How else do we do this? Slow is all we’ve ever been taught…
Over the next week or so we’re going to be talking quite a bit about metabolic resistance training (i.e. “cardio with weights”), but before we do I want to address something that slightly concerned me when reading through some of the comments that came in on yesterday’s “empty stomach” cardio post.
Apparently, many people are still stuck doing long duration, low-intensity cardiovascular exercise — yikes!
Here’s the deal: if you’re looking to achieve maximal benefit from the time you put into your workouts, long duration “slow-go” cardio is NOT the way to go, and for many reasons.
Here are my top 5:
1. Minimal calories burned — 45 minutes on the treadmill may burn a whopping 300 calories if you’re lucky, the equivalent of ONE TENTH of a pound of fat. Exercise ten hours a week and you might just lose a pound!
Which brings me to my next point:
2. Way too much time involved — I don’t know about you, but I don’t have hours and hours of my time to pour into working out each week. In fact, very rarely do I ever exceed three hours of exercise weekly, and you know what? That’s ALL you need.
Beyond that, slow-go cardio is:
3. BORING as heck — Sitting on an exercise bike staring at the wall in front of me for 45-60 minutes? No thanks.
But perhaps even worse is the fact that slow-go cardio provides:
4. No prolonged metabolic benefit — Did you know that with higher intensity exercise it is possible to continue to burn calories for up to 48 hours post workout? It’s true (and we’ll be discussing this “afterburn” effect in another post very soon). But you know what else is true? Long duration, low intensity cardio provides virtually NO prolonged elevation in metabolism. In fact, with slow-go cardio, metabolism returns to baseline almost IMMEDIATELY following the exercise session.
And finally, the reason that trumps all the others:
5. Minimal fat loss — Minimal calories burned during the session and virtually no additional calories burned afterward = minimal, if any fat loss results. And let’s be honest, the only reason anyone is doing cardio is for the “result”.
So if slow-go cardio isn’t a great solution, what is?
Short duration, high-intensity exercise. Less time, faster results — THAT’S what it’s all about.
And keep in mind, “high intensity” is relative to you. I don’t care if you’re already in great shape or if you’re 40 lbs overweight, you can exercise with intensity.
So what about you? Are you stuck doing slow-go cardio or have you embraced the benefit of much shorter, higher intensity sessions?
Give me at least 750 comments and I’ll be back to talk about short duration, high intensity exercise in more detail tomorrow.
Talk to you in the comments section,
Joel
P.S. Want to learn 3 other specific fat-burning tips that you can start using today? Check out the below link:
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721 comments - add yours
Joel,
I’m with you on the HIIT, right now i’m recovering from my 5th knee surgery in 6 years and I’m carrying an extra 40lbs. HIIT on a treadmill isn’t an option, can you do it on an elliptical effectively? how about walking on a treadmill uphill? any suggestions for those of us who have been told not to run?
Hi Joel,
Once again your blog comes at a perfect time. I have been experimenting with my workouts to see the best results. Not only for weightloss but to try and prevent exertion headaches. WHile training for a half marathon I had to go for long periods and I never lost weight. I was very frustrated. So, I decided to try interval training and just today the scale was moving in the correct direction. Thank you for reinforcing this. Still don’t know what to do for the exertion headaches.. any suggestions?
Thank you, YOU ROCK!
What if you have a bad knee?
Hello Joel
What’s your opinion on swimming as form of exercise? It’s the only exercise that I know that works practically every muscle at the same time with no impact involved. As I compete in swim marathon events, I swim approx 10 km a week. Is this sufficient?
If cardio doesn’t work, what does? And what is high intensity? What do you recommend?
Since I started doing cardio with weights and stopped going for long boring runs I have lost dress sizes and pounds. I figured out that I was getting bored and then I wouldn’t be very consistant. With so many exercise options with weights, I can change my routine every couple of days and never get bored. Thanks for all the valuable information – keep it coming!
Hi Joel
I am very frustrated with my training. Due to my spinal fusion I am limited to walking, jogging and are not allowed to do waits. I am not even allowed to pick up anything heavier than 20 Kg!
See my frustration? I put on 8 kg and need to lose it and need for it to stay off. I need perhaps alternative ways to do this but do not know how.
Thanks Marius
Hey Joel, I liked your book on the diet and your general advice on training, but you and yer buddy Craig Ballantyne both need to go read my comments on the limits of anaerobic exertion on my Amazon review of Craig’s “Just Say No To Cardio”. Time for exercise physiology lessons for you guys. Otherwise, good job in general. Later, J. Storey
I can understand how faster, more intense exercise burns more calories per unit of time, but long duration, low-intensity cardiovascular exercise still gives you “cardio” benefits that other more intense exercise can’t. Right?
As much as I love HIIT, I have to say that I don’t do it! I have put way to much effort in getting muscle and I’m not losing it! So I keep with low intensity long duration… less calories burned, yes, but pure fat!
everything works. Slow cardio is sometimes better when your f…..up after intense training session (heavy deadlifts ! i wasn’t able to move today, so i did 5km in minus 10 degrees in 26 minutes, my back and legs were to fried up from deadlifts to do any complexes). Usually if im in the mood i do dumbell swings (100-200 of it ) and it works great for “cardio” ;)
According to Tony Robbins “Tne Body You Deserve” course, You burn fat by doinf cardio and it conbtinues to burn fat the rest of ther day! So who has the right infornation?
