However, for maximum results toward any of those goals — physique, performance, or health — a comprehensive training plan which includes cardiovascular training has shown to be more effective than treating weight training and cardio as either/or. (1)(2)

That means making time to get outside or, for some weatherproofing, hopping on the best treadmill you can find. While treadmill workouts often bring the dread of slow, painful slogs while staring at the gym’s TV monitors, you can get a more effective workout done in less time when you crank up the intensity with interval training. Here are a few detailed workouts to make your next treadmill session a more productive and (relatively) more enjoyable experience.

HIIT Treadmill Workouts

• For Fat Loss
• For Conditioning
• For Beginners

HIIT Treadmill Workout for Fat Loss

For many people in the gym, once they make the decision to drop some body fat, hopping on the treadmill is often considered par for the course, along with cutting calories and skipping desserts. Rather than logging mile after foot-numbing mile, you can crank up the fat-burning by applying high-intensity intervals to your next treadmill session. Interval training has been shown to be more efficient and more effective than steady state cardio programming. (3)

Speed Intervals

This is one of the most common ways to perform an interval-based treadmill workout. Alternating periods of high-intensity, fast-paced running with low-intensity, slower paced walking allows you to effectively balance output with recovery for an efficient training session.

Because “fast pace” and “slow pace” are relative to your own ability, use your judgment when setting the treadmill speed. Aim for a strenuous run, not necessarily an all-out sprint, on the fast portion. Use a significantly slower pace, typically an easy jog or quick walk, for recovery periods.

With this approach to intervals, you have two potential avenues of progression. You can add more interval periods to increase the overall training time. This makes the workout progressively longer, but also increases the amount of work you’re doing in each session.

You can also keep the same number of intervals while gradually reducing the rest period in each “set.” By reducing the rest by 10 to 15 seconds per week, you’re asking your body to maintain high output with submaximal recovery. This increases the overall training intensity. Both methods can be effective, and they can be used sequentially — reduce rest periods each week for two or three weeks and then begin adding intervals once per week.

This workout can be performed two to four times per week, on non-consecutive days for better overall recovery. Don’t perform the workout immediately after training legs with weights due to potential cumulative fatigue in hip, knee, and ankle stabilizers.

Treadmill Interval

• How to Do it: Set the treadmill to a very low incline (between one and three percent). Steadily increase the speed up to your fast pace. Begin watching the clock as soon as you reach your ideal speed and maintain for the desired period. After you’ve reached the target time for the fast period, steadily decrease the speed and maintain the slow pace for the desired time.
• Sets and Reps: 10 “sets” of 30 seconds at a fast pace and 60 seconds at a slow pace. 15 minutes total training time.
• Rest time: No rest between intervals.

HIIT Treadmill Workout for Conditioning

Improved conditioning, sometimes synonymous with endurance or cardiovascular health, can be a welcomed side effect of most types of treadmill workouts. You can adjust the training for a more efficient and more specific conditioning benefit by taking a strategic approach to the interval treadmill session.

On/Off Treadmill Circuit

This circuit-based treadmill workout may appear unconventional, but it delivers total-body conditioning and a high intensity session which has shown to be more effective than moderate-paced cardio workouts. (4) Rather than alternating active periods of fast running with recovery walking periods, this approach alternates steady (submaximal) runs with more traditional exercises using bodyweight movements or dumbbells (for convenience). You’re essentially “supersetting” a treadmill run with a conventional exercise.

Rather than taking a stationary rest period or walking at a low intensity to recover, the exercise acts as a type of “active recovery” from the hard run. This allows you to continue training while you catch your breath as your cardiovascular system recovers.

This plan requires a bit of coordination, because you’ll be getting on and off the treadmill repeatedly (as the workout’s name implies). It also requires a little bit of planning and, ideally, some extra space near the treadmill itself to safely perform the non-treadmill exercise.

This workout can be adjusted to incorporate a variety of exercises to train a larger array of muscle groups. Choose one exercise for each muscle and perform them in an alternating fashion: treadmill, first body part, treadmill, second body part, treadmill, third body part, etc. 

This method can also be performed in a more basic manner focusing on a single body part for the entire session, using a different exercise in each interval. This method can work especially well with ab exercises, turning the session into a “two-for-one” cardio and ab workout.

For safety’s sake, avoid using lower body exercises such as squats or lunges because excessively fatiguing the leg muscles can increase the risk of running-related injuries. Regardless of the body part trained, avoid reaching absolute muscular failure. Doing so will create unnecessary systemic stress and impact recovery. Perform this workout two to three days per week.

Treadmill Run

• How to Do it: Set the treadmill to a very low incline (between one and three percent). Gradually increase the speed until you reach a moderately challenging pace — faster than an easy jog but less than a hard sprint. Maintain the pace for the duration of the set before decreasing the speed. If you can safely dismount the treadmill as it continues moving at a very slow speed, it may be easier to begin the next interval. Safety is paramount, so if you need to stop the treadmill completely between intervals, do so.
• Sets and Reps: 12-16 “sets” of one minute.
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise (alternate exercises with each interval).

Push–Up

• How to Do it: Drop into a classic push-up position with your hands and toes on the ground, and your hands just outside shoulder-width. Keep a straight line throughout your body. Don’t allow your hips to drop to the ground or spike up to the ceiling. Bend your arms to lower your body while aiming your elbows toward your feet rather than toward the walls to your sides. Move at a relatively slow pace with total control. Descend as low as possible before pressing to full lockout.
• Sets and Reps: 6-8 x 10-12
• Rest time: No rest before returning to the treadmill.

Two-Dumbbell Row

• How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand hanging at your sides. Hinge forward at the waist while keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent. Keep your hands facing each other throughout the movement. Drive your elbows up and back until the weights nearest your thumbs are close to your ribs. Pause briefly before lowering to a full stretch.
• Sets and Reps: 6-8 x 8-10
• Rest time: No rest before returning to the treadmill.

HIIT Treadmill Workout for Beginners

Whether you’re new to the gym or just new to cardio training, you can’t always dive right into an intense workout. However, you can still use HIIT to get familiar with the training method while building a base of conditioning and general fitness.

Incline Intervals

Rather than alternating fast-paced running with slower walking, this approach uses an underappreciated benefit of the treadmill — the incline feature. Most treadmills can reach a 12-15% incline. If you’re unfamiliar with your treadmill, take some time before the workout to test its capabilities.

The goal is to maintain a steady walking pace for the duration of the workout, using the incline to add (and reduce) the difficulty throughout the session. Aim for a near-maximum incline during the high-intensity interval — ideally within two or three points of the machine’s max setting. If it’s capable of 15%, try to use at least 12%; if 12% is the maximum, aim for nine or 10%.

For the low-intensity interval, reduce the incline to one percent. The speed should not change during any interval. Choose a speed that allows a comfortable walking pace during the low interval, and keep the setting the same as the incline increases. This workout can be performed three or four days per week.

One key to maximizing any incline treadmill workout is to resist the urge to hold onto the handrails. As much as possible, allow your arms to swing naturally. Needing the handrails briefly for safety or balance is one thing. Hanging onto them to support yourself during the high incline becomes counterproductive because it reduces your body’s workload.

Treadmill Walk

• How to Do it: Set the treadmill to a one-percent incline with a comfortable walking speed and begin the first interval and maintain your pace for the desired period. After the target time, steadily increase the incline to the target percentage. When you’ve reached the target, maintain the pace for the desired time before returning to the lower incline for the next interval.
• Sets and Reps: 10-12 “sets” of one minute low incline and one minute high incline, 20-24 minutes total training time.
• Rest time: No rest between intervals.

How to Warm-Up for HIIT Treadmill Workouts

Just because you’re using a treadmill doesn’t mean you can skip the warm-up. A thorough warm-up isn’t just beneficial for injury prevention. It’s been shown to improve performance during training. (5) That can help to make sure you’re actually putting “high intensity” into your high intensity intervals.

Be sure to factor time into your HIIT workout for a good warm-up. Don’t just plan on showing up, running for 10-15 minutes, and leaving. The time spent warming up will prepare your ankles, knees, hips, and back for the run, while also improving overall blood flow and ensuring an even more productive session.

HIIT Treadmill Workout Warm-Up

• Bodyweight Squat with Pause and Calf Raise: Stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Descend into a squat as low as possible. Pause in the bottom position for two seconds before standing upright. In the top position, rise onto your toes in a calf raise. Perform 10 repetitions.
• Lunge and Twist: Begin in a push-up position. Step your left foot forward into a lunge position. Raise your left arm and reach up to the ceiling. Aim to feel your hips, core, and upper back stretching. Replace your hand on the ground and step back with your foot. Repeat with the opposite side. Perform four reps per side.
• Treadmill Pyramid Run: Get on a treadmill and begin at a slow walking speed. Every 20 to 30 seconds, increase the speed several points until you reach a challenging running pace. Maintain this speed for three to five minutes before reversing the process and incrementally slowing down.

Better Results with the Ups and Downs of Intervals

Steady-state workouts can have a place in your overall workout program. Performing a reliably monotonous walk can help relaxation and general restoration. But when it’s time for a hard and productive workout, some high intensity interval training will pack more results into less time. Narrow down your goal, pick the right workout, and put that treadmill to good use.

References

1. Schroeder, E. C., Franke, W. D., Sharp, R. L., & Lee, D. C. (2019). Comparative effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and combined training on cardiovascular disease risk factors: A randomized controlled trial. PloS one, 14(1), e0210292. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210292
2. Ho, S. S., Dhaliwal, S. S., Hills, A. P., & Pal, S. (2012). The effect of 12 weeks of aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in the overweight and obese in a randomized trial. BMC public health, 12, 704. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-704
3. Viana, R. B., Naves, J. P. A., Coswig, V. S., de Lira, C. A. B., Steele, J., Fisher, J. P., & Gentil, P. (2019). Is interval training the magic bullet for fat loss? A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing moderate-intensity continuous training with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). British journal of sports medicine, 53(10), 655–664. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099928
4. Sultana, R. N., Sabag, A., Keating, S. E., & Johnson, N. A. (2019). The Effect of Low-Volume High-Intensity Interval Training on Body Composition and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 49(11), 1687–1721. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01167-w
5. Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0

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The Assault Bike® is one of a handful of modern fan-resistance, full-body stationary bikes, or “air bikes.” Similar machines include the Echo Bike, Airdyne Pro, and various other models. However, much like Rollerblade®, Q-tip®, or Band-Aid®, “Assault bike” has become known universally to encompass all brands of air bikes, or simply as a phrase used interchangeably with “air bike.”

