The following is a series of myths that need to be corrected:

The first one is: Cardio is One of the Best Types of Exercise

Gyms had made a wonderful profit over the past couple of decades promoting cardio exercise. Yet, numerous research studies have shown that cardio is not what it’s claimed to be. In fact, it has been shown that a high percentage of people who believe they are robust and healthy because of their jogging, etc. have enlarge left ventricles in the heart and are subject to heart attacks.

But there are some simple manovers you can do to make it much more effective. You can actually improve your health and increase fat burning with slight modifications to your cardio routine.

Muscle is made up different types of fibers and traditional cardio only works on the slow twitch muscle fibers in your red muscle. Unfortunately this ignores your white muscle super-fast twitch fibers.

Dr Sears and many others have shown that oscillating your activity works much more effectively. If you repeatedly hold an anaerobic threshold for 20 to 30 seconds; then allowing for a 90 second recovery; then repeat is called Peak 8. With each 20 – 30 second cycle, you increase your heart rate until by the last interval you are at your maximum, ie., 220 minus your age is usually used as a reference.

Researchers have established that interval cardio, rather than consistent workout, produces a different metabolic pattern that more effectively releases catecholamines. These molecules more effectively burn fat in the muscle and under the skin.

In addition, this work pattern increases a natural production GH or growth hormone.

Ayurvedic medicine taught this pattern of exercise 3000 years ago. They claimed you should stop excercising once you hit a sweat. But by oscillating between output and recovery; you can push your envelope. Once again, it is being recognized.

For more information, contact Dr. Holly at holly [at] choicesunlimited [dot] ca