Nacho Libre (picture on the right) is one of the most ridiculous movies ever made. It also happens to be one of my favourites. In it, Nacho (played by Jack Black) makes a number of “mistakes”, in pursuit of his dream, which initially cost him his position at the local monastery and get him into a some pretty hot water.
Luckily, he learns a powerful lesson that allows him to reach his goals…and YOU CAN TOO.
As promised, today I’m going to reveal the #1 mistake people continue to make while on the elliptical.
Ahh….this gets my blood boiling.
Hopefully, you can learn from other peoples’ mistakes, instead of committing this cardinal elliptical sin yourself.
This is a very interesting topic and merits further investigation.
Is the elliptical the best form or cardio? How does it compare to running or even rowing?
In order to answer this question, it’s first important to understand 2 things:
1. We burn roughly 5 calories for every liter of oxygen consumed.
2. Inefficient movements generate more heat
I explain these in full detail in the following video and in the text below it…
We’ve established that an increased oxygen intake during your workout (based on the training method chosen) and afterwards (as a result of EPOC) leads to a greater caloric expenditure. This is a result of the simple fact that each liter of oxygen intake burns 5 calories.
So if the goal is to consume large amounts of oxygen then what do you think would be the ideal form of cardio to do?
Well, let’s look at the typical options. Running, biking, swimming, elliptical, rowing, walking, stair climbing/stair master, upper body ergometer, and obviously many outdoor sports such as cross-country skiing.
Since the goal is to maximize oxygen consumption (and thus VO2) it is essential to find activities that will recruit the greatest amount of muscle. This is because the more muscle that is needed to perform an activity or movement, the more oxygen that will be needed to supply those working muscles.
Make sense?
Oxygen is the precursor to all the energy your body produces. Your working muscles need oxygen otherwise they will quickly fatigue and will be unable to perform their functions.
It is well known that athletes in sports that require large amounts of muscle have the highest VO2 max because their sports demand a massive supply of oxygen to their working muscles.
As such…
The highest VO2 max on record exist not in runners (as many would think) but rather cross-country skiers – rowing is a close 2nd.
Think about that for a second. Both cross-country skiing and rowing involve just about muscle in the body working against resistance. Both the upper body and lower body muscles are pushing and pulling a given resistance which makes these sports not only great aerobic training tools but also fantastic fat burning machines.
If you’ve ever watched Olympic rowing you will have undoubtedly noticed towering men and women stacked with large and lean muscles. Most of the male rowers are upwards of 6’4’’ and 220 lbs of shear muscle, making them calorie-burning machines.
These male and female rowers can get away with their large frames because rowing is not a true weight-bearing sport.
In fact, this terrific sport idealizes large muscular athletes because they can produce a lot power, both aerobically and muscularly, through your large muscle mass.
However, If you took these same rowers and asked them to run at the same intensities at which they row, they would most likely have a difficult time – not only because of the specific nature of running but also because they would be “carrying” a lot of mass.
How many 6’4”, 220 lbs runners do you know of?
Most runners are slim and slight. It simply makes their movement much easier. Less weight to carry means less effort.
If you have a tough time envisioning this then I encourage you to go for a run with a 20 lbs pack on your torso. You will immediately notice the difference.
Similarly, most cross-skiers don’t exhibit the same physical stature as rowers.
However, their aerobic capacity is astronomical. They are more similar to runners in physical stature as cross-country skiing is a weight-bearing sport and thus does not reward athletes with lots of weight, even if it’s muscle.
Cross-country skiing burns more calories – at a given weight and intensity – than any other activity.
However, running is very close. Let’s look at why…
Why does running burn so many calories?
There are two main reasons for this.
First, running is weight bearing which means that the muscles of your lower body must work harder to support you and propel you forward; thus, expending more calories. Therefore, the heavier you are, the more calories you will burn (assuming equal intensity as someone who is lighter).
Second, running is one of the least efficient of human movements, which means that it produces a lot of heat/energy expenditure for its movement. This also means that a lot of calories are being spent. This is great for those who want to lose weight but not so great for those looking for efficient modes of movement.
But it makes sense if you think about it…
Cycling is easier than running, right?
That’s because cycling is one of the most mechanically efficient human movements, meaning that more of the energy you put into the movement actually results in movement (and not as much heat production) as running!
But What If Running is Not Your Thing?
If running is not your cup of tea for whatever reason (joint pain, don’t enjoy it, etc…) then your best bet for burning maximum calories and getting a terrific cardiovascular training effect is rowing and/or cross-country skiing. The reasons for these 2 choices have already described. However, there is another great option if you don’t mind the weight-bearing activities – the stair climber!
In my experience working with over 1000 people from all walks of life I’ve seen first hand what works most effectively. The science only backs up my observations.
For instance, an eye-opening study published in the Journal of theAmerican Medical Association revealed that among 6 popular indoor exercise machines, treadmill running yielded the greatest energy expenditure (ie. calories burned). The second most effective in this study was the stair climber. These 2 machines ranked higher than rowing, cycling, and the elliptical.
What would be even more effective?
An elliptical machine that incorporates vertical resistance! DOUBLE-WHAMMY!
