By: Jason Yun
The topic I'm going to talk about today is cardiovascular exercise. If you've ever tried to lose weight in the past then you know this is a must. Or so you were meant to believe.
'Cardio' exercise as you probably know is where you get on a treadmill or some other type of machine or ride a bike or go for jog and stay at a certain pace and/or incrementally increase the pace throughout the 1/2 to 1 hour that you usually do it for. While doing this you are trying to stay in the 'fat burning zone'. Usually takes about 10-15 minutes of this type of training to get 'into the zone'.
In this zone, about 50-65% of your max heart rate (not hard at all), you are supposedly burning and using more calories from fat and burning more fat off your body. And you are! Problem is although you are burning a greater percentage of fat calories, it's the total amount of fat calories burned that matters if you want to lose weight--and the fat calories being burned stop once you stop the exercise. Another problem is you are burning body fat that is stored in your body as the primary fuel source.
But isn't that what I want?
You would think so, but after you stop doing the cardio that's when the big problems start to come up. 1st off again, after you stop doing it, you stop burning calories. 2nd, now your body is going to guard the body fat you have left on your body until the next time you do that same type of exercise--'cardio'. See your body wants to use fat as it's primary fuel source when you are at rest--sleeping, watching TV, sitting at work, etc... But when you perform 'cardio' on a regular basis, this slow steady work rate is fooling your body into thinking differently about when it actually is at rest. Therefore it holds on to body fat more readily and actually can create more because it wants to prepare for the next session of 'cardio', so what you eat will be converted to fat a lot easier than before.
It affects your metabolism too. Muscle is your metabolism!! The more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism, the more calories and fat you burn off naturally. But 'cardio' has the distinction of making your muscles smaller, and decreasing your metabolism and your natural fat burning furnace.
I don't do 'cardio' and haven't for at least 4 years. I'm not knocking the use of it, especially if you are a professional endurance athlete or your career depends on you having long lasting endurance and cardiovascular strength. But if you are a general person, just trying to be fit and stay within a good body image and composition, then I recommend staying away from regular 'cardio', because you are simply reducing your body's natural ability to burn fat. Once in a while is fine to get a change of pace in. But as your primary mode of 'cardio' I recommend Interval Training. It's the second most important type of training when it comes to fat loss behind weight training.
Article Source: ABC Article Directory
Jason Yun, a certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Sports Nutritionist, is a Columbus fitness bootcamp and weight management teacher. To book him to speak at your local Columbus organization please contact him by email at jyun@yunbootcamps.com or by phone at 614-432-9703. For a free 2-week trial to his Bootcamps go to: www.yunfitnessbootcamps.com or www.yunnutrition.com
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Workout For Women - Get Rid of the Fat Butt With Cardio Kickboxing
By: Raz Chan
I've been training women of all shapes and sizes for years. Many people would probably assume they train cardio kickboxing or martial arts to protect themselves and stay healthy. However I found the majority of women wanted to join my class for aesthetic reasons first and self protection a distant second. Cardio kickboxing and martial arts are a great way to tone your body. Just look at the chiselled bodies of boxers or UFC fighters. This has not gone unnoticed by women who are now enrolling in martial arts classes in large numbers. This workout for women is fast paced, exciting and fun.
Most people follow aerobic together with flexibility exercises. However in my classes I make sure the workout consists of the following: stretching, aerobic, strength / plyometrics, kickboxing drills, and abdominal work. Combine all these elements you have a balanced workout for women. All these drills can be accomplished without weights. Instead you can use bodyweight exercises to start with. Push ups, leg squats, abdominal crunches and lunges are just some of the exercises you can do to develop the muscles in your body.
A popular question I often get from my female clients is how can I slim, tone, and firm my butt? The most popular exercises among trainers are the usual squat and lunges with or without weights. They are great exercises but I like to do something a little different and stay true to the martial arts side of the workout. This adds a little uniqueness and spice to my workout for women.
One of the drills I like to use in my cardio kickboxing workout for women is the butt roundhouse back kick drill. It is one of the best drills to slim and tone the buttocks:
1). Start by kneeling on the floor with both your hands and knees touching the ground.
2). We are going to work with your right leg first. Keeping your left knee and both hands on the floor you are going to raise your right knee off the ground & perform a kick out to the side of your body then retract it back you without placing your knee back to the floor.
3). Immediately you are going to take the same right leg and kick straight back as high as you can and bring it back to your body without placing your knee back to the floor. Now kick out to the side again, bring it back to your body, followed by a kick back. Repeat steps 1 -2 for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
4). Once complete you will perform the exercise on the left leg for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
You should feel a good burn on both the right and left side of your glutes after you have completed the exercise. This is one of many different ways you can firm up the glutes.It can be done anywhere during your free time.
Train safe and I will talk to you next time!
Article Source: ABC Article Directory
Raz Chan is a professional martial arts instructor teaching women's cardio kickboxing and self-defense. To find out more about his online workout for women you can follow his blog at: workout for women blog or his website at: workout for women online
I've been training women of all shapes and sizes for years. Many people would probably assume they train cardio kickboxing or martial arts to protect themselves and stay healthy. However I found the majority of women wanted to join my class for aesthetic reasons first and self protection a distant second. Cardio kickboxing and martial arts are a great way to tone your body. Just look at the chiselled bodies of boxers or UFC fighters. This has not gone unnoticed by women who are now enrolling in martial arts classes in large numbers. This workout for women is fast paced, exciting and fun.
Most people follow aerobic together with flexibility exercises. However in my classes I make sure the workout consists of the following: stretching, aerobic, strength / plyometrics, kickboxing drills, and abdominal work. Combine all these elements you have a balanced workout for women. All these drills can be accomplished without weights. Instead you can use bodyweight exercises to start with. Push ups, leg squats, abdominal crunches and lunges are just some of the exercises you can do to develop the muscles in your body.
A popular question I often get from my female clients is how can I slim, tone, and firm my butt? The most popular exercises among trainers are the usual squat and lunges with or without weights. They are great exercises but I like to do something a little different and stay true to the martial arts side of the workout. This adds a little uniqueness and spice to my workout for women.
One of the drills I like to use in my cardio kickboxing workout for women is the butt roundhouse back kick drill. It is one of the best drills to slim and tone the buttocks:
1). Start by kneeling on the floor with both your hands and knees touching the ground.
2). We are going to work with your right leg first. Keeping your left knee and both hands on the floor you are going to raise your right knee off the ground & perform a kick out to the side of your body then retract it back you without placing your knee back to the floor.
3). Immediately you are going to take the same right leg and kick straight back as high as you can and bring it back to your body without placing your knee back to the floor. Now kick out to the side again, bring it back to your body, followed by a kick back. Repeat steps 1 -2 for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
4). Once complete you will perform the exercise on the left leg for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
You should feel a good burn on both the right and left side of your glutes after you have completed the exercise. This is one of many different ways you can firm up the glutes.It can be done anywhere during your free time.
Train safe and I will talk to you next time!
Article Source: ABC Article Directory
Raz Chan is a professional martial arts instructor teaching women's cardio kickboxing and self-defense. To find out more about his online workout for women you can follow his blog at: workout for women blog or his website at: workout for women online
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