Thursday, January 2, 2014

Article of the Day: The 10 Most Common Cardio Crimes.

Original Post Here
Top 10 Most Common Cardio Crimes

  • Leaning on Machines
    • Decreases workout intensity
    • Burn fewer calories
    • Use handles temporarily
      • When you first start
      • When you pause
  • Skimping on Resistance
    • Resistance does not cause you to bulk up
    • Resistance or incline burns more calories
      • Makes for a more challenging work out
  • Stretching Before Working Out
    • Stretching is not the same as warming up
    • Your muscles are warm and joints are lubricated after your cardio session so you don't need to stretch to do it again.
    •  Stretch at the end of your workout when you'll benefit most.
  • Carrying Weights While You Walk
    • It is only safe to hold less than 3lbs
      • This small amount isn't adding any challenge or benefit
    • Ankle weights are a no-no.
  • Only Doing Cardio
    •  More muscle helps boost metabolism
    • You lose muscle mass as you lose weight
      • Not as much muscle mass lost with strength training
  • Not Drinking Water
    • When you do cardio you sweat and you need to replace the fluid
    • Sip every few minutes
    • Don't wait until you're already thirsty to start drinking
  • Doing the Same Cardio Workout
    • You get better results by mixing up your cardio
      • Prevents overtraining
      • Keeps your body guessing so it doesn't plateau
    • Add 1-2 days of cross training to your cardio
  • Zoning Out
    • Reading, watching/listening to media can hurt your results
      • Start to slack off
      • Forget what you're at the gym to do
      • Don't pay attention to form
        • Posture slouches
        • Arms and legs don't move through ideal range of motion
        •  Don't strike with feet or engage core properly
  • Lifting Weights Really Fast
    • Slow, controlled form is essential
    • Sacrifices safety and can cause damage to muscles
  • Confusing "Activity" With Cardio
    • Only activities that meet requirements for cardio activity give health and fitness benefits
    • Only burning "extra" calories when you're working pretty damn hard
      • Not when you're leisurely walking through the mall or doing light house cleaning

No comments:

Post a Comment