| |
| |
|
Weight Loss Information |
|
|
|
Questioning Cardio for Weight Loss?
Q: I've heard you mention that you don't need tons of cardio to burn stubborn abdominal fat. Okay, I can live with that, but you've also said that it isn't absolutely necessary to perform direct ab work either. What gives? A: If you want to build a serious set of abdominals, routinely perform the following exercises and their variations: squats, deadlifts, chin-ups, and standing military presses. These multi-joint movements require a strong contribution from the abdominals to stabilize the core, particularly when heavy loads are used. It is not uncommon to hear clients complain of abdominal soreness a day or two after performing multiple sets with a decent weight of the chin-up or standing military press exercise - the ab prestretch will tap into fibers you never thought existed! And remember, your abdominals act as a natural girdle, or weight belt if you will, when performing all exercises, particularly squats and deadlifts. These muscles act as a bridge between your upper and lower body and are heavily recruited as stabilizers. Sure, isolation exercises like pullovers, curls, and even triceps pressdowns also require a good degree of core stability; however, the loads used are relatively low compared to the big 4 mentioned above. In fact, according to Siff & Verkhoshansky, isolation becomes virtually impossible if large loads are used, and in many cases, the tension developed in the stabilizers will equal or even exceed that of the prime movers!* So, you see, the abdominals can be trained quite effectively as stabilizers - the physiques of top Olympic weightlifters will attest to that. *Siff, MC, Verkhoshansky, YV. "Supertraining (4th Edition)." Denver, CO: Supertraining International, 1999. (pg. 241) Q: I am still very much confused regarding cardio intensity. One book says keep it low intensity (i.e. 60% of MHR) and go for distance; another keep it high intensity (80% or more) and go for as long and hard as you can. The goal is to burn fat. Each book has great arguments for their approach. Which is accurate? A: The second approach is far more effective for burning fat. Without getting into a huge discussion about this, here's how things work in a nutshell. At a lower intensity, your body prefers fat for fuel. Yes, this is true, but two things generally happen: 1. After awhile of doing this type of activity, your body adapts by actually laying down fat (you heard me right) to become more efficient at the given task and this usually occurs in the lower body, and 2. A higher relative amount of fat is burned during low intensity cardio but a greater absolute amount is burned with higher intensity cardio and in less time. Other things to consider are: a) the EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) is greater for a longer duration following higher intensity work; in other words, you're metabolism is much higher for a longer period of time post-workout with high intensity cardio, and b) higher lactate levels exist with high intensity cardio. So what you may ask? Well there is a direct correlation with lactate and GH (Growth Hormone) and GH is a potent fat-burner. Bottom line: with regards to burning fat, do higher intensity work in the form of interval training and you'll get great results. John Paul Catanzaro is a certified kinesiologist and professional fitness and lifestyle consultant with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a private gym in Toronto, Ontario providing training and nutritional consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at www.BodyEssence.caor call 416-292-4356.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Government Against Diets The Government of the Australian state of Victoria has started a campaign aimed at warning people of the dangers of fad diets. The campaign is believed to be the first of its kind in the world. High Carb & Low Carb Diets: How To Avoid The Dangers There's a two hundred year history of people prescribing both high and low carb diets for weight loss. So how does one choose? One factor you should consider is the dangers associated with each diet. Children of Gastric Bypass Patients at Risk for Eating Disorders As parents who've had gastric bypass we face many challenges raising a family. Perhaps an unexpected challenge is when a child develops an eating disorder that may be exacerbated by the parents dieting habits. A Full Scale War It happens every morning when you mosey out of bed, somewhere between the time you take off that robe and the instant you step into the shower. For others, it happens immediately after a workout, as soon as you peel off those sweaty clothes and stand aimlessly in your birthday suit. The Neuro-Science Of Losing The Weight You Hate Are you one of the 90 million Americans who are currently on a diet? Do you lose weight only to gain every ounce of it back? Well you're not alone.The national center for health statistics suggests that over 64 % of Americans are overweight and that figure is growing every year. Hoodia Gordonii - The Hoodia Cactus - Whered My Appetite Go? My Experience with Pure Hoodia If you are into herbs and natural cures, you've undoubtedly heard of the Hoodia