overwhelmed with hype, commentary that's called 'reporting', and marketing hype disguised as research, it's difficult to decide what information is worth your attention.

That's where I come in --

As part of my effort of keeping you in the know, and properly informed, this article came across my desk and I just had to share it with you.  It contains many of the things you probably already know, but don't practice as strictly as you should.  In addition, it also shares some habits (you know how big I am on habits), that also lead to weight gain.

Check it out:  Worst Foods For Weight Gain

Are you a person that spends more than 6 hours a day at your desk?  Then this article is especially for you.  I had previously posted something along the lines of how sitting can effect life expectancy, but this one goes a bit further.  I cannot stress enough the importance of getting up and moving.  Your body was not made to sit or stand idle for long periods of time.  Whether it's to get a six pack or live a long, active life, movement has got to be a regular part of your weekly, if not daily, schedule.

Here's some motivation to get moving:  Inactivity is Harmful

Time and time again you've heard me mention the importance of interval cardio training as a way to shed body fat quickly and effectively.  Well here's a bit of a spin on the interval method, but using weights.  A good article to cut down on your cardio even more and still get outstanding results.

Transform your body in even less time:  Getting Serious Results

Now you have some excellent information that you can actually use to get results quickly and effectively.  And guess what, you didn't have to buy anything!

So --

Get On Track and Stay On Track!

How Do YOU Define Fitness?

It's a funny thing, depending on who you ask, fitness can be defined in so many different ways.

Ask your everyday weight lifter and they'll tell you fitness is about big muscles and how much you can bench or bicep curl.

Ask a distance runner and they'll tell you fitness is about shaving time off of their distance; getting faster

Ask a yoga enthusiast and they'll talk about being able to hold a certain pose for a period of time.

Ask a mixed martial arts fighter and they'll tell you fitness is a combination of things, ranging from cardio conditioning, to flexibility, to a certain level of physical strength.

You know who is right?

They all are!

That's why it's so important that you be clear about what fitness means to you.  Because if your idea of fitness matches the mixed martial artist, running long distances and being concerned about shaving time off your best is probably not going to give you the results you want.

If you're serious about wanting to achieve your goals, it's hugely important that you pick workouts and eating programs that support your efforts.

I suspect if you're reading this blog then your goal is not the same as a distance runner, nor a yoga enthusiast.  You want to get out of pain, or transform your body now!

For those of you looking to get lean in as short a time as possible, check out this link: The End to Ordinary Cardio.

Need more motivation and an alternative cardio routine?  Check out this link: The Ultimate 8 Week, HITT, For Fat Burning Program.

And since I like to over deliver quality information, here's one more for the record:  Jump Start Your Metabolism

The above 3 links should get you in shape quickly, still in time to show off your transformed body.

So --

Get On Track and Stay On Track!

Questions on Target Heart Rate

Let me first say a big Thank You to all of you that wrote in wanting more information on target heart rate.  I very much appreciate the opportunity to answer your questions so that you can get the results you deserve.

No one goes through their workout for the fun of it.  If you put the time, energy, and sweat into it you expect results, right?

What's that old saying -- Time is the currency of the 21st century.  So none of us has any time to waste doing things that don't get results.

Here's the answers to the questions I received this past week.

• What's the big deal about the amount of time spent doing steady state cardio for weight loss?

Did you know that there is a 50-90% injury rate in the first 6 weeks for those just starting a serious exercise program?

Why?

Because most people just starting out are not prepared physically for what most programs suggest as the best way to lose body fat.  And yes, you guessed it, most programs suggest hours and hours of steady state cardio.  All those hours and miles do serious damage to the lower back, hip joints, and knees.  That's what makes interval training so effective -- it challenges you more as you get better.

• In my previous blog I mentioned the inaccuracy of the standard 220 - age to determine your heart rate zones.  The variance of 10-12 beats for 70% of the population versus 20-24 beats for 30% of the population is important because it means the difference between not training intensely enough to get results versus risking too much intensity. 

Plain and simple it's dangerous to not wear your own heart rate monitor and not know the range that works for you. Rather than spend hours beating your lower body into oblivion, use cardio intervals to decrease your overall hours doing cardio, and increase your results.  One of the few cases where less will equal more.  Sounds like a good deal to me.

• Why are weight lifting circuits more effective in burning fat and maintaining lean muscle?

Just doing steady state cardio does not tell your body to preserve your valuable muscle tissue.  In fact, in some cases steady state cardio will have you lose lean muscle tissue. The more lean muscle tissue you have the higher your resting metabolism (remember when you burn fat as the primary fuel source), so you want to keep as much as possible.  Weight lifting circuits tell your body to maintain the lean tissue because it needs it to lift weights, but get rid of the body fat because it decreases your efficiency.  Remember, your body's goal is go get efficient at whatever you tell it to do. So you want to maintain lean tissue and get rid of unhealthy body fat.

