Cardio Workouts:Are
Cardio Workouts Really Necessary?Here's
an intriguing discussion about cardio workouts, which will hopefully get you thinking
differently and trying new things. I've
been called the anti-cardio guy before, and I'm back posing the question to you...
Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape? By the way,
you'll see in a minute that I'm not really "anti-cardio," just "anti
traditional cardio." Most
fitness buffs (and mostly anyone trying to get in shape or lose body fat) consider
it a fact that they need "cardio" exercise to accomplish these goals.
They would never even question it. You know what, I'm not only questioning it,
I'm going to refute it! In
fact, you may be surprised to know that some of the leanest and meanest people
I know (men and women), NEVER do any type of normal or traditional cardio. And
I've spent over 15 years working out in various gyms, and hanging out with athletes
of all sorts, so I've seen it all. I
will say that there can be a place for low to moderate level cardio for extremely
overweight or deconditioned people, but even in those cases, there can be more
effective methods. So
what exactly is this thing called "cardio?" Most people would consider
cardio to be pumping away mindlessly on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike,
or coasting on an elliptical machine, while glues to the TV screen at their yuppie
gym. This is what I call "traditional cardio." But
if you look closer, "cardio" exercise can be considered any type of
exercise or activity that strengthens the cardiovascular system. I'm not going
to get into anything technical like increasing your VO2 max or anything like that.
To keep it simple, if it gets your heart pounding, and gets you breathing hard,
it's cardio. I don't care if you're holding dumbbells or a barbell and everyone
calls it a weight training exercise... it's still conditioning your heart! Let's
take a look at a couple examples. Take a barbell clean & press, for example,
which involves lifting a barbell from the floor up to shoulders, then push pressing
overhead. And listen up ladies, because even though this is usually seen as a
manly exercise, it doesn't matter if you're not lifting 250 lbs; if 45 lbs is
challenging to you, then you will still benefit just as much. At
first glance, most people think of the barbell C&P only as a weight training
exercise or strength exercise. However, I challenge you to do a hard set of around
10-15 reps on the C&P. If you used a challenging enough weight, what you'll
find is that your heart rate is probably up to about 80-90% of your recommended
max, and you are huffing and puffing like you just ran a 100 yard sprint. Try
and tell me you're not conditioning your heart with this style of training! Conventional
thinking says that these are "weight training" or "strength training"
exercises. However, they are fullfilling your cardio workout needs as well. Not
only do you save time, but you strengthen and condition almost every muscle in
your body with these full body exercises if you do them with enough intensity...
something that can't be said for that boring stationary bike ride or treadmill
jaunt while reading or watching TV. You know, if you can read or watch TV while
doing any exercise, you're not concentrating enough on what you're doing, plus
you're probably not working out hard enough to see any real results. Chet's
Note: I challenge you to kick the "traditional cardio" for a month
or two, and start training the way Gary explains in his internationally-selling
Truth
about Six pack Abs Program, and see how you start getting leaner, more defined,
and your six pack starting to show through what used to be stubborn stomach fat
deposits. | 