Because air bikes work muscle groups in the arms and legs simultaneously and without reprieve, they may be the most efficient machine for conditioning, shedding unwanted bodyweight, and training all major metabolic energy pathways.

If you’re lucky enough to have access to an air bike, check out the brutal workouts below. 

Best Air Bike Workouts

• For Conditioning
• For Fat Loss
• Workout Finishers

Best Air Bike Workout for Conditioning

Due to their formidable and non-adjustable resistance, air bikes are thought to be more strength-based than spin bikes. (1) On a spin bike, individuals typically pedal at 70 to 110 revolutions per minute, whereas most riders on an air bike will reach 40 to 80 revolutions per minute. (1)

Unlike a spin bike, an air bike’s resistance progressively increases the harder and faster you ride. Altogether, air bikes may represent a preferable conditioning method for athletes with strength backgrounds and biases.

Air bikes also offer a more efficient method for training anaerobic capacity, or short-term, high-intensity endurance. Push hard enough on an air bike and you will lean hard into anaerobic glycolysis — a system that provides energy when demand outpaces our ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscles.

You’ll also experience the physical anguish associated with anaerobic training. Lactate is a metabolic by-product of anaerobic glycolysis. Workouts that produce uncomfortably high levels of lactate tend to be perceived as “hard workouts.” (2)

Compared to Wingate cycling — the gold standard “all-out” test of anaerobic fitness — a max effort ride of equal duration on an air bike produces higher lactate levels. Moreover, these elevated lactate levels diminish more slowly. (3)

Now, lactate is not the direct cause of muscle “burning”. Rather, lactate is produced alongside hydrogen ions, which alters the pH of your tissues, likely creating the searing burn of high-intensity exercise. (4) Have trust in the pain. This suffering pays dividends in the form of improved conditioning and fitness. 

Modified Sprint Time-Trial Interval Training

Unless you’re a special type of masochist, you’re riding the air bike for the physiological benefits — the multi-system adaptations that improve our health and our ability to do more work inside and outside the gym.

Your go-to conditioning workout should be like a Swiss Army Knife — versatile yet manageable enough for practical use. Specifically, a robust conditioning workout should train all major energy systems (phosphocreatine, anaerobic glycolysis, and aerobic metabolism). A proper routine will also promote fatigue-resistance, tap into muscle fibers with massive potential for adaptation, and enhance your overall work capacity.

This air bike workout was inspired by a protocol developed by researchers out of Denmark. The original protocol consisted of six five-minute intervals at 85% of one’s maximum heart rate followed by two five-minute intervals with five 15-second all-out sprints followed by 45 seconds of active recovery. (5)

Only elite cyclists and triathletes were included in the Danish study, and the protocol made these extremely fit individuals fitter. For average folks, following an identical protocol would be insurmountable. Therefore, the volume and frequency of the program are modified.

Build towards the full, eight-interval protocol by adding one five-minute interval every month of consistent training. Repeat this workout once or twice per week, ideally after your resistance training or separated by at least six hours to avoid potential interference. 

• How to Do it: Use your arms and legs to pedal during the high intensity intervals. You can use legs-only during the recovery periods. Warm-up thoroughly, and then perform three five-minute intervals at the fastest pace you can sustain for the duration, with two minutes rest or recovery between each interval. After the third recovery period, proceed into five shorter intervals with 15 seconds of an all-out sprint followed by 45 seconds of easy recovery pedaling. 
• Sets and Reps: Three sets of five minutes moderate with two minutes recovery, followed by five sets of 15 seconds maximum effort with 45 seconds recovery.
• Rest time: Rest two minutes between each five-minute interval. Rest 45 seconds between each 15-second interval.

Best Air Bike Workout for Fat Loss

Air bikes may be the most “recoverable” form of cardio. The training stress is distributed across both the upper and lower body rather than overworking one area for the duration of the session.

Air bikes are also a ‘concentric-only’ exercise — meaning the involved muscle groups must overcome resistance with negligible eccentric, or “braking,” action. This makes them less likely to cause post-workout soreness.

High-load and/or high-volume eccentric exercise is associated with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and varying degrees of damage to the muscle cell at the microscopic level. (6) Ultimately, you’re less likely to be sore in the hours and days following a hard Assault bike workout compared to an eccentric-heavy mode of cardio (like jogging or jumping rope). As a bonus, concentric contractions are more energy demanding, which may result in greater energy expenditure during your workout.

Zone 2 Fat-Burning Workout

For a low-impact, total-body workout that is unlikely to leave you sore, you can’t beat Zone 2 cardio on an air bike. Zone 2 refers to low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise — 60 to 70% of your maximum heart-rate.

To find this range, first estimate your maximum heart rate as 220 minus your age (in years). Then, multiply that maximum heart rate by 0.6 and 0.7 to identify the upper and lower bounds of the training range.

If you’re not using a heart rate monitor, these numbers aren’t relevant and you can simply ride at the highest effort you can sustain while breathing only through your nose. If you break into open-mouth panting, you’re training too hard.

Aerobic training is driven by the breakdown of fats in the presence of oxygen. Non-endurance athletes benefit from aerobic training to improve body composition (e.g. fat loss), boost heart health, and enhance recovery between sets of resistance training.

Aerobically trained muscles develop better vascularization and greater density of mitochondria over time. These adaptations help our muscles to do more work and potentially recover more quickly.

The air bike is ideal for aerobic training, because it trains large muscle groups in the upper and lower body. Unless you enjoy the monotony of a steady-state workout, break your Zone 2 work into segments to stay motivated. This fat loss workout consists of five segments with descending calorie targets — use the readout on the bike’s display to monitor progress.

As part of a fat loss plan, repeat this workout three to five times per week, ideally after your resistance training or separated by at least six hours to avoid potential interference with recovery and performance. 

• How to Do it: Warm up, and then begin the workout pedaling with your arms and legs together. Instead of tracking time, pedal to burn 120 calories, 110 calories, 100 calories, 90 calories, and then 80 calories. The goal is to achieve “negative splits” by completing each calorie-segment slightly faster than the previous. Be sure to maintain Zone 2 intensity throughout the workout, either by using a heart rate monitor or by maintaining nose-only breathing.
• Sets and Reps: Five calorie-segments: 120 calories, 110 calories, 100 calories, 90 calories, and 80 calories.
• Rest time: Rest passively (“following” the momentum of the pedals and handles) or actively (very low-intensity pedaling) for 30 seconds after reaching each calorie target. It should be just enough time to grab a sip of water or towel off before going again.

Best Air Bike Workout Finisher

A “finisher” refers to a short metabolic conditioning workout added to the end of your primary workout. After hitting the weights, for example, hop on the air bike to empty the tank and ensure you’ve gotten the most out of your workout.

Since you’ve already trained, your levels of muscle glycogen (a form of stored and readily accessible energy) will likely be low. “Training low,” or training with low levels of glycogen, stimulates energy system adaptations. (2) With regular high intensity interval training, your muscles will build larger stores of accessible energy and better manage the metabolic byproducts of high intensity training.

Sprint Interval Training

Consider this sprint interval training (SIT) “finisher” to rev your metabolism and leave you feeling accomplished when you leave the gym. The workout allows incomplete recovery between short, high-intensity bouts of riding.

Because “fast energy” from the phosphagen system doesn’t fully replenish between bouts, anaerobic glycolysis and aerobic pathways will contribute progressively to the energy demands of the workout. (7)

Translation: You’ll train all three major energy pathways in this workout. Perform this workout at the end of one resistance training workout each week.

• How to Do it: Because your weight training will have just ended, you should still be relatively warm. Perform just two minutes of easy pedaling and then begin the workout. Pedal with all-out effort, using arms and legs, for 20 seconds, every minute on the minute (EMOM). End with two minutes of easy pedaling. 
• Sets and Reps: Perform intervals every minute on the minute for five minutes total.
• Rest time: Using the EMOM approach, work for 20 seconds and rest for the remaining 40 seconds of each minute. The rest period can be active (low-intensity pedaling) or passive (following the moving handles and pedals).

How to Warm-Up for Air Bike Workouts

A proper warm-up primes the body for movement and peak performance. Body temperature and blood flow increase, boosting metabolism and oxygen delivery to the working muscles.

Joints begin moving more freely. You might start to sweat, which helps with temperature regulation when the real work starts. Give this warm-up a try before your next air bike workout. 

Air Bike Workout Warm-Up

• Easy ride: Spend three minutes pedaling at a low level of effort.
• Trunk rotations: Stay seated and brace your feet on the pegs. Maintain an upright posture as you rotate your trunk and reach forward with one arm. Alternate arms with each rotation. Perform 20 total repetitions, 10 per side. 
• Legs-only ride: Rest your arms at your sides and ride for one minute at an “easy” effort using just your legs. 
• Arms-only ride: Place your feet on the pegs and ride for one minute at an “easy” effort using just your arms.
• Triple ramp-up: Pedal with your arms and legs together for 10 seconds at an “easy” effort. Increase to a “moderate” effort for 10 seconds. Transition to a “hard” effort for 10 seconds. Perform the entire sequence a total of three times (90 seconds).

The Most Effective Cardio Machine?

The air bike is unrelenting and versatile. You can push as hard as you’re able during interval training or you can ease off for steady-state aerobic work. Air bike workouts are great for metabolic conditioning and fat loss. They can be stand-alone conditioning or fat loss sessions, or you can tack them onto the end of a traditional workout for a sprint interval “finisher.” Once your recovery and adaptation take their course, air bike workouts set you up for better fitness and future gains.

But you’ve been warned — they can be brutal. 

