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Aerobics Cardio Information |
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Why Your Cardiovascular Workouts Might Be A Big Waste Of Your Time
What if I were to tell you that most if not all of the cardiovascular exercise you do was worthless? Well, guess what? over 50% of the people who perform cardio in an attempt to burn fat are wasting their time? hours and hours of it! Are you one of them? Before you call me crazy, let me explain. I'm not saying that cardiovascular exercise can't or doesn't burn fat; it's just that most people are not performing the right type of cardio workouts. Before I get into the details, let me first cover some of the basics. Just like anything in life, if you want to be successful you must do two things: 1. Know what you're doing (or learn); be knowledgeable 2. Have a plan (detailed/well thought out) How Cardio Exercise Affects Your Body Well, I'm going to make sure that after reading this today you will be able to do both. So let's start with your knowledge. It's critical that you understand how your body works and what happens when you exercise. The human body is constantly burning a mix of fuels or energy sources: fat and glycogen. Glycogen is energy stored in muscle cells that is primarily used during intense muscle contractions. Some examples of these intense muscle contractions would be strength training, running, hard physical work, etc. So basically, during low to moderate activity levels, your body first uses what's in the blood stream and then uses primarily fat. When you are highly active you use more glycogen and less fat. You are probably wondering what all this has to do with you and your cardio workouts? right? Well, it matters? a lot! There are different benefits of different level of activity. Let me explain to you the system use, why I use it, and why it's the most effective. I recommend three basic level of cardiovascular exercise: Level 1: Long easy workout (ex. walking 60 minutes Level 2: Moderate intensity / moderate time (ex. fast walk 45 minutes) Level 3: Short, hard workout (ex. running 20 minutes) NOTE: It doesn't matter what activity or piece of equipment you choose. All that matters is that you get to the desired level. Let's talk about what happens at each of the three levels. When exercising at the Level 1 pace, your body burns more colonies from fat, HOWEVER the total number of calories is small. In order for you to burn a lot of body fat at the easy level you would need to do it for hours at a time! Not too practical is it? This is not to say there aren't benefits because there are?it's just not the best choice when it comes to fat loss. The primary benefit is increased blood flow and circulation, which means you'll feel better, you'll recover more quickly, and you'll be healthier in general. Ok, let's talk about Level 2 now. At this level you burn more calories but less are from fat. Moderate work will result in a larger increase in metabolism than the easy Level 1 and will last 2-6 hours in most cases. You also get the benefits of increased blood flow but you also have to remember that it's a bit more stressful than Level 1. The main benefit, or I should say possible benefit is increased endurance (cardio/respiratory) IF your workouts are progressive (challenge the body's systems to work harder over time nearly each workout if possible). Last but not least Level 3. At this level you burn the most calories per unit of time. You also burn less fat during the workout, but the plus side is you deplete muscle glycogen which means you'll be les likely to store "new" fat because any excess calories will be stored in the muscles instead. This typed of workout also results in the largest increase in metabolism, which will generally last 4-24 hours or more. The Level 3 workout is by far the most effective when it comes to fat loss for four reasons: 1. Burn more calories in less time 2. Largest increase in metabolism that lasts the longest 3. Helps to add and maintain muscle tissue 4. Depletes muscle glycogen which means you're less likely to store new fat So what's your goal? As you can see there are benefits at each level and how often you perform each workout should be based on your goals. You can get the benefits of all three but you must be cautious in how you structure your program. Here are some general guidelines to follow: If your primary goal is: Fat loss
Endurance
General Fitness
So to recap, you really need to know what your goals are, and what levels you need to be at and how often. On the following page is a chart that gives you the heart rate zones for all 3 of the workouts based on your age. NOTE: If you are on blood pressure regulating medication you should first consult with your doctor and reduce the numbers by 10 each. If you are not currently exercising or have not exercised at the different levels before I advise you build up your intensity slowly. If you would like more information on cardiovascular exercise please give me a call. You reach me at 240-731-3724 or by emailing jesse@achieve-fitness.com Heart Rate Based Cardiovascular Exercise Guidelines Jesse Cannone is a certified personal trainer and author of the best-selling fitness ebook, Burn Fat FAST. Be sure to sign up for his free email course as it is full of powerful weight loss and fitness tips that are guaranteed to help you get the results you want. http://www.guaranteed-weightloss.com info@guaranteed-weightloss.com
