Cardio for the sake of cardio won’t always create the results that you’re wanting. To loose body fat efficiently, staying on that elliptical or treadmill is the wrong kind of cardio. There are affective methods to burn up to 200% more calories and fat by using the right methods, and never get injured by avoiding highly dangerous exercises.
The Wrong Kind of Cardio to Burn Belly Fat:
Let me be clear when I say what the difference between good and bad cardio is. When I say the “wrong kind of cardio” I’m talking about long cardio workouts that burn away lean muscle mass, and strips away muscle that makes you look athletic/healthy and slows down your metabolism.
If the goal is to burn 100% body fat without eating away your muscle mass, then it must be done the right way- aka, the most efficient way.
The Right Kind of Cardio for Fat Loss:
I’m talking about HIIT. High Intensity Interval Training.
This is scientifically proven to burn up to 200% more fat then traditional heart rate zone training. Heart rate cardio is an outdated way of training that was popular until recent studies found HIIT to be more effective.
HIIT is able to burn more calories and fat while actually building muscle at the same time, if done correctly. Now I’m not talking about running for hours at a time – this will leave your joints feeling like you got hit by a truck and won’t build any muscle at all. The priority here is to reach your fitness goals safely so your routine MUST be low impact.
Here is an example of a HIIT Low Impact workout:
10 wide stance squats
10 close stance squats
20 reverse lunges
5 close grip pushups
5 wide grip pushups
20 mountain climbers
20 V-Ups
30 second rest
Repeat 6 times for one complete workout.
Doing the exercises correctly is key, as well as staying motivated and pushing yourself to improve.
If you have trouble with technique or motivation there is only one training studio in Phoenix that offers safe Low Impact HIIT Cardio training- It’s called iCardio, located off Mountain View and 7th Street. They combine the correct style of HIIT and low impact training to help you reach your goals quickly and safely, in a motivating and high energy atmosphere. They also include nutritional guidance for an even greater success rate. I would like to extend a free workout to you, so that you can come try it out!
I hope these tips really help clear things up for you and help get one step closer to your goals.
If you are still having trouble or need more help on creating a customized meal plan or exercise plan to speed up your progress please contact me for more fitness or weight loss questions.
Seth Thurston – (623) 980-3485
Owner of Thurston Personal Training
Owner of iCardio Fitness
Master Trainer
Fitness Model
NPC Mens Physique Competitor