References

1. Schlegel, P., Křehký, A., Hiblbauer, J., & Faltys, V. (2022). Air biking as a new way for stress testing. Movement & Sport Sciences-Science & Motricité. Published online ahead of print. doi.org/10.1051/sm/2022001.
2. Buchheit, M., & Laursen, P. B. (2013). High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle. Sports Medicine, 43(5), 313-338.
3. Schlegel, P., & Křehký, A. (2020). Anaerobic Fitness Testing in Crossfit. Acta Facultatis Educationis Physicae Universitatis Comenianae, 60(2), 217–228. 
4. Robergs, R. A., et al. (2018). Lactate, not lactic acid, is produced by cellular cytosolic energy catabolism. Physiology, 33(1), 10-12.
5. Gejl, K. D., Andersson, E. P., Nielsen, J., Holmberg, H. C., & Ørtenblad, N. (2020). Effects of acute exercise and training on the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release and uptake rates in highly trained endurance athletes. Frontiers in Physiology, 11, 810.
6. Hotfiel, T., et al. (2018). Advances in delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS): Part I: Pathogenesis and diagnostics. Sportverletzung· Sportschaden, 32(04), 243-250.
7. Bogdanis, G. C., Nevill, M. E., Boobis, L. H., & Lakomy, H. K. (1996). Contribution of phosphocreatine and aerobic metabolism to energy supply during repeated sprint exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 80(3), 876–884. 

Featured Image: Boonkung / Shutterstock

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Like any skill, however, a little work can make the experience (and the results) even better. Do you want to be more competitive with yourself or others? Have you been stuck at a pace and wondering how to improve your time? Maybe it’s time to check-in and make sure you can keep up a respectable speed.

The 8-minute mile is a high-performance standard. Sustaining that pace for a marathon would complete the 26.2-mile feat in just under three and a half hours, which puts you in the top 25% to 30% of runners. For non-competitive context, the majority of military and law enforcement organizations require fitness tests which include a one and a half or two-mile run. An 8-minute mile pace would score you squarely in the middle of the pack.

No matter your reason, it’s a significant goal to aim for. Here’s a training plan to help you get there.

• Weekly Plan to Get an 8-Minute Mile
• Improve Your Form, Improve Your Speed
• Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of Distance Running
• Frequently Asked Questions

Weekly Plan to Get an 8-Minute Mile

It takes a detailed program to start running more efficiently and improve your running time. Here’s a plan to start shaving time off your run and keep your body balanced and healthy.

Monday

Strength Training

Even one day of focused weight training can build strength and functional muscle when the total training volume is sufficient. (1) A full-body workout can help runners build their legs, upper body, and core — all essential parts to being a strong runner.

“There is usually an improvement in time when a period of training is devoted to strength training,” says Yusuf Jeffers, a coach with Mile High Run Club. “Compound lifts like barbell back squats and unilateral work like lunges are good for developing muscles in the legs. Not just the quads, but also hamstrings and glutes. Muscles don’t work in isolation.”

“Core strength workouts are also of great utility. The trick is to integrate improvements in leg strength and have it expressed as power. Core strength helps with maintaining posture, all of which ultimately leads to faster times.”

Sample Strength Workout

• Back Squat: 3 x 8-12
• Walking Lunge: 3 x 8-12 (per leg)
• Pull-Up: 3 x 8-12
• Single-Arm Dumbbell Row: 3 x 8-12 (per arm)
• Shoulder Press: 3 x 8-12
• Dip: 3 x 8-12
• Push-Up: 3 x 8-12
• Cable Woodchopper: 3 x 8-12
• Scissor Kick: 3 x 8-12

Tuesday

Speed Workout

Run 400 meters for four to six sets with two minutes rest between each run.

Use a submaximal stride, meaning you work just below the anaerobic threshold and not at full capacity. Each run should be difficult but you shouldn’t be completely breathless.

Wednesday

Active Recovery

Active recovery is a hybrid between a day of serious training and complete rest. It can be a 30-minute walk, slow jog, or other light cardio activity at a comfortable pace. Also spend time working on flexibility, such as long, deep stretching or a Yin yoga class.

Thursday

Tempo Run

A tempo run is a distance run performed at a tempo, or speed, you can maintain for the entire duration. Start with two or three-miles at a consistent speed. As your running improves, work toward a quicker tempo and eventually increase up to five miles.

To hit the 8-minute mile pace, many runners will need to reach 180 steps per minute, or three steps per second. Consider that as an eventual target.

Tip: To stay on tempo and keep a steady pace, try listening to the Running Tempo Mix playlist on Spotify by Nike Women. You can also search many music streaming services for BPM-specific playlists depending on the speed and pace you need.

Friday

Active Recovery

Take another active recovery day for restorative work. Perform another 30-minutes of light cardio followed by more flexibility work.

Saturday

Endurance Run

This should be your longest run of the week to build overall endurance and push your physical and mental limits. Keep your speed between the “active recovery” speed and the “tempo” speed. You should be able to speak in sentences during this run. Start with three miles and increase your volume each week, eventually up to 20 miles.

Sunday

Rest

No training, no running, and no lifting. Take the day off, eat some nutritious food, and recover for the upcoming week.

Improve Your Form, Improve Your Speed

Achieving an 8-minute mile pace is a respectable achievement for any non-professional runner. It’s a sign that you’re starting to bridge the gap between recreational and specialized performance.

Even if you’re not a dedicated runner, allocating some training time to improve your running will boost your aerobic conditioning base, which can be beneficial for everything from high-rep sets of weight training to running the bases in your local rec-league softball game.

Like any exercise or skill, improving your technique can lead to better results and a lower risk of injury. Most people will invest time and energy learning how to deadlift properly because it’s seen as a relatively complicated exercise that requires coordination between multiple muscles.

However, many of those same people would simply take off on a run with minimal attention to factors that can have a significant effect on how the run feels and, more importantly, how your body responds to all those miles. Here are some of the most important cues to run more efficiently, which will shave down your time and reduce wear and tear on your joints.

Cue 1 — Drive Your Knees Forward

Many people focus on kicking their legs back as they move. Instead, focus on driving your knees forward on each step. This improves stride length and helps to activate the hip flexors and core, which are essential for optimal performance.

Form Tip: Incorporate standing high-knee drills and marching in place during your general warm-up to reinforce this type of knee-forward movement.

Cue 2 — Make Contact with the Balls of Your Feet

When striking the ground during a run, think light and quick. You don’t want to slam your foot into the ground. Most modern running teachers no longer teach a heel strike. Hitting your heels on the ground can be slow and lead to foot and ankle issues.

Instead, they teach runners to strike the ground with the balls of their feet. Have a friend watch you run or set up a camera to record your form. If you are striking back on your heel, take the time to move forward on your foot.

Form Tip: While you’re reviewing your form, check to see if you pronate or supinate your feet. If you’re shifting to the big toe-side of the foot (pronating) or the pinky toe-side of the foot (supinating) instead of remaining in a neutral position, you may be at risk of foot and ankle problems down the road. You can also check the wear patterns on the bottoms of your sneakers as an indicator.

Cue 3 — Run with Your Upper Body

Running doesn’t just happen by moving your legs. Your entire upper body needs to be involved if you want to perform well. As you start your run, think about leaning forward with your hips, chest, and ears in front of your ankles.

Keep your head and chest up by looking 50 to 100-feet ahead of you. Swing your arms like pendulums in sync with your legs. Keep your forearms passing by your sides, not across your body, and keep your arms bent about 90-degrees.

Form Tip: Keep your posture tall. Don’t allow yourself to bend forward at the waist. If your upper body starts to collapse, your overall running form will suffer and speed will slow down.

Cue 4 — Keep Your Core Engaged

Your core is essential for keeping your posture upright, as well as keeping your breath strong. Focus on keeping your core engaged and lifting up out of your pelvis.

Maintain tight enough abs so you don’t wobble side-to-side or over-rotate while you run. If your shoulders are tilting or turning significantly as you run, it’s an indicator that your core may be too relaxed and not fully engaged.

Form Tip: Practice breathing in tempo without losing core tension. Count your steps as you breathe in and breathe out, and work on breath consistency in your pacing. Start slow and determine your individual optimal number of steps per breath.

Running Mistakes to Avoid

Running may seem easy because, technically, anyone can do it anytime. However, to improve your time and become a better runner, you need to follow a structured routine. Running without a plan can lead to pain, injury, slow times, and wasted energy. Here are the most common issues to avoid.

Running Too Much

This isn’t so much a technique issue as it is an enthusiasm issue. When it comes to improving your running, some people think it’s better to just do “more” and somehow any issues will sort themselves out along the way. This isn’t true.

To become a better, faster, and more efficient runner, you need a balanced running program — like you would for any other fitness goal.

Avoid It: Follow a well-planned, structured running schedule (like the sample plan laid out earlier in this article). A comprehensive plan should include training time, varied distances, and cross-training days to build skills, balance training and recovery, and avoid injury.

Skipping Recovery

Trying to get better without rest and recovery can set you backwards in your training. Your body needs recovery days to allow your muscles to repair, your cardiovascular system to adapt, and your nervous system to refresh.

Trying to be “all gas, no brakes” won’t get you to your goals any faster and can potentially put you on the sidelines if you rack up an injury along the way.

Avoid it: Make sure your training schedule includes rest days and recovery methods, including flexibility training which can reduce soreness and improve your range of motion. (2)

Benefits of Running

Running has definite benefits, both physiologically and psychologically. Those benefits become more pronounced when supported by proper recovery and other forms of exercise.

Cardiovascular Health

Running is an aerobic, cardiovascular activity that forces active work on the heart and lungs. This work strengthens the heart and lungs and can lead to a lower resting heart rate and higher blood oxygenation. In all, this leads to better cardiovascular health and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. (3)

Psychological Health

A “runner’s high” is often considered to be a post-run endorphin rush, where your brain releases feel-good chemicals in response to the almost-meditative blood-pumping exercise you just completed. There’s actually an abundance of science that connects running with improved mental health. Some research even suggests that running consistently can be as beneficial as pharmaceutical intervention. (4)

Additional studies have linked a regular running routine with improved sleep, citing that some people have a significant deep sleep improvement and a reduction in insomnia with as little as two short runs per week.

Note: Avoid any interference with your current doctors’ orders. If you are on prescription medication when starting or improving your running routine, let your doctor know and monitor your results.

Fat Loss

Cardiovascular exercise is a reliable method of fat loss. Many times, a simple walk can be an effective starting point. However, running has been shown to contribute more significantly towards fat loss and improved body composition than walking. (5)

A running program not only burns calories during the run, it has also been shown to suppress one’s appetite, making it easier to stick to the type of calorie-restricted diet necessary for fat loss.

FAQs

Why do my feet hurt after running?

