Have you ever stopped to think about WHY you work out the
way you do?
If you're like most people you've probably just fallen into
the rut of doing the same things from workout to workout
with little consideration for WHY you're doing them. For
example; most people are presented with a basic programme
when they join a gym and follow it blindly for weeks,
months or even years without ever taking the time to think
about whether or not the programme is right for their own
particular requirements.
No wonder so few people achieve the results they desire
from their training... they don't even know what their
exercises are supposed to do!
It's this simple; exercises are like tools. If you choose
the wrong tool to achieve the goals then it'll take you
longer to get there, if you ever get there at all! It's
like trying to drill a hole using a hammer, it just doesn't
make sense... and neither do most peoples workouts.
A prime example of using the wrong tool can be seen if we
look at the common approach to cardiovascular training
(CVT).
Most women incorporate CVT into their programmes primarily
as a method of weight control and body fat reduction. Using
all manner of methods from rowers to steppers, treadmills
to bikes and cross-trainers to 'aerobics' classes, women in
gyms up and down the country, and indeed the world, can be
found spending a disproportionate amount of their total
training time on exercises that... ...wait for it... ...may
actually be making them fatter!
That's right, it's not a typo. The much hailed panacea of
aerobic training can actually contribute to making women
(and men too) proportionately fatter than before they
started training.
Talk about using the wrong tool! We're basically 180
degrees out of phase with our intentions when we train this
way.
You see, the way the human body works is paradoxically
simple yet complicated at the same time. The simple part of
the energy system equation tells us that exercises that are
performed at a lower intensity use fat as the primary fuel
source and oxygen as a catalyst. Indeed, the very term
'aerobic' means 'with oxygen'. By definition these
activities are less taxing and are able to be sustained for
longer, almost indefinite periods of time. For example, as
you sit there reading this article you're predominantly
using your aerobic system.
So, that was the easy bit. Aerobic = low intensity fat
burning. Sounds ok doesn't it?
Well, consider this (This is the complex, sciency bit, but
bear with it, it's important).
The longer we engage in higher level aerobic activities
such as those typically included in a workout, the more we
secrete a nasty little group of hormones called
'glucocorticoids', with the stress hormone 'cortisol' chief
amongst them. One of the lesser known qualities of cortisol
is that it is catabolic in nature, meaning that it breaks
down muscle tissue along with fat in order to metabolise
this stored energy for immediate fuel.
Why is this bad?
Well, it's our muscles that give shape and definition to
our bodies. If we lose muscle faster than we lose fat then
proportionately we're fatter... even if the scales tell us
we're several pounds lighter! In a society that places a
higher priority on what we weigh, this is a difficult
concept to grasp but nevertheless it's true just the same.
Total weight is no indicator of how fat you are just as
total weight lost during a diet is no indicator of the
effectiveness of the diet. They are merely measurements of
total mass regardless of what that mass is made from.
Another point to bear in mind is that it is primarily our
lean tissues, our muscles, that burn the fuel that we eat
in order to create movement. Therefore, any loss of muscle
tissue means that our metabolism will slow down. The exact
opposite of what we need if we're trying to lose body-fat!
So what's the answer? Am I saying that CV exercise is 'Bad'?
No, far from it!
Cardiovascular training is extremely beneficial in
maintaining a healthy heart, preventing disease and keeping
surplus body-fat at bay, but considering many of the
drawbacks of the current over-emphasis on aerobic training,
I'd strongly recommend giving 'anaerobics' a try.
What are anaerobics?
Basically, the opposite of aerobics, these are activities
that are carried out 'without oxygen' [Note: we're never
truly without oxygen, just that oxygen cannot meet the
demand of the activity] and involve higher intensity,
shorter duration bursts of activity to produce the training
effect.
The benefits of this type of training include: Higher
calorie consumption Anabolic in nature - Meaning that it
promotes lean tissue. Increases metabolism Shorter, more
effective workouts
You can incorporate anaerobic activities into your workout
simply enough just by increasing your intensity during your
training. Instead of 15 minutes of steady-paced (and
mind-numbing) aerobic work, try the following:
5 bursts of high level (80% or more of your top effort) for
2-3 minutes duration.
Rest completely between each effort.
40/20 splits.
Go all out for 20 seconds and then recover for 40 secs.
Repeat 5 times.
Sprints.
Go as far and as fast as you can for 1 minute. Rest totally
in between sets and then repeat sprints 5 times.
As you can see, anaerobic training is characterised by a
high intensity of effort. If you can hold a conversation
during or immediately after the activity then you didn't
come out of your aerobic zone and may need to put forward a
little more effort.
There you have it. Probably the most effective, yet least
utilised, fat loss method there is. Give anaerobics a try,
I mean a fair try and you'll be amazed at what you can
achieve in a relatively short period of time. The results
of training this way can be quite spectacular.
You're thinking it sounds hard aren't you?
Well, you're right. It is hard. I never said it'd be easy
did I? But if you want the results...
----------------------------------------------------
Dax Moy is a performance enhancement specialist and master
personal trainer with studios in and around London.
Voted one of the UK's leading fitness experts, Dax is a
regular guest on TV, radio and print publications on the
subject of health, fitness and the performance mindset. To
learn more about Dax's unique training style visit
http://www.lookgreatnakedchallenge.com
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