MORE RESOURCES: Water Aerobics: Why You Should Consider Aqua Cardio Alameda Post 10 resistance band exercises you can do at home British Heart Foundation Alzheimer's disease: Why aerobic exercise may have protective effect Medical News Today The Best Cardio Exercises To Boost Your Endurance as You Age Eat This Not That The Decade That Changed Fitness Forever The New York Times Weight loss: Modest results possible with 30 mins of exercise per week Medical News Today Treadmills are out, barbells are in: why gym-goers are abandoning cardio for weight training The Guardian How to improve your mental health using physical activity Mental Health Foundation Exercise Is Good for Everything. Even Hangovers. The New York Times Moderate, vigorous exercise boosts cognitive abilities for 24 hours Medical News Today Can You Exercise When You Have COVID-19? Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials Aerobic exercise: a powerful ally in the fight against Alzheimer’s University of Bristol Colorectal cancer: Exercise in the morning and evening may cut risk Medical News Today How to Incorporate Quick and Easy Exercise into Your Daily Routine for Better Health - HealthCentral Demi Moore gave up 'hard exercise' after years of 'obsession'. Here's how she works out now Women's Health Best Exercises to Start With When You’re Living With Obesity Everyday Health Exercise May Ease COVID-19 and Long COVID Symptoms Yale Medicine Exercise Equipment for Seniors Healthline I asked scientists about the best exercise for longevity - and they all said the same 3 workouts Woman & Home Engage Your Core with a Top-Tested Exercise Ball Good Housekeeping How to Optimize Your Workout to Boost Your Mood The New York Times Experts on how to find the best mix of exercise for your age as a woman Australian Broadcasting Corporation Hate Exercise? We Made This 10-Minute Workout Just for You. The New York Times All you need is a chair to get a great burn at home Women's Health ‘Cardio drumming’ is the hot, new exercise trend to purge your daily anger and frustration New York Post Aerobic Exercise: Randomized Controlled Trial Data Suggest Qualified Benefits for Erectile Dysfunction Psychiatrist.com Dr Hilary Jones reveals the two 'ideal' exercises for losing weight and keeping it off for good Woman & Home Swimming & Aquatics City of San Antonio (.gov) A 30 (ish)-Minute, Low-Impact, Cardio Pool Workout Everyday Health Rethinking cardio exercise Harvard Health New research finds half-cardio, half-strength training reduces cardiovascular disease risks • News Service Iowa State University What’s the Least Amount of Exercise I Can Get Away With? Time Magazine The impact of physical activity and exercise interventions on symptoms for women experiencing menopause: overview of reviews BMC Women's Health Massive study uncovers how much exercise is needed to live longer American Medical Association Forget The Wind-Down Routine: New Study Shows Light Exercise Before Bed Results in 30 Minutes’ Extra Sleep Men's Health The Full-Body Pool Workout That Doesn’t Involve Swimming (Published 2023) The New York Times Resistance Exercise Training in Individuals With and Without Cardiovascular Disease: 2023 Update: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association | Circulation American Heart Association Journals The Great Debate: Cardio vs. Strength Training RWJBarnabas Health The best exercise equipment for seniors National Geographic How Much Should You Exercise Per Week? Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials High-intensity Exercise May Reverse Neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s Disease Yale School of Medicine Why Walking Isn’t Enough When It Comes to Exercise Time Magazine UTSW studies clarify link between exercise, risk of heart disease: Newsroom UT Southwestern Medical Center How Exercise Can Lead to a Healthy Gut Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials Clown Cardio Doesn’t Take Exercise Seriously (Published 2024) The New York Times Fitness brandeisjudges.com Women may realize health benefits of regular exercise more than men National Institutes of Health (NIH) | (.gov) Comparative Efficacy of 5 Exercise Types on Cardiometabolic Health in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of 81 Randomized Controlled Trials | Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes American Heart Association Journals Short bursts of exercise may offer big health benefits Harvard Health The best strength-building exercise to lower blood pressure? Harvard Health Exercise during cancer treatment: 4 things to know MD Anderson Cancer Center 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week reduces liver fat, study finds Penn State University Mayo Clinic Minute: Is your exercise program heart-healthy? Mayo Clinic News Network |
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