It may be due to running too much and/or too quickly for your foot and ankle structures to adapt, or it may be as simple as running on worn-out shoes that offer no protection from repeated impact. Typically, running shoes should be replaced after you’ve put them through 400 to 500 miles of work. Even well-built shoes begin to breakdown at that point and they no longer offer the same level of cushioning and support as intended.

It is really important to pay attention to your feet, especially foot pain. Foot pain can lead to a very painful condition, called plantar fasciitis, which can affect foot function for years to come. Have a professional check your form while you run and help you with any stride corrections. Get a pair of shoes specifically made for running. Many specialized shoe stores can analyze your gait and help you find the right shoe.

What is a side stitch and why do I get them?

There are several possible factors that can cause side stitches including the timing of your previous meal, your breathing pattern, and the tightness of the ligaments around the diaphragm.

In general, stay hydrated before, during, and after a run; work on developing a breathing pattern in sync with your strides while you run; eat a light meal two to three hours before your run; and if you have pain during a run, stop and massage the area until the pain subsides instead of trying to run through the discomfort.

Ready to Run?

Are you inspired? Good. Lace up and get going. Just remember that overdoing it is not going to set you ahead. If you want a goal to really get yourself in gear, find a local 5K and sign up. Then mark it on your calendar, follow the plan, refine your technique, and pick up your pace to start shaving your time down.

References

1. Ralston, G.W., Kilgore, L., Wyatt, F.B. et al. Weekly Training Frequency Effects on Strength Gain: A Meta-Analysis. Sports Med – Open 4, 36 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-018-0149-9
2. Sands, William & Mcneal, Jeni & Murray, Steven & Ramsey, Michael & Sato, Kimitake & Mizuguchi, Satoshi & Stone, Michael. (2013). Stretching and Its Effects on Recovery: A Review. STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING JOURNAL. 35. 30-36. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000004.
3. Lee, D. C., Pate, R. R., Lavie, C. J., Sui, X., Church, T. S., & Blair, S. N. (2014). Leisure-time running reduces all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 64(5), 472–481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2014.04.058
4. Oswald, F., Campbell, J., Williamson, C., Richards, J., & Kelly, P. (2020). A Scoping Review of the Relationship between Running and Mental Health. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(21), 8059. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17218059
5. Williams P. T. (2013). Greater weight loss from running than walking during a 6.2-yr prospective follow-up. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 45(4), 706–713. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31827b0d0a

Special thanks to Yusuf Jeffers at Mile High Run Club. If you’re entering your first (or next) marathon, consider their specialized marathon training program.

Featured Image: PeopleImages.com – Yuri A / Shutterstock

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But is that really what you’re after? When you signed up at your gym and handed over the first month’s dues, was the goal you had in mind to leave every day so exhausted you could barely spell your name? Are you getting any closer to the aesthetic or the level of performance you want to achieve?

For the first few months, you probably were. Newbie gains are definitely a thing. But as the psychological and physiological novelty wears off, there’s a good chance you watched your progress sputter. The common advice in this scenario is to work harder, but when you’re already hitting max effort every time you lace up your shoes, where are you supposed to find another 2% to push?

The hardest message to get through to my athletes is that they need to slow down. Not all the time, but at least some of the time. And I get it. Long, slow cardio isn’t exactly the stuff people pay to watch on TV. For most people, it’s absolute drudgery, right up there with folding laundry or getting your teeth cleaned.

This has led to the “as possible” dilemma. People tend to train as hard, as fast, and as long as possible, every time they train. #AMRAP4LIFE, right? Then when they ask their bodies to go faster, or harder, or further, they can’t. They have no way to elevate their performance over what they have already done, because their tank is constantly on empty, and they have never taken the time to build the foundation that can lead to greater levels of performance.

The Trouble With Endless Intensity

Spending at least some of your training time at lower intensity is crucially necessary for any athlete. While it’s true that interval training can provide a superior stimulus to increase your VO2 max (the holy grail of cardiovascular capacity), pulling that trigger every day is pretty hard on the body, not to mention the mind. If it takes you three days to physically and mentally recover from your last interval session and you do nothing in the meantime, you’re sacrificing consistency for intensity, and that math does not work out in your favor.

You also can’t hold the throttle wide open for very long. One of the problems surrounding the study design in a lot of the research comparing high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and steady-state cardio (SSC) is that the researchers commonly choose to limit the SSC group to the same time or calorie domains as the HIIT group.

The first mistake is to employ two totally different tools using rules that apply to only one of them. Steady state cardio can (and in some cases, should) be conducted for up to 2-3 hours at a time. High intensity training, by its very nature, can only take place for a drastically shorter period of time, from 2-20 minutes, in most cases. After that, your muscles and nervous system are spent, and you need a considerable amount of time to recover.

This concept matters because comparing the outcomes, when you haven’t given the lower-intensity work time to do its job, is rigging the game in favor of high intensity. It’s intuitively obvious that you’ll burn more calories and get more adaptation if you work hard for 20 minutes, versus working less hard. What’s less obvious is that you might get more adaptation (and burn a boatload more calories, if that’s what you’re after) at less physiological cost by going at a more moderate pace for 90 minutes. That flies in the face of our more-for-less culture, but it’s no less true.

The second mistake is thinking that you’ll hit a sufficient volume of activity with just high intensity training. If you’re hitting a 20-30-minute session five times a week (and I bet you aren’t), that only adds up to a maximum of two and a half hours of training. When most people spend the other 165.5 hours each week sitting on their asses or sleeping, frankly, that isn’t anything like enough volume to make a meaningful impact on your health or performance. Perhaps worse, you will have tricked yourself into thinking you’re doing enough, sending your motivation into a tailspin when you don’t get the results you’re after.

Sure, there are plenty of studies about how just a little exercise a couple times per week can make a difference in biomarkers and health outcomes, but those studies are about surviving. Just getting by. Not dying on your couch, covered in Cheetos-dust. Is that really what you’re after?

Get Off the Hamster Wheel

In the end, the strongest argument most people have against long, slow, unsexy cardio is that they don’t like it. Or that they don’t have time, which is just another way of saying they dislike it to such an extent that they won’t make time for it.

Looking around, it’s no wonder people hate cardio. It’s as if they go out of their way to make it the most miserable experience imaginable. You couldn’t pay me to spend an hour on a stationary bike or an elliptical, and even as a runner, there is no clearer picture of hell to me than a line of treadmills covered in various visages of human suffering.

If cardio makes you feel like a hamster on a wheel, here’s my advice: get off the hamster wheel. Get outside. Break out those expensive running shoes you promised yourself that you’d use one day, or that bike that’s collecting cobwebs in the garage, or those rollerblades that you begged for three Christmases ago. Connect with all of the things around you, especially nature. You will scarcely even notice cardio is happening as you cruise through the woods, or around a park, or along the beach. Most of us could go right out our front door and do hours of cardio without ever seeing the same thing twice.

While you’re at it, leave your headphones at home. Your need to be constantly entertained is a crutch that is getting in the way of your training. Having your hearing back will help you make that connection with nature, or the cute girl or guy you pass by. It might even keep you from getting hit by a car, or attacked by a cantankerous squirrel. In any case, when you stop making such a production out of trying to keep yourself optimally equipped and amused, you will have one less obstacle to just getting the thing done.

Training Slower Won’t Make You Faster

While it’s true that training slower won’t make you go faster, it will help you go longer, more often, and with less recovery. Training the aerobic system allows your metabolism to become more fat-adapted, increases the efficiency of every heartbeat, and can even induce beneficial changes at the vascular and cellular levels. Those changes, in turn, will make you go faster, and add some longevity to your athletic career, or even your life. Seems like a pretty good tradeoff, to me.

As with any training tool, there are diminishing returns from an excess of long, slow training. You should also be lifting heavy, running fast, and pushing yourself into the pain cave on a pretty regular basis. But if you’re doing it every day, you’re ignoring the motor that powers 99% of your life.

Take an honest look at your recent training history. How many days in the last ten have your workouts left you flat on your back? If the answer is ten, or if you find yourself sucking wind for several minutes after everyone else has recovered, or you just don’t seem to have the motor you wish you did, maybe it’s time to can your excuses and give cardio another look. 

The post Cardio Needs to Make a Comeback appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

For most lifters, cardio is like eating your vegetables; you’d rather just skip it. We normally relegate it to the tail end of a training day, if we do it at all, even though we know it is still an integral part of health and fitness. But cardio doesn’t have to be discriminated against by meatheads. There are ways to integrate cardio and resistance training to reap big rewards.

You Aren’t Condemned to the Treadmill

Many deafly believe that slow, steady-state cardio (i.e., long walks on the treadmill) are the best way to burn fat and calories. The conventional wisdom has been that if you want to get lean, do cardio; if you want to get big, lift weights. It’s true that you burn calories performing any activity. Heck, you burn calories just binge watching your favorite series on Netflix, but there’s more to it than that.

The higher the intensity of an activity, the more your body will rely on carbohydrate as fuel. This readily available sugar in the muscle tissue, bloodstream, and liver is like a boy scout—always prepared. Why would your body go to all the trouble to burn fat, when it can just tap into some quick-burning carbs?

This doesn’t mean that high intensity exercise avoids burning fat for fuel entirely. It’s just that the percentage of fat used for energy is small. The lower the intensity, the more fat (percentage-wise) is burned. Does this mean you should just keep your butt on the couch, since you burn more fat than carbs while watching the Walking Dead? Not exactly. While you’ll burn more fat as a percentage, you still burn less energy in total.

The best plan is to combine the best of both worlds, and reap huge rewards when it comes to both getting lean and building some muscle and strength. By combing both modes of exercise, you will be efficient with your time, create an intense thermogenic effect (fat burning), increase your muscular and cardiovascular endurance, be more mentally focused on your training, and stave off boredom with minimal equipment requirements.

How do you pull this off? One way is to integrate cardiovascular components in between sets of resistance training. Some of these exercises are burpees, lunges, plyometric pushups, kettlebell swings, various core exercises, bodyweight squats, box jumps, jump squats, mountain climbers, sprints and shuttle runs, among others.

All of these cardio moves can be done without any special equipment, and in a small amount of space. No need to monopolize a ton of room or numerous machines.

Cardio Should Have Progression, Too

Another concept that may be new to some is progression of cardio. You’re most likely used to the practice of progressive resistance training; adding weight to the bar or increasing reps over time. With cardio conditioning, you’ll increase exercise time while reducing rest time. This will be a slow transition, as you’ll need time to adapt.

