Fat burning and varying cadio exercises

kstanl

I'm trying to get cut at the moment. I've got the weight program down to a tee and my diet's not bad (but could do with improvement!). I've also included a good deal of intense cardio into my training each week. What I'm wondering is this - does it matter what type of cardio I do? Seeing as spot redcuction isn't possible, surely calories burnt are calories burnt? At the moment, all I'm doing is the cross-trainer (albeit to a high-intensity/resistance). Any ideas? Should I vary it and do rowing machines, bikes and treadmills aswell?

Easygainer

kstanl wrote:

I'm trying to get cut at the moment. I've got the weight program down to a tee and my diet's not bad (but could do with improvement!). I've also included a good deal of intense cardio into my training each week. What I'm wondering is this - does it matter what type of cardio I do? Seeing as spot redcuction isn't possible, surely calories burnt are calories burnt? At the moment, all I'm doing is the cross-trainer (albeit to a high-intensity/resistance). Any ideas? Should I vary it and do rowing machines, bikes and treadmills aswell?

Intense cardio actually burns more carbs than fat. 50 - 65% intensity (ie of MHR) is ideal for burning fat. What way you do the cardio just conditions the muscles in that area IMO (ie hill walking will give you a "toned" ass and hamstrings etc whereas rowing will bring out your back better...)

10/10

If you want to burn Fat effectiv and fast there is nothing that works better than HIIT.
What is HIIT?
Let me explain:

HIIT stands for HIGH INTERVAL INTENSITIVE TRAINING.

For a long time everybody assumed that in order to loose more fat, you have to do more cardio.
But the body burns unwanted fat effectivly when you are FINISHED with the cardio, same as rebuilding muscles, you don't gain muscles In the gym, but when you rest (best when you sleep).

So why sit on a bike for 30 + minutes if you can do the same thing in 15 min + 5 min warmup?
Don't be fooled, if done right it is a lot harder than the common 30 min stationary bike ride most people do.

How you do it correctly?

The ideal HIIT time is 15 min.

On the stationary Bike start with 5 min warmup (just light cycling on a low lever)
After five min, change the bike to a level you think you can stick for 15 min, after a wile you get excactly the right level, I started at level 8 and changed it to level 7 now.

HIIT is all about intensity... here is how it works:

Let's assume you have the bike on Level 7:

You peddle very very fast (sprinting comes to mind) for 30 sec only.
Than peddle very very slow for 30 sec (bring your heartbeat down in this 30 sec)
After that you sprint another 30 sec, followed by a 30 sec slow peddling.

Do this untill you are finished.

DO NOT START WITH 15 MIN HIIT ... 5 min at the beginning is more the enough, when you feel ready work your way up to 15 min max.

Combine this with healty and nutrities food and you will loose Bodyfat very fast.

I do mine on an empty stomach in the morning and wait another hour before I eat something after cardio, keep in mind that this is not ideal if you want to keep your muscle gain, but yo u will loose acctual body fat very fast this way.

kstanl

Yes, I've read Body for Life and am familiar with the HIIT system. It's what I am actually using at the moment. Start slowly, building up intensity then dropping right back down again, then building up intensity again and dropping back down. My heart rate never normally goes above 150/155 so I think that's ok for fat-burning, no?

As for the type of cardio I'm doing... well my back's in good shape at the moment. My problem areas are my love handles and my ass so I'm assuming that the cross-trainer is an okay choice?

Easygainer

kstanl wrote:

Yes, I've read Body for Life and am familiar with the HIIT system. It's what I am actually using at the moment. Start slowly, building up intensity then dropping right back down again, then building up intensity again and dropping back down. My heart rate never normally goes above 150/155 so I think that's ok for fat-burning, no?

As for the type of cardio I'm doing... well my back's in good shape at the moment. My problem areas are my love handles and my ass so I'm assuming that the cross-trainer is an okay choice?

You can't spot reduce fat with exercise, only increase the muscle mass there. Use diet and moderate intensity exercise, seriously. I'm living proof it works!!!

(also weight lifting is a must...)

Diarmuid

I've been training pretty diligently since Easter ( I broke my back in Jan and couldnt do anything for 3 months hence the drive :-), I do weight 3 times a week and a 35-40 min run 3 times a week. I have made some very good gains but still a bit of fat around the middle :-) Anyways I'm pretty comfortable with the weights but I'm not so sure I know a lot about running. I think I might be going too hard to burn off the fat. For the first 20mins I run at about 160 bpm and the next 17min at 175-180 (depending on how I am feeling). I'm 29 years old so what do you think. Is this too much? Should I be running at a lower intensity (this is 48min 10k pace )

I have never trained at running so I dont want to be out wasting my time. I want to get fit and get my body fat content down.

Any comments or ideas would be very welcome

kstanl

Easygainer wrote:

You can't spot reduce fat with exercise, only increase the muscle mass there. Use diet and moderate intensity exercise, seriously. I'm living proof it works!!!

(also weight lifting is a must...)

I know I can't spot reduce fat per se, but surely if I'm working on the cross-trainer it will have a better effect on my gleuts than if I concentrated all my cario on a rowing machine? I know that most bodybuilders swear that even though spot-reduction is not possible, that "pseudo spot-reduction" IS possible. For example... to build better abs, it's necessary to build the abdominal muscles and not just burn off the fat. Not just for aesthetics but because of the fact that sit-ups do, in fact, help reduce fat around the gut. Only time will tell. I've only been on this programme for about 2 months but I'll be expecting results in the next 2!

Easygainer

kstanl wrote:

I know I can't spot reduce fat per se, but surely if I'm working on the cross-trainer it will have a better effect on my gleuts than if I concentrated all my cario on a rowing machine? I know that most bodybuilders swear that even though spot-reduction is not possible, that "pseudo spot-reduction" IS possible. For example... to build better abs, it's necessary to build the abdominal muscles and not just burn off the fat. Not just for aesthetics but because of the fact that sit-ups do, in fact, help reduce fat around the gut. Only time will tell. I've only been on this programme for about 2 months but I'll be expecting results in the next 2!

Any good routine and diet combo will have you losing 1-2lbs of fat per week, which means in 2 months the difference should be VERY noticeable.

Several supplements are noted for spot reduction but they are either rare, expensive or prescription. Phospatadyliserene (do not have a clue how to spell it) is supposed to be good for spot reduction. Youhimbine/helios creams are Ok but the injectable forms DO spot reduce fat. Finally growth hormone causes localised fat loss - again the first one is the only one you can get in a health shop and at that it's E90 for a couple of weeks' worth...

10/10

kstanl wrote:

I know I can't spot reduce fat per se, but surely if I'm working on the cross-trainer it will have a better effect on my gleuts than if I concentrated all my cario on a rowing machine? I know that most bodybuilders swear that even

You are wrong there is no way to psydo spot reduce weight, abs are not done in the gym but in the kitchen, you have the muscles in the ab reagion already, you use them every day, the only thing is they are hidden under a layer of bodyfat.