Ever heard of the song "Highway to Hell"? If you are continually doing long sessions of aerobics on the Stair Master, or treadmill, with the intention of losing weight, then that is exactly where you are headed. Let me explain.

First let's me explain the difference of cardio training and aerobic training and how it falls in place in a weight training or fat loss program.

Cardio training is exercising so that the cardiovascular system is involved. This means making your heart and lungs work. Aerobic training (aerobic means with oxygen) is any exercise in which oxygen is the primary source of energy used. This type of training can be continued almost indefinitely. Following me so far? Aerobic training is always cardiovascular training, however not all cardio training is aerobic.

Now let's look at why you can see people at the gym running, spinning and aerobicizing, but never losing any weight.

Aerobic Exercise is "supposed" to burn fat but does it really? Lets take a look.

1) If you use more calories than you take in you will lose weight. Aerobic exercise burns calories. So this should cause weight loss. Well ANY movement or exercise burns calories. Weight training, kick boxing, driving burns calories.

2) Well I am exercising in the "fat burning" zone or program. Well let me explain this piece of misinformation. In simplistic terms the body uses its highest percent of fuel or energy from fat when its breathing rate is at 0.71 of it Respiratory Exchange Ratio or RER. This only occurs when the body is at complete rest. Now before you get the idea that that is a better way to exercise, look at two different types of athletes. Sprinters vs Marathoners. Both are runners; however don't sprinters tend to have much lower body fat and higher muscle tone? If the magical concept of lowering intensity aerobic exercise was the key, wouldn't it be the other way around?

3) Finally we have the argument that aerobics will make you a highly effective fat burning machine. While that might be true this is not a desired effect. Where aerobics may require a lot of work. It does not require a lot of muscle. Muscle is what burns calories, in fact a pound of muscle will burn 50 calories even at rest.

Matt MacLeod

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Weight Training Routines

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