How mad are you I made that title? LOL.
Good.
Now that I have your attention.
All too often, the physique-seeking trainee wants to know “how much cardio” does one need to do for fat loss.
Well the fact of the matter is, cardio, in terms of fat loss and body composition, is merely a tool to increase the caloric deficit. You can essentially achieve the same deficit but cutting calories more BUT that’s no fun because who doesn’t love to eat as much food as possible while cutting fat?
While nutrition is always priority #1 in fat loss, followed by strength training, there are still ways to get your cardio done by lifting, burning more calories, and having “fun” in the process.
Insert: Complexes.
A complex is a series of exercises performed back to back to back for however many exercises set up in the sequence without putting the weight down, only resting during transitions, and completing everyone for what will be 1 set. You will do X-amount of sets resting upwards to 90-seconds or more.
Remember, we don’t want an endurance adaptation. Work as hard as you can, as quickly as possible, using weight that challenges the hardest part of the sequence, with good form, and come almost to a complete rest before beginning your next set. In short, work:rest ration will be equal or you will have slightly more rest than you did work.
If you have a heart-rate monitor, using Heart-Rate Recovery (HRR) is another way to perform these as well, although a bit harder.
There are almost an infinite ways to set up a complex.
Here are four I have done or had a client do.
You can do the same ones or set up exercises however you’d like…usually in a non-competing fashion (IE: Upper to lower to upper, etc OR push to pull to push to pull)
There you have it. Cardio that is fun, increases more energy expenditure, and isn’t boring…and did I mention it’s quick?
If you want to feel better with yourself, want to get stronger, leaner, and want to make the changes in your diet and training, I offer 1-on-1 training. Stop running the hamster wheel and let’s get to work!
#TrainWithLG