PDA

View Full Version : Exercise, how much, and how often?



SensiGirl
05-06-2008, 09:21 PM
found this website, and thought i would share. might answer questions, might be total bs, i don't know, but here it is.

Bodybuilding.com - Wannabebig.com - Tips For Outsmarting Your Fat Cells Part Two! (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/maki13.htm)

Tips for Outsmarting Your Fat Cells

An active cell is a fat-burning cell. That's why cardiovascular exercise has been touted as a fast and efficient way of losing excess body fat.

The question of the superiority of low intensity/extended duration over high intensity/short duration exercise has been Vigorously debated. Current exercise literature uses the questionable term "intensity." "High density/low density" or high/low work rate would be more suitable terms. To keep things simple, I'll be using the term "high/low density" throughout this article.

On one side of the debate you have aerobic instructors and the so-called exercise 'gurus' of our times spewing forth propaganda which claims that jumping up-and-down for 30-60 minutes to the sound of Richard Simmons is more efficient than leaving that small reservoir of perspiration on the floor and equipment following a high density work-out.

To understand the difference between the two methods we must first distinguish between the way they work.

Low Density/Long Duration (LD/LD) workouts are typically performed in the range of 50-65% of one's max heart rate ( 220-age = Max Heart Rate).

Part of the reason fat is used as a primary source of fuel during LD/LD is because fat molecules contain large quantities of energy per unit of weight.

High Density/Short Duration (HD/SD) workouts are usually performed in the range of 70-90% of one's max heart rate, so they can also be labeled as interval and anaerobic training methods. The HD/SD method derives its source of energy primarily from the phosphagen and glycolitic systems.

So, the verdict is in. It has been proven that LD/LD exercise metabolizes fat more efficiently than HD/SD exercise. On the other hand, HD/SD exercise has, over an extended period of time, shown a greater decreases in fat stores. Each method is useful depending upon individual circumstances, and factors such as time, current fitness level and the presence of potential cardiovascular problems