For example, if you have a designated time of one minute of rest between sets of a resistance training exercise, you’ll have that minute to manipulate for cardio. Your progression could look like this:

• Week 1: 20 seconds of mountain climbers, 40 seconds of rest
• Week 2: 30 seconds of mountain climbers, 30 seconds of rest
• Week 3: 40 seconds of mountain climbers, 20 seconds of rest

As your conditioning improves, you’ll be more adapted to take on more of a challenge and reduce rest while increasing workload.

Hybrid Lifting and Cardio Program

Below are three examples of cardio conditioning integrated with upper body resistance training. As you’ll see, the resistance training exercise and the cardio conditioning exercises are alternated for each body part. Cardio progression is also factored in through manipulating the work to rest ratio. Try each workout for three weeks before moving onto the next level. Another option is to stick with one workout for a 6-9 week period and manipulate the work to rest ratio on your own.

The post Cardio Doesn’t Have to Be Discriminated Against by Meatheads appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Even coaches who I used to respect are jumping on the HIT bandwagon to get followers. It has become trendy for authors trying to be popular to bash aerobic training by making claims that you will get fat and lose strength, power, and muscle. By reading this rubbish, you would be under the impression that the only people that need aerobic training are triathletes and marathoners, or people who want a body like one. Or that standard aerobic training requires you to run or cycle for hours on end. And you would be completely wrong.

Not only does the crusade against aerobic training show a lack of understanding of energy systems and athletic performance, it also is detrimental to those who need the right kind of aerobic exercise, and struggle to enjoy other types of fitness.

Mr. Ace was my PE teacher in high school. He had a big mustache, wore white tight shorts, and was something of a ladies’ man. But the one thing he knew about was health and fitness. He was a big advocate of early nights, lots of veggies, and aerobic training, Mr. Ace had it right. Aerobic exercise is where it is at.

The Skinny on Energy Systems

Many people incorrectly consider sports like MMA or boxing to be “anaerobic,” despite the fact that they can last for well over 30 minutes. But with that misconception, it’s easy to see how many coaches and fighters could become disciples of the church of HIT. This is reinforced by the marketing for HIT, which would have you think that aerobic exercise is best left for Jane-Fonda-style aerobics classes. But if you have had the good fortune of reading Joel Jamieson’s Ultimate MMA Conditioning or any of his online material, you would know that training the aerobic system is the most important, as it underpins everything else.

The fuel that your body uses to supply your muscles is called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which could be thought of an energy currency for your body. Through a chemical reaction that breaks down ATP into smaller molecules (ADP +P), energy is released.

There are two anaerobic systems that your body uses to produce ATP without the use of oxygen:

1. Alactic – 10-12s of powerful energy production
2. Lactic – 60-90s of powerful energy production

The downside of the anaerobic systems is they can only do this for a short period of time before fatigue kicks in. The use of this high-powered system comes at a high price, and the more you rely on it, the faster you will start to gas.

The aerobic energy system, on the other hand, relies on oxygen for ATP regeneration. It is not capable of the same swift energy production as the anaerobic systems, but it can produce energy for long periods of time without too much fatigue. This means any sport that lasts more than a few minutes (read: nearly all of them) relies on aerobic energy production. It is also the system you rely on to fuel your muscles and vital organs in everyday activities and at rest.

Here’s the clincher: Aside from providing the majority of the ATP that your muscles need (even through a typical MMA fight), the aerobic system also refuels the anaerobic systems so that they can fire up again. That’s right—the better you train the aerobic system, the quicker your alactic and lactic systems can recover. The more you use the anaerobic systems the more metabolic byproducts you also produce, and the faster you “gas out.” The body relies on the aerobic system to remove these products and restock ATP. So without a well-developed aerobic system, the body’s anaerobic systems are also limited, because it takes it much longer to produce energy again.

The Aerobic System and Sport

If we are looking to improve aerobic power for sports and get better conditioning, we need to raise the threshold at which the body begins to fatigue, when anaerobic processes start to come increasingly into play. The longer you can delay this from happening, the less likely you will be to gas out. If we train the aerobic system more effectively, we can delay this onset, effectively raising what is called your anaerobic threshold. To put it simply, the better your aerobic system, the higher your anaerobic threshold.

Endurance athletes rarely have to tap into their anaerobic system to generate the energy they need. Much less energy needs to come from the anaerobic system if the aerobic system is producing more power. Many pugilists or athletes in general lack conditioning because their aerobic system has never been developed well, and it’s just not capable of generating enough energy or power. They are left to rely on the anaerobic systems too much. The irony is, when we look specifically at the great fighters over the years, they have always organically known this and have been doing road work since the beginning.

HIT, Aerobic Training, and the Heart Health Crisis

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer worldwide. As the fitness industry continues to worship at the church of high intensity training, fewer people invest the time and effort in steady state training. This is disastrous, as it is one of the things that can really make a big impact on cardiovascular health. In fact, some studies showed that moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) led to greater reductions in bodyweight and heart rate than HIT, which is vitally important for cardiovascular disease sufferers.

Higher intensity training is advantageous for more athletic individuals who have a smaller adaptive response window, but present research suggests that there is little unique advantage to HIIT protocols with minimally trained individuals. Further, given that the enjoyment of the highest intensity protocols is lower, it seems reasonable to suggest that long-term adherence to this form of training may not be great. The only training that works is the one you stick to.

When you do low intensity work (often noted as 120-150 beats per minute), you allow a maximal amount of blood to profuse into the left ventricle of your heart. As you force blood into that left ventricle, it’s in there just long enough to stretch the heart walls. Over time, this creates an adaptation: your left ventricle stretches and gets wider. This is called eccentric cardiac hypertrophy, and it differs immensely from concentric cardiac hypertrophy, where the walls of the heart increase in size and get thicker from the higher blood pressure of strength training, wrestling, etc.

When you stretch that heart wall as in ECH, you can get more blood in and out with each heartbeat. The technical term for this is stroke volume (SV), or the amount of blood you’re moving with each beat. All this makes your heart more efficient. If you can move more blood with each heartbeat, your heart doesn’t have to beat as fast. Training at lower intensities increases stroke volume and decreases resting heart rate.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that if they work harder and faster for shorter, it will have the same effect. It doesn’t. Once your heart goes above a certain threshold, the contractions become too fast for the chambers of the heart to fill all the way. The result is that you don’t get the same adaptation.

The development of an endurance-trained heart and a strength-trained heart should not be considered an absolute concept. Both strength training and endurance training cause left ventricular hypertrophy, but left ventricular wall thickness is found to be higher in strength training, while dilatation of the left ventricle is a prominent feature of endurance-trained hearts.

Don’t Forget the Nervous System

Heart rate variability (HRV) can be an amazing tool not only to measure recovery, but also overall heart health. HRV is very closely tied into the ANS. The two branches of the ANS are the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest) systems. As you can appreciate, it’s not healthy to be in either one of those states all the time. Some stress is healthy, too much is not.

You tap into your sympathetic nervous system while you’re training or doing HIT, but you shouldn’t be living in that system all the time. Every workout you do shouldn’t place you in flight or fight mode because it so hard. Doing so will hinder recovery and affect your ability to sleep, and maybe steer you in the direction of overtraining or even adrenal fatigue. Considering so many people have health problems associated with a lack of sleep, hormonal imbalances, chronic stress, and inflammation, you can see why doing a heap of HIT isn’t such a great idea. There needs to be balance.

How to Do Aerobic Training Right

One of the best ways to train for these adaptations is cardiac output training (CO). If your resting heart rate is in the 60s or 70s, if you are new to fitness or short on time, then CO training is where you should look to focus. Look to train at between 120-150 beats per minute (yes, that low), a few times per week, for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably 45-90 minutes. Some ways to do this are jogging, swimming, rowing, cycling, basic calisthenics, drills, footwork, shadow boxing, and basic MA and MMA techniques, so you can keep your heart rate in the right zone.

Like all fads and trends in the fitness industry, hopefully, the anti-aerobic training one will disappear soon. Aerobic exercise isn’t the devil. For most sports, you must invest considerably in your aerobic development (while training the others systems too) if you want to perform well. And if you want to reduce your chances of cardiovascular disease to stay on this planet a little longer, I’d seriously reconsider your use of time and prioritize your aerobic health first.

The post Steady State Aerobic Training Isn’t the Devil appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

We’ve all seen the people who go to the gym, hop on the elliptical for 45 minutes, never change their routine, and never change their appearance. These average gym-goers are an example of steady-state cardio gone wrong. If all you do is pump your legs on an elliptical machine and never take care of your diet, then no, you probably won’t ever see changes in your physique.

On top of that, steady state cardio has been sold to the lifting community as a surefire way to destroy all your hard-earned gains, get fat, and get hurt.

But here is the truth: steady-state cardio offer some serious advantages for lifters. If you start incorporating it into your routine, you will almost always see improved performance in the weight room.

Don’t be led astray by the hype – running can actually lead to your best strength gains.

Training the Energy Systems

To understand the value of steady-state cardio for lifters, we first need to understand what fuels our body.

ATP is the currency our muscles use to pay for the work we do. ATP is the most basic form of energy, and without it we’d be downright screwed.

“Aerobic training is easily incorporated into a program because it’s nature makes it low intensity and easy to recover from.”

We have three main energy systems we rely on to produce ATP:

1. ATP-PCr system: This system kicks ass, but can only do so for six to ten seconds at a time. It’s the fastest at producing energy, but requires more time to recover.
2. Glycolytic: This system is the intermediate one. It can hit hard and fast like the ATP-PCr system, but can’t sustain that for more than about 120 seconds of true work.
3. Aerobic: This bad boy is awesome when it gets going. It takes longer to get up and running, but it’s incredibly efficient, and you can count on it for hours at a time.

High intensity forms of cardio such as sprints, sled pushing, and other HIIT-type training work the ATP-PCr and glycolytic energy systems.

This form of exercise is quick, dirty, and straight to the point. You burn through a ton of ATP and glycogen in a short amount of time, and you need longer to recover.

Aerobic cardio, on the other hand, can seemingly go on forever. Once you’re in the aerobic system, you can crank out ATP for hours on end thanks its superior ATP production.

Why Go Aerobic?

Every single athlete or recreational lifter has hit the point of feeling completely gassed.