Gordonii cactus, the latest natural diet discovery for suppressing the appetite. Pure Hoodia (Hoodia Gordonii in it's purest form), acts as a natural appetite suppressant and has helped its devotees naturally curbtheir appetite and consequently take the lbs off. Take The Die out Of Dieting - Tips For Stress Free Weight Loss Not so resolved on that "New Year's Resolution" to be in shape this year? Not quite in the body that you wanted to spend this summer in? Are you sick of counting carb grams and worrying about all of the foods that you "can't eat" ? If You are tired of losing the same weight over and over, and feeling like a failure because your last "diet" didn't work, try these tips to not only lose weight, but lose it for good. I have watched hundreds of clients over the years and almost without exception, those that lose their weight once and for all have mastered these tips and made their weight loss Stress Free? Be Responsible for What You Eat -Studies show that people who are 20 or more pounds overweight underestimate their caloric intake by up to 1000 calories per day, while people of a normal weight under estimate by only several hundred, There are 2 main culprits for this. Weight Loss Options -- Infrared Radiant Heat Saunas (IR Saunas) Infrared Radiant Heat (IRRH) is a form of radiation that penetrates the outer surface of objects, including human skin. Heat is generated as the infrared energy interacts with and penetrates the skin surface. The Psychology of Weight Loss: Part 3 - Lose the Hang Ups! We have missed the boat and your boat is sinking fast. You have weighted your ship down with stats, calories, grams and pounds. The Effect Of A Low Carb Diet On Your Insulin Level The underlying principles of low carb diets are based on the role of insulin in our body. There are three basic units the body uses for energy: Fats, Proteins, and Carbohydrates. New Weight Loss Program -- How to Make Your Diet Work This is a continuation of the article entitled, "Making Diets Work." In the original article, I introduced the concept of Diet ShockTM and its role in weight regain. Natural Weight Loss: Add to Your Diet and Add Years to Your Life As I was saying in my past articles, others have added years back to there life with a few added ingredients. They also added energy and youth. Weight Loss: Keeping Your Results Over the Summer Having just returned from a week of basking on a beach, I couldn't help but notice how many over 30's were overweight and apparently doing little to help it.The other thing I noticed from chatting, was how many people had low carb dieted prior to getting to the beach, yet didn't seem to be following any diet now, except perhaps a weight gain diet. Green Tea And Weight Loss There's recently been a LOT in the weight loss news concerning green tea.Green tea's weight loss effects have been causing more and more people to start sipping the ancient Japanese brew. Milk: The Weight Loss Drug Lose Weight - Grab A GlassIn childhood, we heard it: Drink a glass of milk at every meal. Now TV commercials are touting the weight-loss effects of milk and other dairy products. Overweight - Answering Your Critics There are those that walk amongst us who have followed all the advice, diligently dieted and exercised with genuine effort for long periods of time, yet still fail to lose their excess weight. Even more heartbreaking for those of us who genuinely struggle with obesity are the accusations of sloth and laziness from those thin people who eat junk all day long and show no physical sign of their own gluttony. Six Steps to Weight Loss Success What does it take to lose weight?When it comes to losing weight there is so much conflicting information out there that a lot of people just are not sure where to begin. There is an old saying that states "if you want learn how to get rich then hang out with rich people" Well, that old saying can also be applied if you want to lose weight. Weight Loss NOW or Else! If you knew when you were going to die, would you really want to know? If you knew when you were going to lose your life, would you do anything differently? If you had a choice of living longer or living a better quality of life, which would you choose, longer or better?People say, "if only" they had known they were going to have this happen to me, they would have done things differently. IF ONLY?I had not stressed so much about life. Pizza, French Fries, Beer and Other Diet Foods Now this is the real American Dream! I'm here to let you know that it is totally possible to lose all the fat you want while eating nothing but junk food. The only hitch is that all the fat you want to lose is going to have to be zero!Here are some tongue-in-cheek (or burger-in-belly) suggestions for how you can turn even the greasiest, sugariest, most overprocessed calorie bomb into lean, mean diet food. Bye-Bye Bread I don't know about you, but I absolutely love bread - not the soft, fluffy, rubber stuff sold as an edible napkin, but the scrunchy, chewy, whole grain staff of life bread. I can pass by decorated cakes without a twinge and eyeball ice cream as if were something alien and unappealing.
|
| First Weight Loss Page | Site Map | Weightloss n Fitness Home Page |
| © 2011 |