I have issues with high intensity training, basically that it triggers exercise induced asthma (at the moment, I’d say it’s a mild case, one session of tabatas results in 3 days of feeling wheezy when I breathe, and my chest constricts during the exercise, but I don’t have trouble breathing). My doctor (somewhat unhelpfully) said just to avoid high intensity training (I’m reminded far too much of the “it hurts when I do this”, “then don’t do that” joke). Am I stuck with long, slow cardio?
But what about the concept of heart rate? As it was simply explained to me, “you can’t cook rice at high heat,” and that you don’t burn as much fat calories at high intense cardio.
Hey Joel,
I hate running long duration I do feel like there are no results. Also I used to be a sprinter short distance runner. Give some ideas of what to do for the extreme fat burn about 30 pounds over weight.
A wrote:
Joel, since you listed all the reasons steady-state cardio sucks, I’m going to list all the good things about it.
1) It’s better for beginners – You can’t ask someone who’s 50 pounds overweight and who’s been inactive for years to suddenly do intervals. I agree that HIIT is great, but I also believe it’s a more advanced technique.
2) It’s better than no exercise – Too many people who try to lose weight give up too easily. And the reason they give up is because what they’re being asked to do is too hard. Steady-state cardio may not be as efficient as HIIT, but at least it gets people moving.
3) Some people do enjoy it – Just like your last article, you’re guilty of generalizing. Not everyone finds steady-state cardio boring. Many people run in 5Ks, 10Ks, even marathons for fun.
4) It’s a great way to clear your head – The problem with high intensity workouts like weight training and HIIT is you have to focus. But steady-state cardio allows you to just zone out. That’s great if you’ve got a lot on your mind.
5) It puts you into a healthy mindset – I’ve found that on the days I do morning cardio before breakfast, I have an easier time making healthier food choices throughout the day.
6) You do get a slight afterburn – Obviously this depends on the intensity and it won’t be anywhere near as much as what you’d get from weight training or HIIT, but there is an afterburn, especially if you’re doing moderate intensity where your heart rate is around 80% of your max.
Is steady-state cardio the best use of someone’s time if they’re trying to lose fat? Not really. But you make it sound like it’s completely useless. I remember when people used to say the same thing about weight training.
I’m going to have to agree with this guy. I train for ironman triathlons so I do alot of “slow boring cardio”, but I love it. I disagree with most of your points.
1. I actually push myself so I can burn about 400-500 cal in 45 minutes and the thing is I can do that for longer periods of time and go longer with slow cardio than I can if I do HIIT
2. 30-45 min of activity for something I like is better than most people who don’t do anything. Plus I will actually do 3-4hours somedays. In fact in my peak training i’m up to 6-7hours daily on my bike
3. IT IS NOT “BORING AS HECK”. I love it. That is just your opinion. The time I get to spend outside running or biking or swimming in open water is so enjoyable to me. It may not be for everyone, but I love it.
4. I have your CYWT program but I also have Jeff Anderson’s Combat the Fat program and according to him, the afterburn from HIIT is actually minimal and most of the calories you burn during HIIT come from sugar not fat where cardio most of the calories you burn are fat.
5. If slow cardio burn minimal fat why are long distance runners and triathletes so dang skinny? Obviously it must burn some fat.
I know that slow cardio is not for everyone, and lots of people (including myself) like doing HIIT (I do it for my off season training). My I get tired of the “cardio bullies” as Jeff Anderson calls them. Both Jeff Anderson and Tom Venuto (based on his book “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle”) are proponents of Long Cardio and my opinion is if you like it, DO IT. If not then find something else. My don’t think it is right to bash cardio because lots of people (again myself included) have seen great results from it.
Joel – Although high intensity training may work for most people, I find that it leaves me dragging for the next couple of days. For me, the slow and steady seems to work best, but I also lift weights as well. Plus, my body puts on too much bulk too quickly (some people would love to have this problem, I know) with high intensity training and I don’t get the results that I want. I’m probably an oddball in this way, but the high intensity stuff just isn’t for me.
I power walk everyday at lunch.. I enjoy the time with friends and it gets rid of work stress. I think that is the reason it is so hard to rid yourself of slow cardio. Because it is more of a mind release than anything. With that said is running considered high intensity? I did one round of P90X and lost nothing? I am 51 years old and need to loose 20 pounds. I taught areobic for 12 years (not teaching for the pass 6 years but still hold cerification) power walk 3 miles 5 to 6 times a week. Confused have notice that every ten years or so the thought process of exercise changes. At first high intensity areobic was it than they said we were hurting our bodies so we go to low intensity ten years later now it is back to high intensity. wtf
what is a 60/120?
I am 55 years old and just started weight training this spring. I have lost about 18 pounds since May and have “first lady” arms for the first time in my life. i just started doing interval training about two weeks ago, two days a week, and have already noticed a difference. I think it is the way to go. I also do a 3.5 mile walk 5 or 6 days a week and that is for the stress relief and to get out and enjoy the beautiful city park near my home. So I will keep doing both.
My biggest problem is I dont know HOW to do cardio the most effective way. I usually take the treadmill up to speed 8 (sometimes higher) for 4 minutes or so, then down to speed 3.5-4 for a few minutes and on and on until im wiped out…. is this a correct way of doing it?
I would believe 3 hours a week is all you need if you looked any good, Joel
Share some examples to help us mix up our workouts!!!
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...