It’s perfectly normal to get to that point, especially if you’ve been hitting it hard for an extended period of time. But when that happens, are you done or are you able to recover and keep going?

Competitive powerlifting is a physically taxing sport that requires large periods of recovery.

A well-developed aerobic system makes for a better-conditioned athlete for two reasons:

1. It is superior at cranking out ATP, which makes it excellent at fueling long bouts of exercise.
2. It is superior at clearing metabolites and waste products.

Basically, the better an athlete is at clearing waste and utilizing energy, the longer the athlete will be able to perform at a high level. Aerobic exercise is necessary to making this happen.

Develop a More Powerful Heart

Another major adaptation that takes place with consistent aerobic exercise is within the heart, specifically the left ventricle.

Essentially, the left ventricle grows. To be specific, the heart wall of the left ventricle expands. This means that with each heartbeat, the heart can pump out more blood since the left ventricle can fill with more blood.

“[W]hen done correctly, aerobic training won’t be responsible for destroying your gains in the weight room. In fact, it might be just what you need to move beyond progress plateaus.”

This is a major benefit during exercise because increased blood flow means increased nutrient and oxygen delivery to the muscles.

This also means a lower resting heart rate during periods of no exercise. If your heart can deliver more blood with less work, your performance and recovery will benefit. When it comes to serious lifting, the quality of our recovery can have big implications on our results.

Improved Body Composition

This is an obvious point, but one that must be stated. In terms of physique development, the combination of resistance training and aerobic training is unmatched.

This is likely due to the fact that resistance training increases metabolic rate, while aerobic training decreases hunger levels. Improved body composition also leads to increased leptin and insulin sensitivity, as well as increased testosterone and lower estrogen levels.

Improved body composition for strength athletes is a side benefit of aerobic training.

For an expert opinion on this topic, I went to Alex Viada, CSCS. Alex is the author of The Hybrid Athlete, and founder and co-owner of Complete Human Performance, a company that specializes in building athletes who possess exception levels of strength and unmatched endurance.

Alex isn’t only brains, though. He practices what he preaches – he is a marathon runner and triathlete who also boasts a 700lb squat.

The thought that “cardiovascular conditioning” only benefits endurance activities is fundamentally wrong – a stronger heart and superior circulation result in more oxygen and nutrients provided to working muscles regardless of the type of training being done. A better conditioned strength athlete will clear metabolites faster (including lactate after higher repetition sets), make better use of existing glycogen to fuel their training (more mitochondria in their muscles), and maintain better energy levels and improve recovery times between sets, which means training sessions can include more productive, high quality work in the same amount of time.¹

How to Incorporate Aerobic Training Into Your Program

Aerobic training is easily incorporated into a program because it’s nature makes it low intensity and easy to recover from. It also doesn’t take hours and hours of training time to start seeing aerobic adaptations.

When incorporating aerobic training, here are a few guidelines to keep in mind:

• Always stay within the aerobic range. Obvious, right? For some lifters, going high intensity is natural, and they have to work to dial it back. Don’t let your heart rate get above 85% of your max and work to stay within a 60-85% range.
• Less is more. You don’t need to spend hours pounding the pavement to get the necessary aerobic adaptions. Three or four thirty-minute sessions per week are plenty to get the job done.
• Get cardio in on your off days or as far away from strength training as possible. If hypertrophy is your main goal, it’s wise to perform cardio on non-lifting days in order to spare as much muscle tissue as possible. If you absolutely must perform cardio on lifting days, look to keep the two sessions as far apart as possible. If you lift in the mornings, perform cardio in the evenings or vice versa.

There are several ways to incorporate aerobic exercise alongside your strength routine.

Add Cardio to Your Routine for New Gains

One of the most long-standing arguments in the lifting world against aerobic training is that it wastes away muscle tissue. Lifters who have put in hours of work are worried they’ll see their hard fought gains disappear.

This is a fair concern, and one that does seem to be reality. If losing hard fought muscle mass is a concern, forms of aerobic work like cycling, swimming, rowing, or even time on the elliptical are perfect options for you.

The higher impact the cardio, the more muscle loss that’s likely to occur.

But when done correctly, aerobic training won’t be responsible for destroying your gains in the weight room.

In fact, it might be just what you need to move beyond progress plateaus.

Check out these related articles:

• Alpha-Male Style Cardio Training
• The Elliptical for Cardio? Smart Strength With Charles Staley
• How Do I Get Better Cardio Without Losing Strength?

References:

1. Alex Viada, email message to author, (June 13, 2015)

Photos 1 and 3 courtesy of Shutterstock.

Photos 2 and 4 courtesy of Breaking Muscle.

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Question #1: Can I Use the Elliptical for Cardio?

READER: Is the elliptical machine a valid form of exercise? Sometimes I see the bodybuilders at my gym going super fast for what seems like a long time, but whenever I bring up using the elliptical my friends make fun of me, so I never use it.

CHARLES SAYS: Of course, it’s valid – it burns calories, after all. I do think that certain protocols (HIIT, for example) are easier to perform on a bike, but I have no particular issues with elliptical ergometers.

Question #2: Supplementation

READER: Creatine?

CHARLES SAYS: Yes.

Question #3: Catching the Bounce During Squats

READER: Pause or bounce at the bottom of a squat?

CHARLES SAYS: Well, I’m not sure you really should “bounce” in the literal sense, although there are certainly lifters who do that without apparent consequence. For most people, though, I think the better choices might be pause versus no pause, if that makes sense.

The best way to come out of the bottom of a squat depends on your goals and strength level.

Most of the time, for most people with typical goals, no pause will probably be the default technique. However, with that being said, there can be distinct benefits from pausing (and for the purposes of this discussion, I’m referring to a pause at the bottom position). For example, if you’re fairly tight in the posterior chain, you’ll experience a lot of assistance from elastic rebound coming out of the hole. This assistance helps you lift more weight, but it also tends to rob your muscle tissue of adaptive stress. Sports scientists call these the contractile and elastic components. While we tend to think of force production as the sole result of muscular contraction, it’s not that simple – simple elastic tension contributes a lot, as well.

From time to time, inserting two- to three-second pauses in your squats (and other lifts, for that matter) can serve to dampen the elastic contribution and this should force the muscles themselves to work harder.

Question #4: Gender Differences in Fat Loss

READER: ?I’ve been training for about 1.5 years now and have lost a lot of fat and gained a bunch of muscle. My girlfriend, who I’ve been with the entire time, looks exactly like she did a year and a half ago. She is starting to freak out at my change, but I don’t feel any differently toward her. How can I get her to stop being jealous and acting crazy? (I haven’t given her any reason to be, by the way.)

CHARLES SAYS: She doesn’t like your progress because it makes her look worse by comparison. Been there, done that. I’m afraid you’re in for a world of conflict because I don’t think you can really change people for the most part. Mind you, she may in fact change at some point, but it’ll be at her own choosing, not yours.

Weight loss and relationships can often be a tricky mix.

Monday, April 27, 2015

Bodyweight: 201.4 Pounds

Volume: 14, 081 Pounds

Average Weight Per Rep: 139.41 Pounds

Squat

• Set 1: 45 lbs × 5
• Set 2: 45 lbs × 5
• Set 3: 95 lbs × 5
• Set 4: 95 lbs × 5
• Set 5: 135 lbs × 5
• Set 6: 185 lbs × 3
• Set 7: 225 lbs × 3
• Set 8: 265 lbs × 3
• Set 9: 295 lbs × 3
• Set 10: 275 lbs × 3

Notes: IQ: 145.25

High Bar Squat

• Set 1: 135 lbs × 5
• Set 2: 185 lbs × 8
• Set 3: 185 lbs × 8
• Set 4: 225 lbs × 5

Notes: IQ: 183.07

Power Snatch

• Set 1: 45 lbs × 5
• Set 2: 45 lbs × 5
• Set 3: 66 lbs × 3
• Set 4: 66 lbs × 3
• Set 5: 88 lbs × 3
• Set 6: 88 lbs × 3
• Set 7: 110 lbs × 2
• Set 8: 132 lbs × 2
• Set 9: 132 lbs × 2
• Set 10: 132 lbs × 2

Notes: IQ: 79.53

Trap Bar Deadlift

• Set 1: 225 lbs × 5

Notes: IQ: 225

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Bodyweight: 200.4 Pounds

Volume: 16,755 Pounds

Average Weight Per Rep: 118.82 Pounds

Bench Press

• Set 1: 45 lbs × 5
• Set 2: 95 lbs × 5
• Set 3: 135 lbs × 5
• Set 4: 185 lbs × 3
• Set 5: 205 lbs × 2
• Set 6: 225 lbs × 1
• Set 7: 240 lbs × 1
• Set 8: 250 lbs × 1

Notes: IQ: 132.82

Incline Dumbbell Press

• Set 1: 100 lbs × 8
• Set 2: 120 lbs × 8
• Set 3: 120 lbs × 8
• Set 4: 120 lbs × 8

Notes: IQ: 115

Seated Row

• Set 1: 150 lbs × 8
• Set 2: 150 lbs × 8
• Set 3: 150 lbs × 8
• Set 4: 150 lbs × 8

Notes: IQ: 150

Tricep Pushdowns

• Set 1: 130 lbs × 8
• Set 2: 130 lbs × 8
• Set 3: 130 lbs × 8

Notes: IQ: 130

Bicep Curl (Dumbbell)

• Set 1: 70 lbs × 10
• Set 2: 70 lbs × 10
• Set 3: 70 lbs × 10

Notes: IQ: 70

Thursday, April 30, 2015, 2:00 PM

Free Workout

Bodyweight: 200.4 Pounds

Volume: 24,476 Pounds

Average Weight Per Rep: 212.83 Pounds

Clean and Jerk

• Set 1: 45 lbs × 5
• Set 2: 66 lbs × 3
• Set 3: 66 lbs × 3
• Set 4: 88 lbs × 2
• Set 5: 88 lbs × 2
• Set 6: 110 lbs × 2
• Set 7: 110 lbs × 2
• Set 8: 132 lbs × 1
• Set 9: 154 lbs × 1
• Set 10: 154 lbs × 1
• Set 11: 154 lbs × 1

Notes: IQ: 87.26

Deadlift

• Set 1: 155 lbs × 5
• Set 2: 155 lbs × 5
• Set 3: 242 lbs × 5
• Set 4: 315 lbs × 3
• Set 5: 405 lbs × 1
• Set 6: 435 lbs × 1
• Set 7: 465 lbs × 1 (Video Below)
• Set 8: 405 lbs × 5 (Video Below)

Notes: IQ: 270.57

465 was a rough attempt, but I still managed to get it off the floor.

