The Number One (#1) Reason You Aren't Losing Weight

The Cardio Before Weight Training Mistake

What's the number one training mistake people make in their quest for getting in shape? I'll give you one guess; hands down it's doing cardio/aerobic workouts before weight training. It's amazing how many people train hard week after week and make no progress whatsoever. Meanwhile they continue to do the same things over and over expecting different results. Now that's the true definition of INSANITY! As a Sports Chiropractor I see it everyday with my new clients. People are self-sabotaging themselves.

Well, buckle-up and put on your seatbelt because I am going to take you on a ride of fitness training enlightenment. If you implement the strategies in this article, I guarantee success will be inevitable. Failure will not be an option! Once the proverbial light bulb goes off, start enjoying the process of getting the body you have always dreamed of.

In order to grasp this training concept, you must first learn what your body burns for energy during strenuous exercise. I call this energy body burn, "The Hierarchy Scale Of Energy." The human body accesses certain nutrients for energy and does so in a precise manner every time. This access order NEVER changes. Let me repeat, NEVER changes. This scale will alter the way you train forever! Here it is.

HIERARCHY SCALE OF ENERGY (IN ORDER)

1. MUSCLE GLYCOGEN (Sugar processed from carbohydrates and stored in muscle for contraction)

2. LIVER GLYCOGEN(Storage organ for excess glycogen; primary fuel source for brain function)

3. BBA (BLOOD BORNE AMINO ACIDS) (Branched Chain Amino Acids formed from protein)

4. FAT (Speaks for itself)

þ Notice where FAT is on the scale. It is last!!! It's the one thing we hate and want to get rid of the most and the one your body wants to get rid of the least. The irony!

þ It takes between 20-30 minutes to reach level #4, depending on the time of day you train and when you last ingested carbohydrates.

Now, let's look at two different scenarios and you decide which one makes more sense.

Scenario #1:

Come into the gym for a workout. You jump on the cardio machine (pick your favorite). Remember it will take 20-30 minutes to burn the muscle glycogen, liver glycogen and BBA before you reach fat. In reality, the first 25 minutes of cardio is totally USELESS!! Unless you actually enjoy doing cardio, simply for the love of doing cardio. If you do, then I will affectionately call you NUTS! Most people do it for fat loss, so why not make it the most effective? To access fat, you now have to add an additional 20 minutes of cardio to get any results. The entire cardio session alone will be around 45 minutes.

Now you go to weight training. But wait, where is your muscle glycogen (fuel for muscle contraction?) Right, it's gone! Result; weaker workout, less muscle development, increased fatigue, over training, burnout, longer recovery and a slower metabolism. In short, NO PROGRESS! You get discouraged and quit training because your body is not changing.

Scenario #2:

Come into the gym for a workout. You jump on the cardio machine for 5-minutes to warm-up. Then you stretch the body parts you will weight train for 5-minutes to increase blood circulation and prevent injury. Now you jump into the weights. Where is your muscle glycogen? Right, ready to go for power and intensity resistance training. Train for 30 minutes with weights and use up #1-3 on the Hierarchy Scale. Result; increased strength, more lean muscle, less fatigue, no burnout, more intensity, the list goes on.

Now go to cardio training. What is the only available energy source left to burn for the cardio session since #1-3 are gone? You got it, #4!! Now you access fat stores almost immediately and only have to do 15-20 minutes of cardio to get the same benefits as 45 minutes in scenario #1. Actually, you get more benefits because your metabolism gets faster from the weight training routine. That means more fat loss! (That's good.) In short, PHENOMENAL PROGRESS! You get psyched and train harder.

Question: Which scenario would you like to do? I rest my case!!

P.S. I recommend a 5-minute warm-up of cardio and 5-minute stretch of the body parts you will be weight training.

P.P.S. The best time for cardio is in morning before breakfast. Your body goes right to #4. It's the only time #1-3 on the Hierarchy Scale are low because of overnight fasting.

P.P.P.S. For those who can't fathom doing an AM cardio session. Do it only after weights! If you are not weight training we need to have a serious discussion. BAD MISTAKE!! But that's a whole different article.

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