Personal Training

Monday, July 20, 2009

The Truth About Cardio Part 3

About a month or so I posted a couple of blogs on cardio and interval training for fat loss. If you missed them you can check them out here.

The Truth About Cardio Part 1

The Truth About Cardio Part 2

I did mention I would then write a Part 3, mostly about circuit training, cross training and Boot Camp; as a way to incorporate some real interval training into your program. However, in light of some questions I have received I either left something unexplained or I need to address this in a different way. (Plus I have taken like forever to finally follow up with it…)

Anyways, someone asked me, ‘when do I perform my cardio training’… Well for you let me start by stating that I hate cardio, I’m sorry to say it but I do… I mean I don’t know about you, but I don’t look forward to spending my time on the treadmill, I feel like a gerbil. For some folks it’s their passion and I respect that; just like exercise, weight training and sports is mine and not yours.

However you can ask anyone that knows me and has trained with me that I am always pushing the cardio issue, encouraging them to get started on their cardio program that I have laid out for them. See one thing is to hate and despise it, and another is to realize you’ll go nowhere without it, no major weight loss, no fat burning no cardiovascular conditioning, you get the point.

Essentially we need 3 things to be successful at our fitness goals: nutrition – exercise – cardio.

If you are like me then you must come up with ways to incorporate your cardio into your lifestyle. And there are lots of ways to get this done and maximize your calorie burning - FAT!

You can do regular cardio on the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical, join a group fitness class if you need to move your hips, there is also indoor cycling; all of which you can accomplish at basically any gym. Some folks decide to take it outdoors and do some bike riding or practice some sports while spending time with the family – nice!

You can also do circuit style training, which is basically just going through a series of exercises (usually 4 to 6) one after the other with little to no rest till you finish it off, for a couple of sets. For some it’s a great way of training – just be aware that if the gym is crowded it is somewhat difficult to take over a few machines, dumbbells and space to do it all. With practice, a good program and some manners you’ll probably be fine.

Now I want to take the time and talk to you about Boot Camp. Both Project Boot Camp and the Women’s Only Boot Camp that I run at Electra are a results-driven conditioning program that usually run for 6 weeks. It is conducted in an outdoor environment, which utilizes to a degree some military-style format, coupled with the most progressive, innovative and creative exercises in fitness today.

There is a lot of running, sports conditioning drills and a lot of upper and lower body exercises. And there is nothing stopping you as you are challenged every single day to get the most out of it – now this is my type of cardio, I actually look forward to doing this every single time.

Trust me you’ll burn lots of calories in a single hour of boot camp. In general most campers usually lose 5 to 15 pounds and about 3 to 5 percent of body fat during the program.

If you want to see results, if you want to get in shape fast, if you need to get out of the boredom and need a challenging workout that will take you to the next level; then I encourage you to enlist in Boot Camp as you won’t regret it.

If you’ve been thinking about it call me at Electra 941-729-6900 or send me an e-mail and I can answer all of your questions, while helping you get in the best shape of your life.

If you want to know more about Boot Camp you can go to this link: What is Boot Camp?

I look forward to seeing you in my next Boot Camp!

Author: Eduardo Lorenzo, NASM-CPT specializes in sports performance, injury prevention, corrective exercises, physique enhancement, Boot Camp and weight loss programs.