Fat Loss Myth #1
The fitness industry is full of self serving myths and misdirections. Over the next few weeks we will expose some of the biggest fat loss myths that many hold as truth.
One of the most commonly held myth is:
“Low intensity cardio is great for burning fat and boosting endurance.”
On the fat loss value scale, jogging for an hour is a complete waste of time. So is any form of cardio that forces you to do the same repetitive movements over and over. When your muscles have to continuously contract in the same manner for 30, 45, or 60 minutes, that energy has to come from somewhere. The body is stubborn and doesn’t want to burn your fat stores for energy so it cannibalizes your muscles instead. This immediately kills your metabolism and robs your body of strength and athleticism.
Taking the running example to its extreme conclusion, think of the Olympic long distance runner vs. the Olympic sprinter. Which body would you like to be sporting at the beach? The emanciated, dried out, frail and sick looking marathoner or the muscular, powerful and athletic sprinter?
Research by Tremblay shows that high intensity cardio is significantly more effective than low intensity cardio because it forces your body to keep burning fat and calories long after you stop training. Research by Tabata proves that just a few minutes of intense cardio will boost your anaerobic and aerobic conditioning.
The ideal scenario for getting ripped is doing exercises that stimulate your metabolism all day long. Do short (30-45 minutes max), explosive workouts that use compound movements (your whole body).
This is why our high intensity, compound movement based Kickboxing classes as well as the new Cage Fitness workout are so effective at melting fat.
So unless you are doing it because your are passionate about the activity, stop wasting your time with low intensity training if fat loss is your primary goal.