By: Mike Geary
Fitness/Lifestyle Coach
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
Today, I have an intriguing discussion about cardio training, which will hopefully get you thinking differently, and trying new things.
You may know I've been called the anti-cardio guy before, but this week I'm back posing the question to you... Do you really need cardio training to get lean and in great shape?
By the way, you'll see in a minute that I'm not really "anti-cardio", just "anti traditional cardio".
Most fitness buffs, weekend warriors, or anyone trying to get in shape or lose body fat, consider it a "fact" that they need "cardio" exercise to accomplish these goals. They would never even question it. However, I'm not only questioning it, I'm going to refute it!
Read this for general knowledge
In fact, you may be surprised to know that some of the leanest and meanest people I know (men and women), NEVER do any type of normal or traditional cardio. And I've spent over 15 years working out in various gyms, and hanging out with athletes of all sorts, so I've seen it all. I will say that there can be a place for low-moderate level cardio for really overweight or deconditioned people, but even in those cases, there can be more effective methods.
Whenever someone comes up to me at the gym and asks me how much cardio they should do to lose more body fat, my answer is always... NONE!!! You should see the crazy looks I get...it's priceless!
But the fact is, just like the lean people
I mentioned above that never do cardio, I personally haven't done what most people would consider "cardio" in years. Heck, I can't even remember the last time I "jogged" on the treadmill, or glided away on an elliptical, or pedaled away going nowhere on the stationary bike. Yet despite my lack of "cardio", I maintain single digit body fat percentages year round.
Don't get me wrong... Just because I say I don't do "cardio", doesn't mean that I don't work my butt off in the gym.
Read Part 2: What exactly is Cardio?
