Monday, July 25, 2011

Dre's Take on Cardio...



I am often asked what cardio I include in my program to achieve my condition... people are often surprised by the answer.

Firstly let me explain my approach...

I aim to always maintain a low body fat level year round and believe whole-heartedly that nutrition and weight training are the key to keeping body fat levels low.

Why don’t I incorporate cardio into my regular day to day program?

World renowned strength guru Charles Poliquin has identified 6 reasons why aerobic training is counterproductive to fat loss:

1.  Continuous aerobic work plateaus after 8 weeks of training so anything more is counterproductive.

2.  Aerobic training worsens power locally and systemically – in other words, it can make you slower.

3.  Aerobic training increases oxidative stress which can accelerate aging.

4.  Aerobic training increases adrenal stress which can make you fatter and produce other undesirable health consequences

5.  Aerobic training increases body fat in stressed individuals by contributing additional stress.

6.  Aerobic training worsens testosterone/cortisol ratio which impedes your ability to add fat burning lean muscle.

I can hear some of you screaming already... that’s ok for you... you are genetically lean! Trust me I can get as fat as anyone – If I ate crap and didn’t train!




So what about those people who have got more to lose...?  What would I recommend?

HIIT – High Intensity Interval Training

The best way to illustrate this is to point out the difference between a Sprinter and a Marathon Runner.... who has less body fat? The initial response from most people is the Marathon runner... but the reality is they have less muscle and a higher body fat %. The Sprinter however has much more muscle, a much faster metabolism and much lower body fat levels.

How is this possible?

The reason is rooted in the intense nature of their training. The higher the intensity (i.e. "Intensity" is the percentage of the Maximum Heart Rate, not the intensity of effort) the more calories per minute burned during the workout. In addition (and more important,) caloric expenditure is increased for 24-48 hours post workout.

The Power of Interval Training
 
The way for individuals to raise the intensity of their training is to do "Interval Training." Interval Training alternates bouts of high-intensity exercise with that of low to moderate-intensity exercise. Recent studies have shown that Interval Training is more effective for fat loss while improving both Aerobic and Anaerobic fitness. 

In Conclusion

Based on the information I have shared with you, I personally only incorporate ‘Steady Paced Cardio’ into my program 6 weeks out from a contest or shoot, keeping it to a minimum – 30min max only a few times per week. Ideally I would actually eliminate cardio completely, however I find the discipline and process of doing cardio helps me to maintain focus and sanity while dieting!

I find that any more than this and it results in loss of muscle & strength.


Just remember....




Yours in Health & Fitness - Now go DO!

Andre 'Dre' Davids

No comments:

Post a Comment