405 lbs for reps ended up feeling much better.

Leg Extension

• Set 1: 130 lbs × 10
• Set 2: 130 lbs × 10
• Set 3: 130 lbs × 10

Notes: IQ: 130

Back Extension

• Set 1: +120 lbs × 12
• Set 2: +120 lbs × 12
• Set 3: +120 lbs × 12

Notes: IQ: 120

Friday, May 1, 2015

Bodyweight: 200.4 Pounds

Volume: 17,457 Pounds

Average Weight Per Rep: 176.33 Pounds

Bench Press

• Set 1: 45 lbs × 5
• Set 2: 95 lbs × 5
• Set 3: 140 lbs × 5
• Set 4: 190 lbs × 3
• Set 5: 210 lbs × 1
• Set 6: 220 lbs × 5
• Set 7: 220 lbs × 5
• Set 8: 220 lbs × 5
• Set 9: 220 lbs × 5
• Set 10: 225 lbs × 5

Notes: IQ: 175.11

Bench Press (Dumbbell)

• Set 1: 180 lbs × 8
• Set 2: 180 lbs × 7

Notes: IQ: 180

Chin Up

• Set 1: 6 reps
• Set 2: 6 reps
• Set 3: 6 reps
• Set 4: 6 reps

Notes: IQ: 200.4

Chest Dip

• Set 1: 8 reps

Notes: IQ: 200.4

Bicep Curl (Dumbbell)

• Set 1: 80 lbs × 8

Notes: IQ: 80

Check out these related articles:

• Last Week’s Smart Strength Mailbag
• 4 Things Men and Women Can Teach Each Other In the Gym
• Dear Coach – How Do I Get Better Cardio, Without Losing Strength?
• What’s New On Breaking Muscle Today

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post The Elliptical for Cardio? Smart Strength With Charles Staley appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

I’ve accumulated a few such articles over the last months. What follows is a brief synopsis of these articles and the related research links. I’m hopeful they give you a greater insight to facilitate better training and nutrition.

If I see an article on the Internet or in paper publication worth reading, I take notes of the gist of the article and secure its reference. If it contains valuable and practical information, then it is worthy of passing on to others.

I’ve accumulated a few such articles over the last months. What follows is a brief synopsis of these articles and the related research links. I’m hopeful they give you a greater insight to facilitate better training and nutrition.

For the Best Fat Loss, Don’t Run

Nate Miyaki wrote an excellent piece on T-Nation regarding cardio training for fat loss. Let’s take a look at what we can learn from him and others who share his opinion.

When it comes to running, people typically have one or more of these reasons:

• Improved sport performance
• General performance enhancement and health benefits
• Stress relief obtained by the endorphin rush
• A love of running and competing

These are all fine justifications for running. If it makes you happy, go for it. But if you’re running as a means of reducing body fat, you have better options.

“The key is to elevate your resting metabolic rate (via anaerobic work) to promote better post-workout fat burning and muscle building.”

Look at true runners – marathoners. Their training is primarily (relatively speaking) low-intensity and non-muscle-building. No one is tackling or colliding with them. They don’t normally find themselves in compromised positions (e.g., changing multiple directions, landing awkwardly). They’re in control of their mostly straight-line task.

But distance running is a contact sport. It involves thousands of single-leg collisions with the ground. Over time, it creates havoc on your joints.

In his article, Miyaki expounded on the downside of cardio and why traditional cardio is poor for fat loss. The majority of your training should be anaerobic (strength training/interval training), as opposed to aerobic (traditional lengthy and low-level) in nature.

Attempting to alter your physique goes beyond simple calories in versus calories out. The key is to elevate your resting metabolic rate (via anaerobic work) to promote better post-workout fat burning and muscle building. And yes, diet is important here.

Strength training, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and anaerobic-based circuit training are much better options than long-distance running or plodding away on a treadmill for an hour.

The calories in versus calories out faction run into issues. Over-the-top aerobic exercise coupled with a large reduction of calories consumed leads to decreased muscle tissue (the muscle gets used as energy) and the tendency to store more body fat as a survival mechanism. This is not good.

For optimal fat loss and lean tissue gains, go in this order of priorities:

1. Diet
2. Strength training
3. Cardio – interval training
4. Cardio – long, steady state

The Research on High-Intensity Interval Exercise

Unless you have had your head buried in the ground like an ostrich, you should by now have figured out high-effort interval training is a spectacular exercise option. (I’ll admit, I’ve been to the zoo and have yet to see an ostrich with its head in the ground, so maybe it’s time to use another analogy. Either way, you get my point.)

“If the benefits of a forty-minute training session can be obtained from a twenty-minute higher-effort training session, why would you not opt for the more time-efficient session?”

Brief repeated sessions of high-intensity interval exercise garner changes that are elicited by traditional endurance training. Think about it. If the benefits of a forty-minute training session can be obtained from a twenty-minute higher-effort training session, why would you not opt for the more time-efficient session?

Most studies use prolonged exercise involvement; however, but this 2009 study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism showed a small dose of intense interval exercise – equivalent to two-minutes of all-out cycling – was sufficient to improve gains. As little as six sessions of HIIT performed over two weeks – a total of fifteen minutes of all-out effort – increased maximal activity of the cell factory (mitochondria) and improved performance during tasks that previously relied on aerobic energy activation. HIIT increased the potential for glucose and fatty acid oxidation. Wow.

“[A] small dose of intense interval exercise – equivalent to two-minutes of all-out cycling – was sufficient to improve gains.”

The Battle Over Fat Consumption

Authority Nutrition put together a great set of facts explaining how the war against saturated fat has to be one of the largest misconceptions in the annals of human nutrition. It’s an emotional issue with both sides strongly hanging on to their arguments based on the science that is promulgated to everyone, whether it is peer-reviewed or not.

So, good gracious, what should we take as proven facts and proven crap? How about these discussion points?

• Over the years that humans have reduced the intake of animal fat and cholesterol, numerous diseases have increased. Currently, we are experiencing a worldwide endemic of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.
• Over the past few decades, studies conclusively showed the culprit of heart disease is neither saturated fat nor dietary cholesterol.
• The low-fat recommendations were based on specious studies that have been thoroughly proven wrong. (So that package of low-fat Sun Chips may be okay after all. Maybe.)
• Europeans consuming the most saturated fats have the lowest risk of heart disease.
• In 1977, the low-fat diet was promoted to all Americans. The obesity epidemic started at almost the exact same time these low-fat guidelines were revealed.

Courtesy of National Center for Health Statistics (US). “Health, United States, 2008: With Special Feature on the Health of Young Adults.” Hyattsville (MD): National Center for Health Statistics (US); 2009 Mar. Chartbook.

Many large studies have concluded low-fat diets do not cause weight loss and have a negligible effect on long-term cardiovascular disease. Women who ate a high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet until satiated actually lost twice as much weight as compared to those who ate a restricted low-fat diet. Additionally, all major risk factors for heart disease and diabetes declined.

Courtesy of Brehm BJ, et al. “A randomized trial comparing a very low carbohydrate diet and a calorie-restricted low fat diet on body weight and cardiovascular risk factors in healthy women.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2003.

The heart disease epidemic began in 1930. The obesity epidemic started in 1977. Around 1990 is when the diabetes epidemic began. These diseases have increased even more as animal fats have been replaced with vegetable oils and trans fats.

When saturated fat began getting a bad rap relative to heart disease, high-fat dairy products such as butter were considered evil. Ironically, like with other nutrition beliefs, it turns out saturated fat is undamaging and trans fat is more dangerous.

Courtesy of Hu FB, et al. “Trends in the Incidence of Coronary Heart Disease and Changes in Diet and Lifestyle in Women.” The New England Journal of Medicine, 2000.

My Advice to You

So there you have it – some solid science-based advice and research for you to sit down and spend some time with. My advice is to read as much as you can, study the facts, and be vigilant. What you have been doing may not be working, and what you thought wouldn’t work may have merit to it.

Check out these related articles on training, fat loss, and health:

• The Top 10 Best Training Exercises
• Why Steady State Cardio for Fat Loss Is a Bad Decision
• Go Anaerobic: What It Is and Why to Do It
• Folate, Alcohol, and Saturated Fat Benefit HDL Levels

References:

1. Miyaki, N. “The Best Damn Cardio Article – Period. ” T Nation. 14th October, 2014.

2. Gibala M., “Molecular responses to high-intensity interval exercise. “Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2009 Jun;34(3):428-32. doi: 10.1139/H09-046.

3. Gunnars, K., “6 Graphs That Show Why The ‘War’ on Fat Was a Huge Mistake.” Accessed January 7th, 2014.

4. Siri-Tarino, PW. et al., “Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease. “Am J Clin Nutr January 2010 ajcn.27725

5. Rong, Y. et al., “Egg consumption and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke: dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.” BMJ 2013;346:e8539

6. Howard BV. et al., “Low-fat dietary pattern and weight change over 7 years: the Women’s Health Initiative Dietary Modification Trial. “ JAMA. 2006 Jan 4;295(1):39-49.

7. No authors listed. “Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial: Risk Factor Changes and Mortality Results.” JAMA. 1982;248(12):1465-1477.

8. Brehm BJ. et al., “A Randomized Trial Comparing a Very Low Carbohydrate Diet and a Calorie-Restricted Low Fat Diet on Body Weight and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Healthy Women“ J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Apr;88(4):1617-23.

9. Lopez-Garcia, E., et al, “Consumption of Trans Fatty Acids Is Related to Plasma Biomarkers of Inflammation and Endothelial Dysfunction. “ J. Nutr. March 1, 2005 vol. 135 no. 3 562-566

Photos courtesy of CrossFit Empirical.

The post The Best Research on Body Fat, Losing Fat, and Eating Fat appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

This type of training is nothing new, but a recent examination by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shed new light on its effects on anabolic hormones.

The existing research on this topic hasn’t been well designed, and there’s surprisingly little of it. Take a piece of research I covered about this topic in the past. We learned that it didn’t make a huge difference whether cardio or strength training was performed first, but the subjects were all sedentary at the start. As such, we saw the odd result of the cardio-first group being stronger at the end.

