The Truth About Cardio & Six Pack Abs
Sunday, December 13th, 2009 at
8:51 am
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Cardio activity in general refers to any activity that lets you speak while working out. Cardio implies doing low paced continuous and steady exercises for a certain period of time.
Many fitness instructors believe that 1-2 hours of cardio training daily help get that elusive six-pack. This theory is refuted by numerous health experts for several reasons. You’ll be astonished to discover that doing extra cardio can slow your metabolism rather than step it up.
Many fitness experts suggest that our bodies aren’t programmed to perform activities at a steady continuous pace. Rather, they are designed to perform activities in short intervals. An apt example of performing an activity in a short interval is running a 100 meters race. You start the race, push your body to the limit and you stop. This helps the body to recover. If you observe sprinters and other sportsmen, you’ll notice the lack of belly fat.
Rather than cardio training, interval training is advocated by health experts to work your way to six-pack abs. Cardio training strengthens the muscles beneath the belly fat. However, this is of little consolation because the muscles are buried under the fat and the bulge will still be visible.
Moreover, scientists say that excessive cardio exercises can even reduce immunity and weaken joints.
Research has proved that several hours of cardio is not going to get you that much coveted six-pack. Rather, go in for high impact intermittent workouts. You don’t have to slog for hours at the treadmill. You can get that six-pack with interval training even if your entire workout lasts only twenty minutes.
However, everybody agrees that a few minutes of cardio daily helps regulate overall body weight.
