Cardio Training for Fat Loss

As a personal trainer I meet new people every day with one common goal – to lose body fat. Similarly, they also share the common belief that cardio training is the best way to accomplish this goal; this simply is NOT true. Sadly, people continue to make the same mistake over and over again. Yes, cardio training does aid in fat loss and is vital for increasing lung capacity, strengthening your heart, reducing stress levels, and is beneficial in many other ways as well. It is however, just one component to the tricky game of fat loss.

If you are going to the gym five or six days per week and spending 30 or 40 minutes on the treadmill in your “Fat Burning Zone”, I applaud your attempts at getting physically fit. However, you are wasting your time and energy.

Training in your “Fat Burning Zone” is a common myth based on maintaining a certain level of intensity over a certain duration of time in order to burn more calories from fat. The truth is fat loss is all about total caloric expenditure during exercise and at rest. It doesn’t matter what kind of calories you are burning; glucose, carbohydrates, fat. It doesn’t matter; fat loss is predicated on total calories burned.

By incorporating strength training into your routine along with short bouts of high intensity cardio training, you will see much better results. The addition of strength training will help increase your lean body mass or muscle tissue and in turn help to increase your metabolism and burn more calories while at rest.

The workout below is one example of combining strength training with cardio. This is an advanced workout that you would progressively work up to. If you would like to see what I would recommend for a beginner, you may email me - marc@fitnessforlifenetwork.com.

Directions: Perform the following circuit with minimal rest as needed. Perform three rounds for time.

Front Loaded Squats: 20 reps

Jumping Jacks: 1 minute

Push-ups: 20 reps

Run on Treadmill: 1 minute

KB Swings (both hands): 20 reps

Jumping Jacks: 1 minute

KB Swings (Alt arm): 10 reps per side

Run on Treadmill: 1 minute

KB Push-Press: 15 reps

Jumping Jacks: 1 minute

If you like this workout, check Craig Ballantyne's bodyweight cardio program http://tinyurl.com/kkzrl7.


Blow it Up!


Marc Nespoli
www.fitnessforlifenetwork.com
marc@fitnessforlifenetwork.com