Step Away From the Cardio Equipment and Into the Weight Room :

In the training hierarchy of fat loss I place long endurance cardio at the bottom of the list. I often tell my personal training clients that if they have 30 min to spend at the gym use that time in the weight room using a fast paced weight intensive circuit routine and get out. Next time you are in your local gym look at the people on the cardio equipment day after day trekking away like a hamster on a wheel on that treadmill. Their bodies look the same as they did 6 month ago, maybe a 5 pound weight loss but otherwise their bodies never really change.

Now look around at the people who are lifting weights. (ignore the tribal armed band tattoo meat head caring the gallon jug of water. He's just a tool) Who do you want to look like? I often have my clients bring in a picture of how they want their bodies to look in one year. They always choose some celebrity who lifts weights and lifts with intensity (I get pictures Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani a lot) yet they inevitably say "I don't want to be big and bulky so I'm not really interested in lifting weights". Meanwhile they have spent countless hours on the elliptical hoping their body would respond to the work so they can finally loose those lunch lady arms. Women do not naturally have enough of the required hormones to gain the amount of muscle mass to make them look masculine. Yes I have seen the bodybuilding female freaks in the muscle magazines, but I can assure you they are not "natural", and I will leave it at that.

When you first begin your cardio program you will probably lose a few pounds provided you do not over compensate with additional calories. However, the body will always attempt to resist fat loss. The body does not like change therefore after the initial weight loss most people will stop losing weight because the body has adapted to the stress you are applying. It is basic exercise science; change requires continuous challenges to your body's natural reaction to seek homeostasis. We call this a plateau. If you continue to repeat the same stimulus you will stop changing. That is what traditional long slow distance cardiovascular training is; repetition of the same stimulus.

In order to change the shape of your body you must lift weights with a certain amount of intensity and frequency over time. I am not opposed to cardio as an additional part of a weight loss/fitness program. I am talking about the MOST efficient training strategies for fat loss. Cardio for fat loss is entirely about the calories burned during the time that you are engaged in the activity. If you run for 30 min you may burn 300 calories. It's true that with most weight lifting routines you will not burn as many calories for the same amount of time. However, you will increase your muscle mass therefore increasing your calorie burn over a long period on time. Remember, the method for fat loss is calories in calories out (move more, eat less) OVER TIME! We know that the more muscle you have the more metabolically active your body is, thus you burn more calories over the course of your day than someone who does just steady state cardio. You are setting your body up to not just achieve fat loss but MAITAIN fat loss over time.

Another reason I prefer weight training over cardio is that you can receive the same fat loss benefits by controlling your calorie consumption without putting in the hour on the treadmill. The same cannot be said for the metabolic benefits of weight training. Is it more uncomfortable to cut your calories rather than endure a long session with the stair master? That's for you to decide. Cardio will not tighten or shape the contour of your body. You will just look like a smaller version of an overweight person; skinny and squishy.

Please keep in mind that I am talking about why strength training for fat loss should be priority over endurance cardio. I am not suggesting cardio is useless or unnecessary part of a fitness program. If you are on a limited time schedule ALWAYS lift weight rather that doing an hour of cardio. My next article will outline a workout program for someone who either has a limited amount of time to allow for training or simply is looking for a short but highly intensive workout. The best part of this program is any additional cardio is completely optional for those who have long cardio sessions. If you are eager to start right now try this one from Alwyn Cosgrove.

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