So there you have it.  Even more reasons to stop the useless hours of doing steady state cardio and start doing cardio intervals and/or weight lifting circuits.  You'll lose body fat quicker, look better, have more energy, and decrease your risk of injury compared to hours of steady state cardio.

Target Heart Rate. . . . The Myth

I know I'm going to ruffle some more feathers out there by posting this, but hey, I'm here to help you get real information that will help you make choices and take actions that will get results! 

I'm not here to just tell you what you want to hear.  No, I want you to hear the truth, with evidence, and be able to make an informed choice from there.

I realize that will not necessarily make me the most exciting or popular person out there.  But for those brave enough and serious enough about making changes in their bodies, by getting out of pain or transforming their body -- those people will appreciate this post.

I recently received this question that made me realize how many people out there are still using the heart rate info on machines as guides on how to transform their bodies.  So let me give the truth.

In reference to the heart rate ranges posted on exercise equipment.  They identify what your targeted heart rate should be if you want to burn fat, etc. based on your age.  In my case, my heart rate while exercising is ALWAYS higher than that "fat burn" range. I would have to significantly slow down my pace in order to fall within that range.  If my heart rate is not within that range, am I not burning calories efficiently?  Is there a lot of merit to those targeted heart rate ranges?  If I am not sweating, I don't feel like I am working hard. -- Nikkie

Target Heart is highly flawed.  I have personal experience with contacting the user of some of these formulas and they had no real idea why they used them accept to say, "They were the popular tools used at the time".  Guess it really doesn't answer why once they see the flaw they continue to use antiquated information.

To the point.

• Target heart rate is inaccurate for 70% of the population by 10-12 beats per minute.  Not such a big deal right.  But get this, for 30% of the population it's off by 20-24 beats per minute.  That is a big deal.  Knowing which group you fall into can only be found by using your own heart rate monitor.

• The Fat burning zone is supposed be the heart rate range where you will supposedly burn the most fat calories.  Truth is, it cannot predict this.  At best it can only partially suggest a percentage of use of fat, carbohydrates and protein.

• You burn the most fat at rest.  The more intense an exercise is, the more carbohydrates will be used as the primary fuel source.

Low Intensity - 60-65% MHR High Intensity - 80-85% MHR Total Calories expended per min. 4.86 6.86

Fat Calories expended per min. 2.43 2.7

Total Calories expended in 30 min. 46 206

Total Fat calories expended in 30 min. 73 82

Percentage of fat calories burned 50% 39.85%

From The 24/5 Complete Personal Training Manual, 24 Hour Fitness, 2000

I think this chart simply and accurately explains why using intervals (alternating periods of fast and slow) instead of the steady state "fat burning zone" cardio, is the most effective way to shed body fat quickly and effectively.

Slow, steady state cardio just doesn't cut it when it comes to losing body fat quickly and effectively.  Not to mention the wear and tear on the knees, hips, and lower back.

And this is the part that everyone seems to forget so readily -- what happens after that intense exercise circuit you just finished, or that extremely challenging cardio interval session.  There's something called EPOC.  Which basically discusses the amount of calories being burned after an intense session of training that can last up to 3 days later.

You will be burning more calories after intense training session because your resting metabolic rate is higher (you won't get that from "fat burning zone" cardio).  And if you'll remember, when do you use fat as the main source of fuel -- AT REST!

And if that wasn't enough information to convince you, check out this article The Final Nail in the Cardio Coffin pt 2.

Get On Track and Stay on Track!

Here Are Your Final 2 Reasons To . . .

Since this is the last Monday of the month, these will be my final two research articles to help you finally abandon steady state cardio.

As you'll remember we've already discussed the negatives of steady state cardio:

• the amount of time it takes each week to get in all those hours

• the wear and tear toll it takes on your knees, hips and back

• the fact that it does not burn body fat efficiently and effectively for the time you spend

If that wasn't enough for the month, guess what else I found to help you that will help you get in shape quickly and effectively?

So what else works better than steady state cardio?  Well for one weight lifting circuits. Weight lifting circuits have been found to burn more fat and overall calories effectively.

A study was done on the "Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate".

Now for sure 800 calories is a ridiculously low amount of calories to consume (I would not suggest you try this).  But again it was for the purpose of research.  Surely no plan, no matter how well thought out, could produce any results on such a low amount of intake calories right?

Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate

Wrong!!

Aerobic group: 4 hours per week
Resistance training group: 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps. 10 exercises, three times per week.

