Well, I was prepared to write a 300 word introduction delineating why endurance athletes and the general public alike should lift weights to supplement the hours of cardio they do.  Lucky for you, I remembered the age-old adage: “a picture is worth a thousand words.”

So thanks to this revelation we can skip my usual charming, witty introduction and jump straight to the information.

4 VITAL reasons you should supplement your cardio with a PROGRESSIVE resistance workout.

BETTER INSULIN HEALTH

 

I know everyone wants to know the nitty gritty about getting a 6-pack or a flat “tummy”.

However, in my mind health trumps all.

If we are healthy then the aesthetics will follow.  Health is the fitness engine that drives the train; a nice butt is the fitness caboose….pun DEFINATLEY INTENDED

FACT:  Cardio has a catabolic effect on muscle, meaning that it decreases one’s muscle.  This has to do with the energy systems at play during a “cardio” session; a topic for another day.

FACT: PROGRESSIVE resistance training has an anabolic effect on one’s muscle.  I stress the importance of the word Progressive, and simply doing the exact thing over and over will not achieve the desired result.

FACT: Irisin is a hormone the body produces to regulate insulin sensitivity.  So basically the more Irisin your body produces, the more stable your blood sugar.  Irisn is produced in muscle.  So the more muscle you have, the more Irisin you produce, and thus the more stable your blood sugar.

If you are suffering from TYPE-II diabetes this can be a life changing thing.  And if you aren’t?  Well, it means that you can finally get rid of that “stubborn” fat around your mid-section once and for all.

PREVENT INJURY

 

We KNOW that CORRECT resistance training can lead to a healthier body that is less injury prone.

How do we know this?

Simple, resistance training is the CORNERSTONE for all physical therapy.

Ever had a surgery that required rehab or physical therapy?  They didn’t just say go run around the block, or hop on this bike for a while right?  You see the body is filled with muscular imbalances due to increasingly sedentary lifestyle and ever increasing waistlines.

An important fact to consider is that when you run the impact is roughly 4-6 times the subject’s weight on every single stride.  This is about 600-900 lbs. of force for a 150 lb. person on each and every step.

Now combine this with the fact that my novice exercisers “run to get in shape” instead of getting in shape in order to run.  No wonder 85% of Americans have suffered or will suffer from back pain and 2 out of every 3 athletic injuries involve the knees.

To sum it up, you should get your body moving fluidly first, THEN throw on those sweet new kicks, short shorts, and hit the trail.  Your body will thank you plus you will lose more weight in the long run. If you are an avid runner then this next element will really make you smile:

GET FASTER

That’s RIGHT!

Proper, progressive resistance training can and will make you faster.

Proper resistance training will provide the exerciser with increased coordination, neural drive, and strength gains.  These all contribute to the runner producing more force into the ground and thus increasing their speed.

Research has also shown a favorable improvement in Type IIX muscle fibers, key contributors for endurance athletes.

Long story short:  a plethora of research has shown significant increase in the times of Olympians who lifted weights in addition to their normal training versus the Olympians who did no weight training at all.  So if it could make a significant difference for an Olympian, just imagine what it could do for you?

LOWER BODY FAT %

You burn approximately 70% of your calories every day via your metabolism.

MUSCLE = METABOLISM

If you remember point #1 from above, then we know that resistance training has an anabolic (grow) effect on muscle mass while cardio has a catabolic (decrease) effect on muscle mass.

Therefore, if you want to make sure that you can get rid of the yo-yo results most gym goers encounter when it comes to weight loss, then you simply MUST begin including a proper, progressive, resistance workout into your routine.  Otherwise the caloric deficit and weight loss you encounter at first will begin to slow down and eventually stop, and then steadily the pounds will come back again…..BUT NOT THIS TIME.

You see the hormones produced from your weight training will not only maintain your metabolism, but actually increase it and allow you to shed those unwanted pounds once and for all.

SO TO SUM IT ALL UP

It DOESN’T matter  WHAT YOU KNOW but what you DO WITH WHAT YOU KNOW.

It is recommended that you participate in a resistance training program two or three times per week.  Start today and get all of the benefits mentioned above.

Want to start, but don’t know where to start?

No problem, we got you covered!  Contact me to Apply for YOUR INTRODUCTORY personal training sessions today.  As always, they are backed by a 100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE.

This means that it is RISK-FREE to meet with one of our highly qualified trainers and set you on your way to the healthy body you desire.

Tell next time,

Move Better. Look Better. Feel Better
Nathan “Nate” Stowe BS, NASM-CPT, NCSF-CPT, CES, PES, FNS
Owner/Lead Trainer/Wears all the hats
Stowe Training Systems