Weight Loss - Is Cardio the Most Effective?

Most personal trainers will be quick to say that the best way to burn fat is to hit the treadmill or cross-trainer for a long drawn-out cardio workout. In fact I would go as far as saying that most would aggresively defend this view! This is certainly the case in my experience....

Sometimes we must challenge popular opinion - no matter how much outside pressure is applied by the status quo.

There is a much more effective (and fun) way to shed the unwanted flab. The answer is HIGH INTENSITY. As well as being much less time consuming than the slower paced cardio, there are also a million and one variations making exercise boredom a long distant memory.

The problem with excessive cardio training is that muscle is the biggest casualty of the fat loss. An interesting comparison can be made between a marathon runner and a sprinter. The distance runner is extremely lean, almost to the point of emaciation at times, with very little muscle. Now take a look at the sprinter, still extremely lean but powerfully built with incredible muscle definition. This is due to the explosive nature of sprint training - short bursts of highly intense activity. Many recent studies have shown that high intensity exercise will elevate metabolism and continue to burn fat long after the workout is complete. The same cannot be said for cardio.

High Intensity Ideas

1. INTERVAL TRAINING - A combination of exercises performed in rapid succession with little to no rest in between. These can be any variation and must be performed with maximum intensity. Sprints, jump-rope and heavy bag work are some examples that can be applied.

2. TABATA INTERVAL TRAINING - The result of a study performed by Japanese Dr. Izumi Tabata on physically fit athletes. He found that after six weeks of testing there was an increase of 28% in anaerobic capacity (60 - 95% of the body's maximum energy output). The Tabata Protocol consists of 20 seconds absolute maximum intensity followed by 10 seconds rest x 8 repititions, 4 minutes in total..
Sounds easy huh? Think again... Tabata is a great workout for those with limited time.

3. RESISTANCE TRAINING - Want to lose the blubber? Simple. Gain muscle.
Free weights are great, but i have to admit my favourite is bodyweight exercise. They can be performed anywhere, anytime, with little to no equipment. Please note that one is not better than the other, this is just my personal preference. Both have many positive aspects.

4. SPRINTING - No equipment , No excuses. Just find a hill or a space of grass and get cracking! One of the ultimate fat burners, again just look at the sprinters physique. Powerful. Lean. Awesome.
A good substitute would be flat-out intensity jump-rope.

I'm not here to tell you cardio has no place in your workout., that would be incredibly irresponsible. Especially knowing that many people enjoy the the less intense activities. What I am saying is that more and more modern studies are confirming that high intensity is the most effective way to raise your metabolism and most importantly, torch the unwanted fat.