Monday

Does jogging make you fatter?

As you probably know from reading my book and a lot of my articles, I'm not a fan of steady pace "jogging" in terms of health benefits... in fact, I've even read about a few emerging studies that have shown heart scarring on people that do long distance jogging at the same heart rate frequently (marathoners for example).

Remember that it's ALL about heart rate variability, as opposed to training at the exact same heart rate all the time.  That's why highly variable interval training, bodyweight training, kettlebell training, wind sprinting or hill sprinting, and weight training are all such great forms of exercise... besides the muscular component and metabolic stimulus, they all employ a high degree of heart rate variability, which is what you want for the strongest possible heart.

Read this article to see why "jogging" may even make you fatter.

One interesting thing to note from that article is how your body burns less calories the more frequently that you run, as your body becomes more efficient at it.

Also, take note of the high potential for joint injury from "jogging", as opposed to exercises like kettlebells, weight training, or bodyweight training that can all make your joints stronger when done correctly.

And another major aspect that this article talks about is the reduced metabolic rate as you lose lean muscle from excessive jogging.

On a related topic, make sure to read my article on 5 reasons why treadmills and ellipticals are a WASTE of time for the most part, and my top 10 best alternative workout styles.

Also, read this new article about the ONLY good use I've found for a treadmill.  This is actually a GREAT workout!

I hope you are kicking butt in your 2012 fitness goals!

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
TruthAboutAbs.com