5 Reasons “Slow-go” Cardio Sucks

Joel,

You point is right on the money. I am a private trainer and my clients don’t have a lot of time for long walks or biking in the gym. I have designed their cardio programs around the Dynamic training in your Xtreme Fat Loss program, which by the way is great. My clients love the shorter workout and feel like they had a good work out. They work up a good sweat in a short period. I can work with them whether they are at home or along a park path. They are getting great benefits from it. People who are looking for good examples should by your program.

@ Duke:
@ Duke:
GOOD QUESTION

Hey Joel,

Thanks for the blog. I’m wondering do you consider 30-60 minutes of running outside on trails with occassional steep hills slow go cardio? I enjoy this type of exercise and have included it in my workout routine for over a year. I do still do at least one session per week of sprints outside on a track. Thanks for the info.

What about your heart rate going too high? I’m out of shape and over weight and I notice my heart rate going too high on my monitor. Isn’t that unhealthy? I also am on medication for high blood pressure and don’t want my BP to go too high doing high intensity exercisel

Hi, my name is Kim, and I too used to be a cardio slave.

LOL, but seriously, then I found intervals, and now I don’t hate cardio anymore! Well, I hate it while I’m doing it, but I get out of it 40 minutes sooner, so its alright, and the results are waaaay better =)

Can’t wait to see some creative new suggestions, though

Hi! This is so true.. But the interesting fact regarding this type of training is how ignorant is people and even “profesionals” to do and recommend this type of training.. :s that is what blows my mind away!

People base on the fact that “if the rest is doing it” it must be good. And that type of “ensalvement” is a paradigm so dificult to reprogram in people minds! Bottom line is that this kind of behaviour is bounded to our “human condition” regarding to all of our social behaviour.

Suddenly if all the poeople start traning standing in their hands (imagining a posible setting) this madness would be comprised as “good” or “normal” and train in your feet should be comprised as “madness”! So long the same with the cardio bunnies.

Cheers! and thanks for your comments!

Hi! regarding your HR it is really a matter of dieting to keep it controlled and healthy in the long run. People that are in your condition are capable of doing “intense efforts”, it even works more for you! because of the metabolic madness you are creating in a body that does not exercise in a regular basis! but dont skip the important fact in having a good health, the diet. I hope I answer you.

@ Candy:

Guys the BEST high intensity cardio I’ve come around and the MOST effective is using the Tabata Protocol. Amazing results in ONLY a whopping 4 min at most a day. Very effective and quick on the time. Though it is very intense so you might have to increase the recovery if you’re new.

Hi Joel. I bought a recumbant bike because my knees are really bad and my doctor recommended it. I can’t do too many exercises because of my knees. The doctor said this kind of bike would build up the muscles in my knees and then eventually I would be able to do other forms of exercising. What is the best way for me to get results though? The interval training means what exactly? Should I ride slowly for a couple of minutes and then very fast for a couple of minutes and then repeat? I don’t want to be on there forever each day and get no results. I know I am doing it for my knees but also to get into shape. I am confused about the best way to do this.
Thanks,
Crystal

I really agree whit you, although you have tons of time and you don´t have anything more to do, everypne must be doing sohort intensity cardio.

i use to do long cardio then i came across interval training and ever since i came across it ive stopped doing long cardio and started dong interval more intenisty, in less time and i burn more calories and ive lost about 20 pounds just by this one change

@ Diane:

Yes both of those workouts are steady state, although effective. What you want to demonstrate HIIT is Shaun’s INSANITY workout.

I am 80 lbs. overweight with bad knees and bad back. Can I still achieve high intensity workout?

Interval training takes the monotony out of cardio training and don’t go more than 20 min. Or sometimes I Combine a cardio movement ( 50: steps/skips/kicking punching bag/3 min rowing/running/cycling) with a complexed movement ( squats/deadlifts/power clean/lung and press etc) and do it for 20 min. This way you burn calories and develope your muscles. Complexed movements require more enery to execute therefor more calories are burnt.

