Do You Really Need Cardio Workouts?
Are cardio workouts or weight training more effective for losing fat…
by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
In this article, I have an intriguing discussion about cardio workouts, which will hopefully get you thinking differently, and trying new things.
You may know I’ve been called the anti-cardio guy before, but this week I’m back posing the question to you… Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape? By the way, you’ll see in a minute that I’m not really “anti-cardio”, just “anti traditional cardio”.
Most fitness buffs, weekend warriors, or anyone trying to get in shape or lose body fat, consider it a fact that they need “cardio” exercise to accomplish these goals. They would never even question it.
However, I’m not only questioning it, I’m going to refute it! In fact, you may be surprised to know that some of the leanest and meanest people I know (men and women), NEVER do any type of normal or traditional cardio. And I’ve spent over 15 years working out in various gyms, and hanging out with athletes of all sorts, so I’ve seen it all.
I will say that there can be a place for low-moderate level cardio for really overweight or deconditioned people, but even in those cases, there can be more effective methods.
But what exactly is “cardio”?
Most people would consider cardio to be pumping away mindlessly on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, or coasting on an elliptical machine, while watching the TV screen at their state of the art gym. This is what I call “traditional cardio”. Hmmm, no wonder the majority of people get bored with their workouts and give up after a couple months without seeing results.
But if you look closer, “cardio” exercise can be considered any type of exercise or activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system. I’m not going to get into anything technical like increasing your VO2 max or anything like that. To keep it simple, if it gets your heart pumpin, and gets you huffin and puffin, it’s cardio. I don’t care if you’re holding dumbbells or a barbell and everyone calls it a weight training exercise…it’s still conditioning your heart.
Let’s take a look at a couple examples. Take a barbell (or dumbbell, or kettlebell) clean & press for example, which involves lifting a barbell from the floor up to shoulders, then push pressing overhead. And listen up ladies, because even though this is usually seen as a manly exercise, it doesn’t matter if you’re not lifting 250 lbs; if 45 lbs is challenging to you, then you will still benefit just as much.
At first glance, most people think of the barbell C&P only as a weight training exercise or strength exercise. However, I challenge you to do a hard set of around 10-15 reps on the C&P. If you used a challenging enough weight, what you’ll find is that your heart rate is probably up to about 80-90% of your recommended max, and you are huffing and puffing like you just ran a 100-meter sprint (which by the way, sprinting kicks the crap out of jogging any day if you want the easiest way to lose the flab).
Try the same thing for a set of 20 reps of one-arm snatches or swings with each arm with a kettlebell or dumbbell, and tell me your legs aren’t burning, heart racing, and you’re gasping for breath. How about trying 5 minutes straight of bodyweight squats, lunges, and pushups with very little rest. Again, notice your heart pounding, sweat pouring off of you, and chest heaving for breaths!
Try and tell me you’re not conditioning your heart with this style of training! Conventional thinking says that these are weight training or strength training exercises. However, they are fullfilling your cardio workout needs as well (saving you time!).
Not only do you save time, but you strengthen and condition almost every muscle in your entire body with these full body exercises if you do them with enough intensity…something that can’t be said for that boring stationary bike ride or treadmill jaunt while reading or watching TV.
Reading or watching TV while you workout is a joke!
Seriously, if you can read or watch TV while doing any exercise, you’re not concentrating enough on what you’re doing, plus you’re probably not working out hard enough to see any real results.
I challenge you to give the “traditional cardio” a rest for a month or two, and start training the way I explain in my internationally-selling Truth About Six Pack Abs Program, and see how you start getting leaner, more defined, and your six pack starting to show through what used to be stubborn stomach fat deposits.
More Related Articles
How To Lose Belly Fat
Almost everyone wants to lose some excess fat on their body somewhere. For the vast majority, they're looking to lose belly fat and they want to lose belly fat fast! Whether you want to admit it or not,Finding The Best Ab Workouts
When trying to achieve the illusive six pack, it' easy to get confused by all the "best ab workouts" available. You'll likely notice that there a multitude of ab workouts to choose one, so deciphering which onesThe Importance of Physical Variability in Cardio Exercise
By Mike Geary – Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer Are you a cardio junkie? Everyone seems to think that "cardio" is the best way to get in shape and lose body fat. I'm going to showUnique Lean-Body Workouts for the Time-Crunched Individual
by Mike Geary - Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer Warning: this style of workout is WAY different than anything you've ever tried before and may result in a dramatically leaner, stronger body so that your friends noHow To Look Like A Female Fitness Model
Do you pass by the magazine stands in the store and envy the bodies of the cover models? More and more women today are coveting this body type; strong and muscular while still being feminine. GoneHow To Get Six Pack Abs
One of the most popular requests among people in the gym is to get six pack abs. There is no doubt about it, obtaining this elusive goal not only takes hard work, but also demonstrates that youHow To Avoid Over-Training To Maximize Muscle Growth
Almost anyone that's picked up a set of weights has or will experience symptoms of over-training at one point in there muscle building program. Over-training can lead to serious injury, chronic fatigue, and even muscle loss. Over-training isFirm And Flatten Your Abs
Product Report The credentials of this author include Certified Fitness Trainer, Kinesiologist, Health and Lifestyle Coach and Golf Biomechanics Pro. He claims to be one of only 37 trainers in the United States to hold all of theseFinding A Weight Loss Program That Works
If you're currently on the search for weight loss programs, you'll need to consider a variety of things. All weight loss programs are not created equally; some will have a much higher rate of success than others. KnowingEffective Weight Loss Tips to Help You Succeed
In today's world, almost everywhere you look people are looking for weight loss tips. Weight loss has become the primary objective of those who are going to the gym. They want to lose weight and they want
Comments
Feel free to leave a comment...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!