I like the stair climber because it forces your body to work against gravity vertically. I’d like to remember this very important notion. Are you ready? Ok, here it is…
Any time you move your body vertically you will be spending a tremendous amount of energy, especially if you are heavier.
That’s why walking or running up hill is so challenging. Even in cycling, the most efficient hill “climbers” weigh the least.
If you are NOT able to run or don’t like running, I firmly believe that you best bet for interval cardio training is to use the elliptical machine – but only if you use it properly.
There are numerous types of elliptical machines do a pretty good job at mimicking the cross-country skiing movement.
But the biggest challenge facing elliptical users is that they don’t know how to properly use the machine.
I am always amazed at how many people (especially women) who spend hours upon hours on the elliptical simply going through the motion without much effort (and perhaps while even reading a magazine!).
The fact that the elliptical is a very simple machine to use presents a catch 22 scenario. On one hand, it is definitely beneficial for those with joint issues who can’t tolerate high impact activities like running. But on the other hand, the nature of the movement makes the elliptical almost too easy, rendering it a very ineffective for fat loss tool for many people.
In today’s FAQ video/blog post I’m going to answer the following questions:
1. Should I workout first thing in the morning?
2. If running, how do you actually time yourself doing 8 seconds on, 12 second off? And if on the bike do I add resistance during the 8 seconds on or just do a sprint with the same resistance as the ‘off’ 12 seconds?
3. What are some good substitutes for bread?
For the answers to these questions (and a few more golden nuggets) watch the video…
As mentioned in the video, here’s the link to the Treadmill Trainer Fat Burning Interval workouts:
Hope you enjoyed yesterday’s post and that you’ve realized just how important regular stretching truly is.
We’re back today with another great contribution from our friend Kris Fondran and the Shapeshifter crew.
Take it away Kris…
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Nothing compares to the wonderful feeling of lying on a massage table while someone rubs, kneads and caresses your body with warm oil…
I abandon all sense of responsibility as strong hands dig into my muscles and release the stress and tension I accumulate each day. My body relaxes and my cares and worries drift away. For a moment that feels like an hour, I am truly relaxed and disconnected from whatever got me on that table in the first place.
I really enjoy getting a massage — and who the heck doesn’t?
But that’s first problem with it. The word “getting.” I’m not actively participating in the process.
Massage can be an effective treatment for acute muscular injuries or for immediate reduction of bodily stress. But it also lulls you into a state of passive relaxation. Because you’re not actively engaged in the process, you don’t develop awareness of the connection between the tightness or pain in your body and what caused that discomfort in the first place.
Yes, patterns of tightness may melt away during a session. And many people report feelings of temporary relief. But that tightness doesn’t stay away. The best you can do — with week after week of expensive treatments — is hope to keep it at a distance and keep it from getting worse.
Who goes into treatment seeking temporary improvements?
If you want to make long-term changes to your life — ie. to get in shape, become a better athlete, or rehabilitate an injury — then awareness of your present state and active participation are essential.
I found these things through the practice of yoga.
Yoga has been called “the science of right living.” That’s because the techniques of yoga work on all facets of a person: physical, mental and emotional. And the best thing is that this life-transforming practice can be tailored to YOUR current state of health, your desired goals, and your level of dedication.
When most people think of the benefits of yoga they think only of flexibility. But there’s so much more to it than that.
Incorporate yoga into your life and you may lower your blood pressure and pulse rate, improve your circulation, improve the function of your internal organs, reduce and relieve chronic pain, detoxify your body and slow the aging process, increase your energy, strength and stamina, sleep better, experience less stress, anxiety, and depression, elevate your mood, and more.
You don’t need a masseuse to do this for you. And you don’t have to drive across town or show up for an appointment.
With yoga you can take charge of your own health — no hourly fee required!
That brings up another problem with passive techniques like massage: the cost. Unless you’ve got great health insurance, it’s impossible for most people to schedule a massage on a regular basis. It’s a wonderful treat, but an impractical long term solution for the issues that are causing you daily pain and stiffness.
Sure, I’ll get a massage whenever it’s offered! But I’ve learned to rely on myself and the tools of yoga to promote long lasting change.
I believe that any successful transformation requires a direct connection between the goal and the desired outcome. It’s vital to take ownership of where you are right now, how you got there, and where you want to be.
Unfortunately, so many people today are disconnected from their bodies.
Just walk down the street and watch people and you’ll see what I mean. Poor eating habits, inactivity and stress have laid the groundwork for this disconnect between body, mind and spirit. But it CAN be restored with time-tested, proven methods.
Yoga brings you back into balance by facilitating the body-mind connection.
Positive new behaviors are introduced and nurtured by reinforcing your awareness of your movement patterns in the physical postures and by connecting these movements with your breath. It’s simple, but incredibly profound.
When your body hurts, your overall mood and demeanor is affected. Even if you’ve got a high pain threshold, there comes a point where chronic ailments really start to get you down, and you seek relief through a pill, injection, or surgery to “feel normal again.”
That’s the beginning of a long downward spiral. And you’re losing more and more control of the outcome every step of the way.
If you’re the type who wants to avoid medical interventions, then massage can be a great starting point. Passive natural techniques should be part of your plan, but they shouldn’t be the entire plan.
If you want to banish chronic pain, muscle imbalances and other issues for good, then you must be actively involved in the healing process.
