Friday, September 26, 2008

Are cardio exercises or resistance training exercises best for burning body fat

Do you ever wonder which are the best burn fat exercises, cardio exercises or resistance training exercises. Well we have the answer and I think you will be surprised. If you want to lose belly fat you need to follow this golden rule.

On my travels around the bodybuilding and fitness world talking with many experts and personal trainers one of the main questions that is regularly asked in seminars is "I want to lose belly fat, what are the best burn fat exercises are they cardio exercises or resistance training exercises". Well first we need to take a closer look at the two forms of exercise and understand the basics.

Firstly resistance training, by gradually increasing the weight or resistance that a particular muscle as to overcome when performing an exercise the muscle tissue is broken down and repairs giving it a more toned and sculpted look. It has been found through scientific research that resistance training elevates your metabolism for several hours after the completion of the workout, which translates to a longer fat burning cycle. One mistake that is all to often made in the gym in order to burn fat is to incorporate hundreds of reps with very light weight but the inverse is what you should be aiming for. The muscle requires increased resistance to tone and shape; the best repetition range to achieve this is 12 to 15 reps.

Lets now take a look at cardio exercises. Typical forms of cardio burn fat exercises include running, jogging, power walking, rowing, skipping, cycling and swimming to mention a few. There is no doubting that when people decide that they would like to lose weight that these forms of exercise enter their minds first. The cardio workout if performed at high intensity for a duration of 30 to 40 minutes is a great way to burn fat. By doing so if you ensure you reduce your calorie intake you enter the calorie deficient zone and the fat cells are mobilised and used for energy supply.

In answer to the question that was originally asked "Which are the best burn fat exercises cardio or resistance training exercises" To ensure you burn fat optimally you must and it is essential to combine both forms of exercise. In that way the resistance training will tone and shape the muscles, elevate the metabolic rate and the cardio exercise will strip off the body fat giving you the leaner look.

Fun Run

Like many people in the world today you may be struggling with the task of determining how to lose weight, and how you can best go about developing an appropriate program to lose weight fast. In the end, when it comes to developing an effective and appropriate plan to lose weight quick, you need to take a comprehensive and balanced approach to your efforts. Included within your weight loss and ultimate healthy weight maintenance program needs to be cardiovascular exercise.

Many people dread the prospect of having to participate in cardio exercise. The fact is that many people dread and then avoid cardio workouts because they have significant misperceptions about what this type of exercise is all about.

Cardio can not only be very beneficial to your overall health and wellness, but can be integral to your goal to lose weight quickly. And cardio exercise can also be fun and enjoyable.

One methodology that many people employ when it comes to effective and fun cardio as part of a program to lose weight now and to assist in the goal directed to gain muscle mass as well is to participate in a group program.

Many people sign up for classes and the like which makes the whole process of cardio more enjoyable as you are working out with other people. I find even asking a friend to go for a jog can be very relaxing and enjoyable.

Another step that you can take when it comes to making cardio effective, fun and enjoyable is to “mix it up.” By this it is meant that you do not want to do the same cardio exercises all of the time.

By adding variety to the mix you will make your overall effort at cardio-vascular exercise far more enjoyable and, in the long run, significantly more effective. This type of varied cardio program is perfectly suited to a comprehensive lose weight program.

An option that also is available to you when it comes to keeping cardio workouts interesting and fun is to consider purchasing one or another of the DVDs that are on the market today that offer directed cardio exercise programs. Many people find these DVDs not only helpful in keeping them motivated but there is an entertaining aspect to these productions as well.

Generally, the producers of these DVDs take great strides to keep the whole process of a cardio workout not only directed, focused and effective but entertaining and enjoyable as well. If you use a treadmill, place a tv in front. Just watching videos can make cardio funner.

When it comes to keeping cardio enjoyable, fun and effective, you need to understand that it should be one component of a three-part fitness program. This particularly is the case if you want to maximize your efforts to lose weight, fast and easy as well as to gain muscle quickly. Indeed, if you have the dual goal to burn fat gain muscle, you will want to make sure that your fitness program includes:

  • cardio

  • stretching

  • strength training

Not only will this three part strategy make your fitness efforts ultimately far more productive and effective, you will also be enhancing the enjoyability of the cardio component in the process.

Cuyler Callahan is a fitness enthusiast and loves sharing his knowledge on his website www.simpleswingreview.com