Unlike many people in the fitness industry, I actually think that all cardio machines have some value. I would separate the machines into two groups. The first group is what I would call primary cardio machines. These are the pieces of equipment you use to jack up your metabolism, release fatty acids from your fat cells, and increase your HGH levels. The secondary cardio machines are valuable for steady state low intensity cardio. When combined in a strategic way, you can maximize fat loss by taking advantage of both types of equipment.

[When used properly and with a sense of purpose and intensity, the treadmill can be considered a Primary Cardio Machine.]

The Ability of a Cardio Machine to Illicit an HGH Response
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Have you ever reached a fat burning plateau? All of us have, but there is a way to minimize how long you wind up stuck at the same weight. One of the keys to rapid fat loss is creating a calorie deficit along with doing cardio. What if you you are doing cardio many times a week and still aren't losing body fat? Well…this post will most likely pinpoint the problem.

[Heather is shown here doing an exercise called the "Lying Sexy Beach Pose"...she is using near perfect form!]

To Keep Making Progress, the Workout Has to Feel Tough!
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I have been guilty in the past of not giving steady state aerobics any respect. I am a big believer in high intensity interval training because it is extremely effective at burning body fat. I LOVE high intensity interval training. It is quick and gets results, but obviously steady state aerobics have great advantages as well. In this article I will talk about combining the two to maximize fat loss.

["Drop That Zero and Get With the Hero!"...Quote from Vanilla Ice in the movie "Cool As Ice". I am embarrassed that I know that...LOL!]

A Quick Background on Steady State Aerobics

Throughout the 70's and 80's steady state cardio was THE way to burn body fat. Everybody was pushing the idea of spending a long period of time on a cardio machine at a walking pace, to reach a target heart rate that supposedly used "fat for fuel". This did work for people who put in the time and who ate strictly. It was particularly effective for bodybuilders, since they would burn more calories walking due to their high lean body mass.

Steady State Aerobics Worked, But Had Flaws [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Have you ever heard of the "Tabata Protocol"? It isn't a brand new way of performing cardio, but it is rarely discussed in fitness circles anymore. It is really too bad, because I think many people could benefit tremendously by incorporating it into their workout routines.

(The Japanese Speed Skating Team…A force to be reckoned with! They have used the Tabata Protocol to increase their performance for years)

So What is The Tabata Protocol?

The Tabata Protocol is an interval routine developed by the head coach of the Japanese Speed Skating team. It is named after Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., who was the former researcher at Japan's National Institute of Fitness and Sports. He took the coach's interval routine and conducted a study on its effectiveness. The results were outstanding to say the least. [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Have you ever heard the saying "If you keep doing what you've always done, you will keep getting what you've always got". Well this saying holds true for cardio to some extent. No matter what type of cardio you are doing, you will most likely reach a fat burning sticking point. The way to blast through this sticking point, is to increase the performance a bit.

(A picture of a spinning class in Viareggio, Italy)

People Measure Their Performance in Weight Lifting, But Rarely When It Comes To Cardio.

If you were to ask any gym member how much weight they could handle for 6 reps in a basic lift, they could probably give you an accurate answer. If you were to ask them similar questions about cardio, they probably wouldn't have an answer for you. [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Those "Double Tall Iced Americano's" May be Healthier Than You Think!

A study at Rutgers University studied the effects of caffeine combined with exercise. What they found was very surprising. When used together, exercise and caffeine doubled the levels of a tumor-suppressing protein(phospho-p53).

(Cafe's are a great place to meet "hip" single people as well) [ Click Here to Continue Reading ]

Is Gaining Muscle Mass a Good Strategy for Fat Loss?

There is a huge myth going around that gaining muscle is the best way to burn body fat and stay lean in the long run. This is a really trendy thing to say right now. Go into almost any gym and you will hear a personal trainer tell their client "You have to work on building more muscle, because then your body will burn more calories each day…leading to fat loss".

(Just two attractive people to "draw you into" the article…"Read more so you can look like us!"…LOL!)
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