August Article
Goals Determine Exercise Routines
By Bev Hillman
Vancouver Personal Training
Q: Should I do my cardio first or weight train first?
A: It depends on your goals. Currently, no research shows that strength training immediately before a cardio workout increases the amount of fat used during the cardio workout, or visa versa. However, if strength training is done first, it is possible that muscle fatique could cause a decrease the intensity for the cardio workout leading to fewer calories burned. If the primary goal is to increase aerobic endurance or lose weight, then you should perform cardiovascular exercises first. If the primary goal is to increase muscular strength, then you should perform strength training first. Basically, in order to get the most out of your workout, you should perform the most important type of exercise when you are less fatigued. For those who want to lose weight and increase muscular strength, alternating the order of the workout during different cycles of training is one way to satisfy both goals.
Q: Do I need to take dietary supplements?
A: You do not need dietary supplements unless you have a documented vitamin deficiency or do not eat a balanced diet. Using supplements as an alternative to a sound diet can lead to serious deficits in the cunsumption of other nutrients (Benardot et al. 2001). It is always healthier to acquire vitamins and mineral from food than to obtain them from a pill. However, serious vitamin deficiencies do occur in a small portion of the population (Benardot et al. 2001) and supplements are useful for making sudden improvements in vitamin status.
Supplements for losing fat or building muscle have become very popular. Claims that fat burning supplements will decrease body fat by increasing either mobilization or oxidation of free fatty acids (FFAs) are faulty at best. Exercise alone increases the muscles capacity to oxidize FFAs. There is no evidencd that muscle-building supplements, including protein powders and amino acids build muscle mass (Clarkson 1998; Eichner et al. 1999). The few supplements whose muscle-building potential is supported by research (eg., creatine) are effective mostly in elite athletes who have undergone many years of training (Eichner et al. 1999).
Q: How do I get a flat stomach?
A: The abdominals are just like any other muscle group. For their definition to become visible, they must grow larger and the fat that lies over them must decrease. What makes the definition of the abdominals so difficult to see is that they are situated in the area of the body that contains the most fat. Most people do not do nearly enough cardiovascular exercise to decrease their body fat percentage to the point where they would see their abdominals. Even when the aerobic exercise stimulas is adequate, the role of diet must not be underestimated. All people with a flat stomach or six pack have a very low percentage of body fat.
Genetics also plays a role, as it will determine where fat is stored on the body and in what order it will come off. As your exercise program revs up, expect body fat to come off in the exact reverse order that it was put on.
-30-
|
