CARDIO - “ARE YOU BURNING FAT, DESTORYING MUSCLE OR WASTING TIME?”

As we all know, cardiovascular exercise is a necessary component of all fitness programs. However, whether you train in the morning,in the afternoon or in the evening, as long as you train, and train correctly, you are on your way to a healthier lifestyle.In a recent study, the number one reason given as to why people don’t work out is their inability to find the time. The perception of theAmerican public is that it takes an hour to an hour and a half of exercise six to seven days a week to see results. However, in reality, nothing can be further from the truth!

Suppose a program existed where you could realize real long-lasting results and only demanded an hour of your time, three days a week? Is there anyone who could honestly say they couldn’t find the time? It’s doubtful. Well, there is such a program. No, I’m not talking about “Eight Minute Abs”, but what I am talking about is the high intensity workout that is being utilized at I.F.C. Basically, the design of each I.F.C. program follows a logical scientific approach to fitness where cardiovascular training is don immediately after 20-30 minutes of resistance training. This allows your body to use up its glycogen stores and increase your heart rate while “lifting” , leaving your body poised to burn fat during cardio.

Generally speaking, (not including a two to three minute warm up and cool down) “Fat Burning Sessions” should last no longer than 30 minutes. Further, to ensure that you are training effectively and remaining in your Fat Burning Zone, you must monitor your heart rate. Remember, your body works like a machine. If you are not providing it with the necessary fuel, it won’t run efficiently. Therefore, unless you are at least at the low end of your training zone, you are truly wasting your time. To find that low end number, perform the following equation: 220 – Age – Resting Heart Rate (RHR) X .6 + RHR. The result of the above is the minimum beats per minute your heart needs to work to burn fat.

A word of caution however. When your body runs out of fuel or in this case, available stored fat, it turns to other sources of energy to continue functioning. This process of diminishing returns occurs between 30 and 45 minutes in your target heart rate zone. As your body continues to burn through its fat stores, it begins to derive its energy from protein stores (lean muscle mass). Also, if you train too hard, even within that half hour window, you may still be burning hard earned muscle. To avoid training too hard, limit the high end of your training zone to 75% of your maximum heart rate.

Therefore, 220 – Age – Resting Heart Rate (RHR) X .75 + RHR..

For once, the old saying, “If it’s too good to be true...it probably is,” doesn’t apply here. You can and will achieve better results with an “abbreviated” program that emphasizes intensity and consistency.