I do both.. and when im training for maximum fat loss I do about 20 mins Steady State (SS) on Elliptical or bike but on like level 6 and pedalling fast so not low intensity …and then do a 20m HIIT on the other machine (either ellip. or bike) and then stay on for another 5 mins SS at the end with a final one minute all out Body for Life styles 11/10 SMASH at the end!! I’m sweating big time!! ..so that’s 45 minutes quality cardio and time goes quite quickly cos you change machines and cos of the killer techno i listen to ! :) If i only have half an hour though, i would choose HIIT every time. I’ve researched this loads too, and the people I listen to recommend both..HIIT is superior, good results less time (hey you can feel it through sweat-loss alone!) but SS is good too and good for fitness reasons and also if your legs are really sore from muscle training…and anyway.. why does it have to be Low intensity?? what ever happened to medium! :)

Do any of you runners remember reading the trainers facts on running? I was a runner myself. Not 25+ miles a week. I did about 16 miles a week, but either way your body as a natural defense holds on to fat more than muscle for servival so running is burning a little fat yes but also muscle. The statement that if you look at olympian or any long distance runner and see that they have some muscle tone but are very dangly looking verses the sprinters (that use short bursts of energy with their running with their muscles) are very toned, muscular and burn FAT! If you want to be more lean or have more muscle and burn more fat you have to do muscle confusion!!! I have learned that myself

Love this article! Whilst it is fair to incorporate slow go as more of a hobby, for me, any trainer that encourages this as no comprehension of evolution or body function! Drives me nuts

if you can run for 45 minutes straight then it’s considered slow cardio, just run 30 min and speed up! If you are sweating and out of breath and so tired that you can’t run for 5 more minutes, the session will have good benefits for fatloss!
If combined with a good strenght training routine and diet, you will get shredded over time!!! No hokus pokus!

Hi Joel,
thanks for info on hi intensity. A question, how do I do this?, do I measure heart rate?

Dr Sears has the Pace program which is high intensity for a minute or two followed by rest and you do it over again etc for about 12 minutes. That is how you get into shape ( also with some resistence training). According to our genetic code that is how we are made because of our ancient ancesters who lived in caves all those tens of thousands of years ago. Your “high-intensity exercise” fits right in there perfedtlly Joel. We are finally starting to learn what works and what doesn’t. But we still got a long ways to go.

@ Howie:
Howie,

I’m so glad you said it! Joel, I’m a little disappointed by your generalized comments about longer, less intense cardio. I am a biochemist by education and I read an awful lot on fitness, nutrition, etc. One thing science keeps me grounded on is that every single human being is different from the other and each person’s inner cycles dictate how they must approach fitness. For me, I do really well to increase metabolism and lean mass by lifting weights and doing HIIT. However, I also do longer (3-6 mile/30-50 min) runs 3 days a week and hop on a spinning bike for 45 minutes in class once a week. My body likes the variety and ultimately responds better in the weight room when I keep a balance. Plus, I’m not sure how you define long, slow cardio, but running a sub-8 minute mile isn’t really long or slow by my definition! Talk about intense, that’ll get the heart pumping!

I’m not offended by your comment, but I think you should be a little more open-minded, that’s all. It really depends on who you are, what your metabolic and biochemical make-up is and what works for you! To be truly physically fit, you should perform a variety of exercises and challenge your body in any way you can. Whether that’s throwing the weights, taking to the pavement, using your own body weight in pilates or honing in your yoga skills.

@ D:
I did exactly the same to myself.. OVER TRAINED.. Underfed and totally exhausted. I was addicted to the results.. I was so lean and felt amazing but it was totally unsustainable.. In the end was training 3 times a day.. A spin class in mornings, heavy training in the afternoons and before bed a light cardio session. I trained myself into pnemonia then pluerisy and its been a year since, i cant bring myself into the weight room yet.. and my diet is now shocking.. From one extreme to the ohter.. Would be lovely to find a nice balanced lifestyle..

Hi Joel,
When I had the time y used to workout 4days a week and as much as 30-45 min where of low intensity cardio and I never had the results similar as the ones I had now that even in some weeks I dont do low intensity cardio, but have 1hr for 2 days of high intensity cardio

no wonder I never lost any weight exercising and no wonder I hate it!

Had lapband surgery. lose 80 pounds. High intensity, interval training is working for me. Need to lose 40 to 50 more. Will pay attention to all info I can get. thanks.