Tis the season for folks to be hitting the cardio confessionals...
So today while I did my Turbulence Training style workout, I watched all those folks on the cardio machines and I noticed they go through some interesting rituals during their workouts.
This got me thinking, and I came up with "The 7 Signs You Are Doing Too Much Cardio". (Updated with help from the comments below!)
#1 - You have to spend 5 minutes before your workout flipping through all the magazines in the gym to find one you haven't read before.
#2 - You know the other cardio addicts on the machines beside you (that you talk to everyday) better than you know your own friends.
#3 - You know exactly how many calories you burn per minute on every machine in the gym. (And you use that information to justify every calorie you eat.)
#4 - You simply hate doing it and dread your workouts more than a trip to the dentist.
#5 - The only thing you are losing is precious time - and not belly fat.
#6 - You go to the gym to watch your favorite television shows while doing cardio.
#7 - You're getting overuse injuries from repetitive motion because you keep doing the same activity over and over again everyday.
Listen, cardio is not the be all and end all of exercise for fat loss.
Most of your fat burning results are going to come from your nutrition when starting a weight loss program. So focus on whole, natural foods, and avoid foods that come from a bag or a box. If it's been modified in any way, you don't need it.
Once you've taken care of your nutrition, look for workouts that you enjoy that allow you to build strength, mobility, and fitness. Just don't do the same cardio workout over and over again everyday.
Beware the 7 signs you are doing too much cardio!
Anyone got any others?
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
#4 - Doing cardio while watching favorite TV program.
ReplyDeleteTrue true!! In our gym some of the cycling machines have internet access - though I haven't noticed anyone with 'favorites' on one yet!
ReplyDeleteGreat one Amitesh!
ReplyDeleteHere are 3 more reasons...to add to your 4th.
#5 - You simply hate doing it and dread your workouts more than a trip to the dentist.
#6 - The only thing you are losing is precious time - and not belly fat.
#7 - You're getting overuse injuries from repetitive motion because you keep doing the same activity over and over again everyday.
You Know You Are Doing Too Much Cardio When...
ReplyDelete#8 You are running more yet losing less
#9 A guy wearing a "Cardio Sucks" t-shirt seems to be laughing at you (a lot)
#10 (True story) A guy at my gym said that Intervals weren't for him. He liked to use his time on the stationary bike and treadmill to catch up on his "reading time".
Later CB
The bottom line is if you do ANY 'cardio' to try and lose weight..you are doing too much cardio.
ReplyDeleteIf you are doing 'cardio type' activities because you enjoy running or biking or because you are competitive in an endurance sport that's another story, but cardio for weight loss, any amount is too much.
BP
Those people who spend 45mins on the xtrainer, and leave the gym in the same state they arrived (ie no sweat, redness, effort!)
ReplyDeleteAlso tends to be those who after their CV 'burst' pop over the the weights area, pickup some 3kg DB's and perform some tricep kickbacks or curls, before some situps and hometime!
Wow! I sure wish I was a young guy with enough testosterone to simply lifts weights and never have to worry about fat!
ReplyDeleteSince I'm merely a girl, I guess all I can do is listen to Anja Langer and do my cardio along with my weight training. Oddly, it actually works for me AND it works for my husband who is getting older. He used to laugh at me because he never had to to do cardio either. Laugh it up while you can, boys.
Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteI personally like kettlebells if I am going to do any "cardio"
Rock on!
Mike N
Steady state cardio is a waste of time as we all know. Use the RPE scale with intervals to see great results in a short time. RPE Intervals performed on the Treadmill can give a great fat burning workout, but most people miss the best piece of gym equipment, the rower. If your gym has a concept 2 rower, get on it, most of them gather dust in gyms. RPE training on a concept 2....wow
ReplyDeleteWhy do bodybuilders and fitness models do cardio and look as good as they do? Im not trying to be a smart a**, but Im just sayin... I work out just as hard w/weights as i do in my cardio sessions.
ReplyDeleteCardio.... its just getting more more boring ....
ReplyDelete#5 - The only thing i'm losing is precious time - and not belly fat.
ReplyDelete#7 - getting overuse injuries from repetitive motion because you keep doing the same activity over and over again everyday
The other day when I was in the gym I was surprised to see a woman mechanically pedaling an exercise bike,she was slumped in the seat and falling asleep! I so wanted to go over there and tell her she didn't need to do that. She was on that machine the entire time I was at the gym. I would say if you're falling asleep on the machine you're definitely doing too much.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe the point of this message is geared towards people who hit the cardio with 100%, full out, energy. It's geared towards those who have time to read magazines while doing a 50 minute bout of cardio. This would be a waste of time. Trust me, just because we have testosterone, we still have to do intense cardio. Just ask Tom V., Vince D., Jon B., and many others. Keep lifting and doing cardio (HIIT or steady state intense cardio) if this is your preference. No shame here!
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to a critique of the Laval University study that claimed intervals are superior to cardio for fat loss.
ReplyDeleteFor those of us (me included) who are replacing moderate cardio with intervals, it's a good reminder to keep an open mind, not toss out a technique in favor of the latest fad, and always question statistics.
http://webmusclefitness.com/steady-state-cardio-5-x-more-effective-than-hiit/
Hi Craig,
ReplyDeleteI'm an academic physician (formerly at Harvard and Stanford) who found your blog while looking for the best health writers. I think your writing is great! I would like to feature you in the Strength Training Community on Wellsphere, a top 10 health website that has well over 2 million visitors monthly.
If you would like to learn more, just drop me an email to Dr.Rutledge@wellsphere.com
At my gym the ones that mindlessly do cardio on the stationery bikes and the other machines seem to look the same way year in and year out, the other girls who i work with doing progressive overload and HIIT are achieving tremendous results in a short time
ReplyDeleteAll respect and I'm all for intervals a couple times a week, but there is nothing better than a 10K run once a week or so.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get back, I feel it has worked my body in a way intervals don't.
So my advice.. mix stuff up and do what you feel like that day!
In the end it's all about getting results while having fun at the same time!
...please where can I buy a unicorn?
ReplyDelete* If you are able to hold a conversation on a CV machine and not just one word answers.
ReplyDelete* If you read a newspaper/book on the machine and never break a sweat
I think there's some confusion judging by the comments.
What CB is saying is sort your nutrition first, get on the weights to help tone the flabby bits and combine that with high-intensity interval training e.g. sprints. to burn the extra calories.
If your only exercise is steady-state cardio you're probably not getting the results you want...
Yep, CB strikes again! It's all about the nutrition. I love #1. I see it all the time. How about this:
ReplyDelete#8 You are actually willing to wait to get on the treadmill, elliptical, bike, etc., etc. for the 30 minute time limit at the big box gyms in January.