The Biggest Myths About Cardio

Cardio: From easy questions on how much you should do, to the harder ones like how much will actually burn fat, guys have long-hated cardio but have also seen it as a necessary evil. So, with the help of certified personal trainer Raphael Konforti, MS, we've compiled the biggest myths and cut out all the BS by debunking the half-truths and old non-truths. And maybe, just maybe, cardio won't seem so bad at the end of it. You can thank us later.

Before we get into the myths, let’s get a few basics straight. For the uninitiated, cardio is moving the body in order to increase the heart rate. How much cardio should you do? Great question! Konforti advises "Anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes is effective at producing results and the focus should not only be on the amount but also the quality and intensity."

He went on to tell us that you should strive to do cardio at least twice a week to stay healthy and in shape. To see noticeable improvement, aim for at least 3-4 sessions per week. Worried about overdoing it? If you notice chronic injuries, an erratic heart beat or do long bouts of cardio every day, you’re doing too much, no matter how easy it feels. Konforti told us that you should “let the diet do the work for fat loss but averaging three cardio sessions a week will keep you on track"

Myth 1: Go Slow For Best Results

Contrary to popular belief, steady state, low-intensity cardio does not burn the most fat. In fact, going for more intense bursts like those you’d do during High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, would be your best bet.

Konforti’s Tip: “While low intensity cardio (around 60% of someone’s max heart rate) burns the highest percentage of fat, it doesn’t burn as many calories per minute as higher intensity cardio. To ultimately lose as much fat as possible the total number of calories burnt is most important, regardless of how it’s done

Myth 2: You Should Run Before You Lift

This is one of our favourites. There’s absolutely no reason whatsoever to run before you do your weights. Sure, you can potentially get more done on the treadmill when you do cardio first, but that’s no reason to force yourself to expend all your muscle-building energy in the cardio section.

Konforti’s Tip: “Jogging or biking before hitting the weights may seem like a good idea to get sweating and ready but it’s actually counter-productive. Lifting weights builds lean muscle and boosts the metabolism more than cardio. Lifting first means maximal effort is put into the toughest and most rewarding part of the workout. The best time to do cardio is whenever you feel best and whatever time it can be done consistently. Doing cardio at a similar time each day allows you to evaluate your performance objectively."

Myth 3: Cardio Is A Substitute For Leg Training

If you skip leg presses, squats and lunges (and so many other great moves), you’ll not only look like you’re on a couple of toothpick legs, you’ll also miss out on the great fat burning and muscle building benefits!

Konforti’s Tip: “Running and cycling make for great endurance workouts but they don’t come close to squats, deadlifts and lunges. Cardio will make the muscles more efficient at processing oxygen but won’t make them much stronger. To get the hormonal and hypertrophy benefits of leg training, heavy lifting has to be in the program. Even if the goal is long distance running, it’s well documented that resistance training improves endurance performance.

Myth 4: Cardio Is The Key To Fat Loss

Sorry. Just doing cardio alone won’t solve your belly problems. In fact, focusing exclusively on cardio for your fat loss success is a sure way to stay flabby a lot longer than a balanced diet and a training regime with heavy lifting and HIIT cardio.

Konforti’s Tip: “Eat less, exercise more. That’s the mantra for fat loss we all know. Cardio is synonymous with burning calories but it’s not necessary to spur on weight loss. Resistance training burns calories, revs the metabolism and guides those pesky carbohydrates towards hungry muscles rather than bloated bellies. A combination of lifting and smart eating means that the hamster wheel aka treadmill doesn’t have to be in your training program

Myth 5: Intense Cardio Is The Only Cardio Worth Doing

Who doesn’t love a good cardio blast? It’s one of the greatest highs you can get from any workout. But, the notion that cardio should always be challenging and exhausting is as truthful as... well, it's just not truthful at all. You can get a lot out of a casual cardio effort – really!

Konforti’s Tip: “Getting drenched in sweat and crawling out of the gym isn’t always good. It’s important to challenge our bodies but maxing it out every time can lead to overtraining and injuries. Part of getting in shape means working out gets easier. Just because there’s not a trail of sweat to your car doesn’t mean you’re not progressing and burning calories.

Myth 6: Always Do Fasted Cardio

How many times have you heard the cardio guy in the gym tell you this one? Cardio should always be done on an empty stomach! They’d shout it from the mountain tops if they could. But the truth is, you don’t have to get on a treadmill before you eat to get results.

Konforti’s Tip: “Many people think training on an empty stomach is the holy grail of fat loss. While this may have benefits, the most important thing is getting it done. Do cardio when you can and follow eating habits that make you feel and perform the best.

Myth 7: Cardio Kills Muscle Gains

We’ve all heard people jump to the conclusion that too much cardio eats away at your muscle. The truth is, too much of anything can be bad for you — including cardio, but the idea that doing cardio prevents muscle gain is total bunk.

Konforti’s Tip: “Performing cardio won’t melt muscle. It’ll actually improve weight lifting performance. As the cardiovascular system becomes more efficient it carries over to better muscle recovery during lifting, so more weight can be lifted and the intensity level can be pushed. Focus on gearing cardio sessions to improving resistance training rather than just omitting it.

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