Misperception
Exercise, or any kind of physical activity, is too often seen as something arbitrary- something that is totally optional. Some people see it as a mild form of self-torture while others know it's good for them but for a variety of reasons don't do it regularly- usually it's an excuse. Too busy, not enough energy, no motivation, et cetera. Sometimes these excuses are legitimate, but more often than not they are mostly internal justifications. I think one reason really stands out that explains why people fall off the wagon before long: not seeing any substantial improvements.
I have this on a t-shirt. It's my favorite anachronism.
You're doing it wrong.
Of course nutrition is incredibly important, and that plays a huge part in getting results, but the way in which a lot of people exercise just doesn't work well. The problem is that these people can still be working hard in the gym, and sticking to their routine, but the changes just aren't happening fast enough for all that effort to be worth it.
What am I talking about, exactly? Well, for starters, far too many people go to the gym, get on a cardio machine for anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, and then leave. Usually it's excruciatingly boring without the row of TVs or your favorite portable electronic device:
Carrot-on-a-stick.
This is incredibly common for women, aptly called "cardio queens." Sometimes they're on a machine when you get there and still there when you leave. And they usually don't have exceptionally good-looking bodies, either. I'll talk about that in a second.
I think traditional cardio (including outdoor jogging, biking, etc) can be extremely beneficial, but to a point. Getting in relatively good cardiovascular shape is very good for your well-being.
Starting to run will do wonders for you.
However, after a month or two of running, you'll get diminishing returns.
"Okay, what's the 'but'?"
Regular cardio has one major problem with it: it's aerobic exercise. First, a science lesson:
Aerobic and anaerobic metabolism
Aerobic means 'requiring air.' Your body metabolizes energy with the use of oxygen, and that's your body's default mode. You can sustain aerobic exercise indefinitely. However, it has a fairly low capacity, meaning that it's not sufficient if you require your body to expend energy really fast- that's where anaerobic metabolism kicks in.
Anaerobic exercise uses glucose and glycogen in lieu of oxygen, but in doing so it builds up lactic acid. Now, lactic acid (AKA lactate, half of a glucose molecule) is not the stuff that makes your muscles 'burn,' or the stuff that causes muscle soreness (which is poorly understood, by the way). It's the byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, and when it accumulates, your muscles have trouble working like they should- that's why anaerobic exercise isn't sustainable for very long. To get rid of lactic acid, your body metabolizes it aerobically. Aerobic and anaerobic metabolism therefore work together- the aerobic metabolism helps to remove lactic acid, but at a rate slower than it is being produced. This is why you can run longer than you can sprint, and why you breathe so hard afterward.
This is an oversimplification, though, and this article will provide a better explanation if you are curious enough.
Yay biology!
So, science out of the way, on to my main point:
Aerobic versus anaerobic exercise
Too much emphasis is put on aerobic exercise, AKA cardio, and it's counterproductive when it's overdone. I think this page talks about the downsides of prolonged aerobic activity pretty well, even if it carries an extremely negative overtone, so take that with a grain of salt.
Of course aerobic activity is good for you if you don't overdo it, but I believe it's inferior to anaerobic exercise if you want to look like a Greek god or goddess. That means improving your body composition, not just achieving a low bodyfat percentage. The point of looking good is not to be skinny- you need muscle, too, females included. Anaerobic activity can get you lean like aerobic activity can, but anaerobic exercise tends to build muscle, while aerobic exercise tends to break it down.
Recall that anaerobic exercise burns calories a lot faster than aerobic exercise. So that's reason #1 why it's superior: you can burn more calories in less time. In addition, you won't be bored because you're focused, and since your muscles are working hard to keep you moving so fast, they won't atrophy like you see on endurance athletes. That's two for the price of one: losing fat and maintaining (probably even gaining) muscle! And not only does more muscle look good, but it also burns more calories- that's a bonus!
But wait, there's more!
Anaerobic exercise will keep burning calories hours after you finish- it's called 'afterburn:'
"In a 1992 Purdue study, results showed that high intensity, anaerobic type exercise resulted in a significantly greater magnitude of EPOC than aerobic exercise of equal work output."
That's right. You can burn the same amount of calories in less time with anaerobic exercise, but you get a bonus on top of that. And that is why I don't do traditional cardio- it's long, it's boring, and it's less efficient. But, remember, aerobic cardio is still good if you don't overdo it. This is just a matter of personal preference.
These are extreme ends of the spectrum.
Of course the guy on the right weight trains on top of sprinting.
More marathoners. The one on the right won the race.
Of course the guy on the right weight trains on top of sprinting.
Anaerobic exercise comes in two flavors: anaerobic cardio, and anaerobic resistance training.
There are many types of anaerobic cardio: running, sprinting, biking fast, spin class, etc. But there's one variant that stands out: High Intensity Interval Training. It has some amazingly good benefits. One variant is known as the Tabata method, which only lasts for a total of four minutes. Of course, it's incredibly intense (some call it "four minutes in hell": 20 seconds of running at top speed, then 10 seconds of walking, repeated 8 times). It may not sound that bad, but, trust me, it is. I've only done it a few times. I don't recommend it, but I brought it up to make a point: you can get more out of 4 minutes of HIIT than half an hour of cardio.
Resistance training, more commonly called weight training or weightlifting, is for everyone, males and females alike. Of course some people are perfectly happy with the amount of muscle tissue (or lack thereof) they have, but I'm talking in generality.
Why?
The benefits of weightlifting for guys is obvious, but women should do so, too.
As mentioned previously, building more muscle means your body burns more energy at rest, making it easier to lose weight or to stay lean. This is awesome on its own.
A lot of women who do lift weights do so because they want to get 'toned.' And they do so by lifting light weights at high repetitions. This is a waste of time. 'Toning' exercises are almost completely useless apart from burning a few calories. Spot reduction is a myth- doing hundreds of sit-ups or crunches won't get rid of the fat around your belly. Having a toned appearance means having well-developed muscles at a low bodyfat percentage.
Seriously?
To develop muscles, women should not train much differently than guys- they must lift heavy weights. And, no, lifting heavy will not make women 'bulky' like guys. Testosterone is a crucial hormone in building muscle, and women have much less of it than men do. Female bodybuilders (I don't think I need to provide a picture of that) train very hard to look the way they do, and often it's with the use of steroids.
Lifting heavy usually results in the 'toned' appearance for women that they like so much.
There's a fine line between female bodybuilders and fitness models. Take Jamie Eason (spokesperson for Bodybuilding.com) and Kathleen Tesori (who has a 9-5 job), for example.
So as it turns out, weightlifting can get you your ideal body, regardless of gender.
I'll talk more about weightlifting in my next post.
