Have you been spending an hour or more on the treadmill because you think it is the only solution to your cardio-vascular health, weight loss and revealing a toned, tight set of six-pack abs?
Well the truth is there are much more effective and short duration cardio routines that you could be following and saving your valuable time. Long sessions on the treadmill, cross-trainers and rowing machines eat into time you probably don’t have to waste. If you are stuck between work, juggling the children, shopping and cooking and cleaning then you probably would love to save time and get better results at losing fat and having an attractive midsection. If you simply enjoy spending an hour or two on the treadmill then fine, but there are certainly disadvantages to long cardio sessions that you might not be aware of.
The Misconception About Steady-State Cardiovascular Workouts
During a steady-state cardiovascular workout (jogging on a treadmill) you are raising your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), which remains elevated while you train. Sure that is great if you are trying to lose weight, but after you run for an hour you will only burn calories for a couple of hours after your workouts. The fat will break down while you aerobically train and weight loss will occur, but only for that short period. It easily becomes addictive as you become fit to increase your goals -to run, row or swim for longer periods, especially if you want to lose even more body fat.
However wouldn’t you like to know how to burn fat for up to 24 hours after you have left the gym? Imagine turning your body into an overnight fat-burning furnace – hours after you have left the gym? Wouldn’t you like to save precious time and get even better results? Wouldn’t you love to be sporting a set of well-defined, lean, tight, six pack abs?
Have you noticed when you do long periods of cardio that you also lose valuable lean muscle?
Increasing your aerobic activities decreases your lean muscle. The longer you train the more lean muscle you will lose as the body breaks down the fat and muscle. It may seem an obvious assumption if you have already made the connection between middle and long distance runners and their very slender body types. Now think of a sprinter’s physique; they have amazing lean muscle, ripped abs and look athletic. Female sprinters also have very attractive physiques and an aesthetically-pleasing shape.
Now, with that picture in mind, think of all the long and middle distance runners, again – and you have an idea of what I am talking about. Elite long-distance runners put in as much work as any other athlete, but they certainly have to sacrifice shape and size in their quest for glory. So has the penny dropped yet? Long periods of steady state cardio will not give you a very lean, athletic look. As you get older you will lose muscle mass and it is hardly the best option to decrease your muscle even more through steady-state cardio.
Of course there are other forms of cardio routines and exercise routines that will decrease fat, increase muscle and leave you with a great-looking six pack and increased cardio-vascular endurance. You can achieve better results in less time with the right cardio program. If you want to exceed any previous expectations you have had of fat-burning programs and learn how to develop an awesome set of abdominal muscles in the process, ‘check out Applied Body Science Personal Training now!
Click here to see just what Applied Body Science can do to deliver to you the set of six pack abs that you have always desired.