• VO2 max increased equally in both groups (think better utilization of oxygen)

• The resistance training group lost significantly more fat and did not lose any lean body mass (LBM), even at only 800 calories per day.

• The resistance training group actually increased metabolism compared to the aerobic group which decreased metabolism.

Plain and simple.  Even consuming only 800 calories, lifting weights can actually increase your metabolism (think burn more calories just sitting at your desk).  Why is that important?  Because the more muscle you have and maintain, the easier it is to lose weight and keep it off.  Starvation diets deplete your body and cause your metabolism to slow down -- making it harder to lose weight.

One more for the road.

Contribution of anaerobic energy expenditure to whole body thermogenesis

A weight training circuit burned 71% more calories than originally thought using aerobic measures

8 minutes of weight training burned somewhere between 159 and 231 calories (used a 15 repetition scheme)

To put it plainly, you can burn a heck of a lot more calories doing a weight lifting circuit than doing steady state cardio.

So at this point, to be quite blunt and to the point, with so many options to doing steady state cardio, there are really only 4 reasons I can think of as to why you should be doing steady state:

1.)  Your treating physician has advised you to do steady state cardio

2.)  You have recently started exercising (less than 6 months on a consistent exercise routine)

3.)  You have a body fat composition that is below 10%

4.)  You have lots of free time and nothing better to do

So there you have it.  A month's worth of research on the reasons why steady state cardio doesn't work, as well as some options to try. 

Make this year, your year.  No more excuses, only results.

Get on Track and Stay on Track!

It's Time to Set The Record Straight

I hope you had a great weekend, and gave yourself a chance to recharge your batteries.

I just spent an amazing weekend at a seminar that has completely supported, with peer reviewed research, all the the benefits, ideas and training methods my clients have been receiving for years.  But the really interesting thing is that study after study continued to show that steady state aerobics/cardio, is not effective in losing body fat quickly. Unless you have an unusually low body fat, long slow cardio (steady state) will not work effectively in getting rid of body fat quickly or effectively.

Don't believe me?  Check out the link below.

The addition of 45 minutes of aerobic exercise at 78% Max Heart Rate 5 days a week for 12 weeks had NO EFFECT over dieting alone.

Great, so what does it mean you ask? 

It means if you're spending hour after hour on a treadmill or other cardio machine and not doing intervals, you are wasting a lot of time and not getting near the benefits you could get if you stepped it up a bit and did intervals on your chosen machine.

I know, I know.  We've all been told for years that all you had to do was get on your favorite cardio machine and bang out an hour and you'll see results after such and such amount of time.  Well the research is in and it does not support that theory.  To be quite honest I haven't believed in steady state (long slow cardio) for quite some time based on my own personal experiences with myself and my clientele.  If you're just starting out it's a great way to start doing your cardio, but after approximately 6-8 weeks and with no significant health issues, you should really be doing intervals whenever you do cardio.

So what are intervals?  Simple. It just means alternating periods of intense cardio followed by periods of slower cardio.  If you walk during your slow periods, walk faster during the intense periods.  If you jog during the slow, jog faster during the intense periods.  It simply means alternating light cardio with intense cardio periods.  How long should each period be?  When you first start do 30 seconds intense followed by 45 seconds of lighter/slower cardio.  Continue this alternating process until you have completed 5-12 minutes.  From there you would slowly progress upward to longer periods of intense followed by shorter periods of slow.  Be sure to get your doctor's permission. This type of cardio is no joke.

Ok.  So maybe you're thinking that the 12 week period wasn't really long enough to show the beneficial effects of steady state cardio.  Believe me, I thought the same thing.

Then the presenter hit us with this.

A six month study was done between two groups.  One group was diet only and the second group was diet plus aerobic exercise (50 minutes, 5 days per week).  That should certainly show the significant benefits of doing cardio using the belief of slow steady state, right?

Wrong?

Still not a believer?  Check out the link below.

Six month Study of two groups.  One diet only the other diet plus aerobic exercise.

So what were the findings?  Plain and simple, no additional effects of aerobic exercise on body composition.

Please believe me when I tell you that numerous hands went up to explain their story of what they experienced.  The presenter did an outstanding job of explaining what was really at work in those "success stories". Then he went on to provide numerous other studies that continued to show the ineffectiveness of steady state/slow cardio for those serious about getting rid of body fat quickly and effectively.

So what do you do that works.  Well for one, try using intervals during your cardio training sessions and see the results.  In addition you should check back next week when I'll share with you what the studies say works to help you get rid of that stubborn body fat quickly and effectively.

See you next week for the real deal.

Get on Track and Stay on Track!