Study Design

Fourteen supplement- and steroid-free men volunteered for the study. They were split into one of two groups depending on the type of training they performed first in each session. One group performed cardio training first, followed by their strength session. The other group did the opposite.

The participants in this new study were in good shape. They were strong and had decent cardio ability. They were also already experienced in concurrent training, having performed it a minimum of three times a week during the last year.

The endurance training involved 32 minutes on a treadmill. The athletes performed intervals of one minute of moderate intensity running with two minutes of a casual jog. The paces they kept were individualized, based on a specified amount of blood lactate the pace would induce. For these athletes, the paces ranged from a little under five miles per hour to a little over seven.

The strength training program was of a hypertrophic nature, comprising three sets of ten reps using seventy percent of each participant’s one-rep-max, with one minute of rest in between sets. That’s pretty standard fare. The exercises used included squats, bench presses, leg presses, and lat pulldowns. They also did three sets of thirty crunches and back extensions with their body weight.

Results

As it turns out, anabolic hormones like testosterone had a stronger response when the cardio was done first. Much like the prior study with untrained women that I mentioned above, these results indicate that cardio first might be a better approach. The researchers noted that these results were also in agreement with prior research on men who were experienced only in strength training and who followed a more strength-oriented program.

Conclusion

The most common wisdom in the gym is to perform strength training before cardio. However, evidence is mounting that cardio first is a superior approach. While we need more research to be certain, we now have good reason to try out new methods.

References:

1. Claudio Rosa, et. al., “Order effects of combined strength and endurance training on testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone and IGFBP-3 in concurrent-trained men,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000610

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Cardio Before Strength Elicits Better Hormonal Response appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Study Design

In the study, researchers used exercise bikes to figure out what sort of energy and how much was consumed during various protocols. Each of thirty participants performed one of three cycling routines. Each of the routines had the same total power output. What changed was the degree to which the power fluctuated over the course of their workout.

• Group One: This group maintained a steady 75 watts on the bike, with no variation, for thirty minutes.
• Group Two: The second group alternated between fifty watts and 100 watts every five minutes for the same amount of time.
• Group Three: The final group switched between 25 and 125 watts every five minutes.

So the duration was the same between all three groups, and theoretically the energy required would also be pretty similar. Each group was tested for their oxygen uptake and the amount of fat and carbs they burned during each protocol. After each session, the researchers continued to test these values for a further 25 minutes during rest.

Results

For oxygen consumption, the groups varied, as you might expect. The steady-state group maintained a steady oxygen consumption that dropped at rest. The other two groups had peaks and valleys in their oxygen consumption, corresponding with the changes to intensity.

As such, the group that went up to 125 watts had the greatest peaks but also the greatest valleys. The oxygen consumed during exercise was the same for each group. This probably means that energy consumption was pretty much the same.

During the recovery period after the training the two groups with intensity variation consumed more oxygen, and thus used more energy. While this amount was reported by the researchers to be statistically significant, it amounted only to about .75 milliliters more oxygen consumed each minute than the steady-state group. For the average person, this amounts to about a quarter of a calorie. Significant, perhaps, but not substantial.

Carbohydrate consumption was pretty even between the steady group and the 100-watt group. The latter had peaks and valleys as you might expect, but the total carb consumption was similar. However, carbohydrate consumption was substantially higher in the 125-watt group. The subjects in that group probably crossed over into anaerobism markedly and thus experienced a substantially higher carb consumption. During recovery, the 125-watt group also burned more carbs, but this was only in the first ten minutes post workout, after which the rates became roughly the same.

Fat burning was essentially the inverse of the carb consumption. The steady group burned the most during exercise, with very similar values for the 100-watt group, followed way behind by the 125-watt group. The researchers indicated that the recovery period experienced similar fat burning values, but the 125-watt group appeared to be increasing fat utilization by the end of the test period. I’d be curious what happened beyond that.

So, there you have it. When people ask which is superior between intervals and steady state cardio, the answer is: it doesn’t matter much. The two major things to consider are first, that substrate utilization differs between the two, which can alter hunger afterward and cause you to overeat, and second, the researchers didn’t measure perceived intensity, but steady state is much more tolerable and can be maintained for longer. As such, I find my typical recommendation of steady state cardio to be supported by this study.

References:

1. Jie Kang, et. al., “Acute Effect of Intensity Fluctuation on Energy Output and Substrate Utilization,” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000533

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post Is Steady State or Interval Training Better for Cardio? appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

A common notion persists that steady state cardio exercise is preeminent for body fat loss. Thus, a frequent plan is concocted that entails a bee-line to the running trail, treadmill, elliptical machine, or similar mechanical device, followed by slogging away at a sub-optimal steady state pace for 45-plus minutes.

That is a poor choice. Of course it’s less physically taxing, but you could have made a better decision. The majority of those who hang on to that archaic approach live by this convoluted logic:

Walking, jogging, or using an exercise machine means you are doing cardio. Doing the aforementioned cardio means you are training aerobically within the infamous “fat burning zone.” Aerobic training in the fat burning zone means you are burning more of that unsightly clump of fat on your gut, tush, or back of the upper arm. That svelte body is now within reach.

There is some truth to the above. However, it’s not quite that simple. Take a look at the present-day facts on bioenergetics, body fat storage, and how to best attack your visible, subcutaneous adipose fat storage sites (that pinchable stuff).

You’re Fat on the Inside

As a human, you have an almost unlimited supply of fat even though you don’t show it on the outside. In other words, if you’re slim and trim, even you have an ample supply of fat for fuel. A person with as little as twenty pounds of fat (a 200lb man at 10% body fat) has roughly fifteen billion fat cells.¹

Those cells can contain approximately 67,000 calories, enough to provide 2,000 calories per day for a little over a month.² In other words, you could go a month without food and probably still have a heart beat. Of course you’d need to consume water to remain hydrated during that time period. Admit it, that’s pretty amazing.

Here’s more bad news. You also have enough intra-muscular stores of fat, circulating free fatty acids in the blood, stored muscle and liver glycogen, and circulating blood glucose to fuel most daily activities, including exercise. Most activities we encounter on a daily basis – including those done by you hardworking athletes – are fueled by the aforesaid.

Stored adipose fat is akin to the U.S. oil reserves. Only under extreme conditions do you use it. When fat is moved into long-term storage, it becomes this last resort. For your body to rely solely on the stored “oil reserve” adipose fat, it becomes a major project that entails specific attention and discipline regarding proper nutrition and appropriate exercise. The ugly truth is if you can pinch it, it’s going to take a lot of discipline to shed it. But wait, it gets even worse.

Why Steady State Cardio Doesn’t Work

From a cost-benefit angle, solely performing lower-effort exercise – such as steady state cardio – can burn more fat in relative terms, but not in absolute amounts. When you are in the low-effort, steady state mode, the aforementioned more readily available energy options (stored glycogen, circulating blood glucose, intra-muscular fat) can be spared. But training at such a minimal level of effort to solely target adipose fat as energy would be like tossing a deck chair off the Titanic. It would be only a drop out of a full five-gallon bucket.

I think you get the idea. Less-taxing activities burn more relative fat, but only a small amount. Training in this manner to supposedly zero-in on stored fat is not efficient. It can be exacerbated when combined with a caloric surplus that further ads to your body’s “oil reserve fat.”

The Real Way to Burn Fat

As mentioned in my previous article, maximally burning stored body fat through exercise is about two issues: high-effort, immediate energy depleting exercise and muscle-preserving resistance training. Here is the rationale.

You now know that working with greater intensity and using a lot of muscle can deplete your immediate energy stores. Depleting blood glucose, stored glycogen, intramuscular fat, and free fatty acids through high-intensity work means the body must then obtain energy from other sources. This is where you force it to go after the adipose fat in two ways.

Post-workout, when your body is emptied of the immediate energy sources, you require stored fat to assist in the recovery process. Provided your post-workout nutrition is addressed properly, it’s like digging a hole and then refilling it. Your workout session is digging the hole. The more demanding it is, the deeper the hole. Your recovery nutrition is the filler. If you slightly under-fill the hole (but still provide proper nutrients), then more recovery energy may then be pulled from stored adipose fat.

In addition, you don’t want your body to feast on metabolically active muscle tissue. This is why resistance training – usually a missing component in most fat-loss programs – is critical. Resistance training either preserves or builds muscle mass. By stimulating muscle tissue via hard resistance training your body will further be forced to tap into stored adipose fat for recovery energy. Maintaining or growing new muscle tissue – which gives you the shape you are seeking – can counter a caloric deficit and your body’s desire to catabolize muscle tissue.

Here’s the obvious message. Get your butt in the weight room and train like a madman or madwoman if you truly desire that lean physique.

And a final note on the elevating-the-heart-rate-to-the-ideal-fat-burning-zone cardio issue. Any demanding activity that significantly raises the heart rate (i.e. above 75% of maximum) for an extended period can be used as a viable fat loss exercise. An elevated heart rate means a large stress is being placed on your muscles via high-demand efforts. This could include faster running, shoveling snow, circuit training, intense stair climbing, cutting the grass with a push mower, playing an all-out game of one-on-one hoops or soccer, boxing or sparring for an extended period, dumbbell burpees for a butt-load of repetitions, tossing and stacking green hay bales (I’m from Iowa, look it up), or any activity that is demanding and exhausting if performed for a relatively lengthy time.

To zero-in on your visible stores of fat, up your work effort, pay attention to your diet, and understand that if you spent years as a calorie hoarder, it’s going to take some discipline to dial it back.

References:

1. Jensen, MD., “What’s New in Adipose Tissue.” Mayo Clinic. Accessed May 6, 2014.

2. Fruhbeck, GJ., et al., “The Adipocyte: A Model for Integration of Endocrine and Metabolic Signaling in Energy Metabolism Regulation.” American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism 280 (2001): 827:847.

3. Albright, A. L. and Stern, J. S., “Adipose Tissue.” Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine and Science. Accessed May 6, 2014.

4. Coyle, EF., “Fat Metabolism during Exercise.” Sport Science Exchange. Accessed May 6, 2014.

Photos 1 & 2 courtesy of Shutterstock.

Photo 3 courtesy of CrossFit Impulse.

The post Why Steady State Cardio for Fat Loss Is a Bad Decision appeared first on Breaking Muscle.