There is more than one way to skin a cat!

People often get caught up in finding the best way to lose weight, put on muscle or get better at specific sport. The truth is there are many different ways to achieve the desired results so we can’t dismiss another method until we have at least understood the method or tried it for ourselves. People seem to quick these days to think there is a quick fix and if I follow this certain plan/regime for the next six weeks my life will be changed forever. When the goal should be not to change in the short term but to change for the long term and invest in your future.

Lets look at the various methods people use to achieve their goals:

Cardio:

Cardio has long been hailed as the No. 1 solution for fat loss and weight loss programs and can be found in various forms. We mainly have LISS (Low intensity steady state cardio) and HIIT (High intensity interval cardio) both have their place and promote different reactions within the body. LISS is cardio performed over a longer period of time (i.e 40 Minutes) at a low pace which will over time burn fat in the body as fat is the main fuel source used when working at lower intensities. HIIT on the other hand is high intensity interval training and in this method we working extremely hard for a short period of time followed be a rest, then repeat several times which puts a lot of stress on the body but by doing so means it will use everything it has to cope with the added stress. Which will also allow you to lose body fat while maintain lean body mass.

Both systems have their advantages and are both effective ways of losing fat, it just depends on your circumstances and what you enjoy.

Resistance Training:

Now weight training has unfairly in my opinion been tagged as an exercise regime that is only for big burly men and people with not a great deal of intelligence. However it is a training system that anyone can undertake and I feel should almost certainly have it as part of their weekly exercise routine. Men, Woman, boys and girls can all benefit from resistance training albeit with adjustments required for each specific population. Basic resistance training programs should be focused on compound movements such as Squats, Deadlifts, Shoulder Press, Bench Press, Lunges. These exercises work various muscles and reflect movements in everyday life, which we all want to be physically capable of. We can also implement various bodyweight exercise into our routine such as press ups, pull ups, dips and some core exercises to build up strength and ultimately help will us with the big compound lifts we mentioned earlier. Technique is key to all movements and must not be overlooked when trying to lift additional weight.

It all depends what you want to achieve when it comes to exercise and health. These training systems work in different ways to suit your needs and goals. There are many variables when it comes to exercise and training and we need to adapt and change them as we move through different stages of training. Nutrition is another massive variable but that’s for another day.

Like I said there is more than one way to skin a cat or get to you’re your ideal body composition so don’t focus on one, utilise all the best bits of each to suit you and get moving.