You need to improve your hormone levels to stimulate fat loss. In fact, I think
that even Pilates & Yoga can help you lose fat when combined with good nutrition
- because these exercise techniques may be able to reduce stress and could bring
those hormone levels back to normal.
But for the fastest, guaranteed methods of fat loss, my weapon of choice is the
more intense interval training and resistance training in the Turbulence Training
program.
Bottom line: While cardio is focused on breaking down the body, strength training,
yoga, and Pilates all focus on building the body. Stick with body-builders.
2. The 3 Biggest Fat Loss Workout Mistakes
i) Using only long slow cardio. There is definitely mixed research support for long,
slow cardio. Most studies will show you two things:
a) Doing only aerobic training (without proper nutrition) will get you only a small
amount of weight loss - even over very long periods of time.
b) Proper nutrition plus cardio will help you lose weight, but you will also lose
lean body mass - and you won't end up with the body you want (or deserve).
Plus, long, slow cardio just takes too much time up from your schedule. Stick to
interval training instead. You will get better results in half the time.
ii) The second mistake is sticking with the same program too long.
In most gyms, everyday is Groundhog Day (just like the movie).
You'll see the same men and women doing the exact workout that they did 2 days.
I see men and women using the exact same weight circuit as they did literally the
day before, using the same weight, the same crappy form, and showing the same lack
of interest.
These people are much better off doing fewer workouts following a structured plan
of increased intensity. Don't trade quality for quantity.
iii) The 3rd mistake...Doing high rep-low weight isolation exercises.
Exercises such as triceps kickbacks, concentration curls, side raises, and ab crunches
are almost a complete waste of time.
The men and women that use isolation exercises will not make any improvements. Unfortunately,
this is the approach taken by a lot of people in the gym.
Next time, we'll review the superiority of interval training and the best ways to
weight train for fat loss.
Sincerely,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training