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The Fat Loss Battle Between Cardio And Strength Training lives On

Jim O'Connor

Weight training or cardiovascular aerobic training? Which training technique is best for losing body fat? This is one of the most frequently asked questions I receive each and every week in my quest of helping people build effective fat burning exercise programs. This simple question can lead to the misfortune of inconsistent fat loss results, and even frustration.

Clients want to know if they should avoid weight training programs altogether and stick to the alleged fat burning aerobic training. Many are convinced that lower intensity cardiovascular training will enable them to lose body fat at a greater rate than with just weightlifting exercises alone.

Let's take a closer look at which exercise regimen, weight training or aerobics, is the best system to lose body fat. Both training systems are vastly different from one another.

Aerobic or cardiovascular training is performed with high volume, and low intensity exercise. Oxygen is required; and exercise can last for twenty plus continuous minutes with an elevated heart rate.

The benefits resulting from aerobic or cardiovascular training is an increase in cardiovascular function, and a decrease in body fat from the extra calorie burn.

However, with positives, there are also negatives. There are a few things lost when training aerobically. First off, over time, a decrease in strength from muscle breakdown occurs. This decrease in strength results from a decrease in muscle mass, power, speed, and anaerobic capacity.

On the other hand, with weight training programs, there is a huge increase in muscle tissue, metabolism, strength, speed, power, and anaerobic capacity. There is even a slight increase in cardiovascular function.

Now why do many participants feel that cardiovascular or aerobic exercise is far superior for fat loss? It is quite simple; they are listening to people who are not thinking about physiology. However, one thing they do understand is the preferred fuel used during low intensity aerobic exercise is fat. Therefore, many feel if a greater percentage of fatty acids are burned for fuel, a greater fat loss will occur. But, is this true?

As a matter of fact, fat is the primary fuel used while sleeping. Thus, wouldn't the best exercise to lose body fat be sleep? Not necessarily even though a greater percentage of fatty acids are used for fuel during rest.

In my opinion, training at a low intensity aerobically, with a goal for maximum fat loss, is the greatest myth for losing body fat.

Here is a fat loss example that will help you understand what type of training is best to lose body fat. On Monday you walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes at a very comfortable 3.3 miles per hour. The results of your cardiovascular training session include a calorie burn of 300 calories, where a high 60% of the fuel is supplied from fatty acids. Now, on Tuesday, you decide to run on the treadmill for 15 minutes at a very high intensity level of 6 miles per hour with a 7% incline grade. Your heart rate was registered at 85% of your maximum heart rate, and you burned 350 calories in those 15 minutes with a greater percentage of sugar burned than fat. That leaves you with a greater caloric burn of 50 additional calories resulting from exercising at a higher intensity for only a 15 minute duration. This will, over an extended period of time, lead to greater overall fat, and weight loss compared to the 30 minute, lower intensity aerobic training session.

Now to lose body fat, it simply isn't true that lower intensity, longer duration exercise, which burns a greater percentage of fatty acids is far superior in overall fat loss compared to higher intensity, higher calorie burning weightlifting, or cardiovascular training.

With that said, the most effective way to lose body fat is through a higher intensity training program like weight training because of the higher calorie burn, and the elevated metabolism from the added active, fat burning muscle tissue. The added muscle tissue burns calories 24 hours per day. It is much more important to think about the amount of calories expended versus the percentage of fat or sugar used as preferred, primary fuel.

Now I'm sure you agree weight training can be a more effective fat loss exercise program, but the ultimate fat burning exercise regimen is to combine weight training with higher intensity cardiovascular workouts. The best way to implement this training session is by performing your strength training routine first immediately followed by your cardiovascular training regimen.

After reading this article you now know the truth about the most effective way to lose body fat through exercise. Don't fall for the lower intensity exercise equals more fat burn myth, but instead push yourself with higher intensity workouts. You will lose body fat at a high rate.

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Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist / The Promoter

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Jim O"Connor is an Exercise Physiologist and publisher of the famous online multimediia newsletter called Wellness Word. To learn more about optimal fitness programs vist the Wellness Word fitness blog

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