Everyone Needs Resistance Training

This post is directed mainly at the ladies out there who want that perfect body, or anyone looking to get in the best shape of his or her life.

This morning was the first time I've done low-intensity cardio in a very long time (more on that in another post). What i saw is what I've seen countless times in any fitness center I've ever entered: women doing tons of low-intensity cardio to "tone" or "firm" their bodies. I can't completely demonize treadmills and other devices because they do indeed serve a purpose. However, what I will hate on is the fact that women have been socialized into thinking that the treadmill or recumbant bike are the only pieces of equipment that will help them reach their goals. It's the old "weights are from Mars, treadmills are from Venus" scenario. It's a shame too, because so many women (and also men) are missing out on the greatest results in the shortest amount of time. What I'm alluding to is not any "magic fitness bullet" (although the real Magic Bullet blender is awesome!!!). I'm talking about trainees balancing their low-intensity training with a mix of high-intensity cardio and weight training.I have trained several women, and not once did I have them do any slow cardio training. I never said they couldn't do it on their own, but my focus was training them like I would train any athlete that came to me. I had them lifting with dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, and their own bodyweight. And guess what! They LOVED it! It was fun, new, exciting. It offered them a challenge an they enjoyed the process.

Now for the reasoning behind it. All humans, whether male or female, are more alike than they are different. Muscle will always dictate how well or poorly a person's metabolism runs. Unfortunately, when a person does not focus on building strength and only focuses on trying to burn fat through cardio, the muscles do not get strengthened and therefore the metabolism does not improve. Usually the typical response from women is "but I don't want to get bulky." Luckily, because of the hormonal differences between men and women, a woman would never be able to look like a male professional bodybuilder without putting alot of chemicals into her body. So relax! Don't worry about turning into the Hulk overnight because it's just not in the cards.

I'm not going to tell anyone to stop doing cardio altogether. If you enjoy distance running or rowing or taking long walks, you should keep doing what you like to do. But you must remember that weight training will bring about great results very quickly, and it will likely be very fun! Here's a quick example to illustrate my point: When thinking of what demographic (in general) has the best overall bodies, who comes to mind? The answer is athletes. If you were to look at how the best athletes train, you are more than likely not going to find very much low-intensity training (unless their coach still listens to what Joe Wieder and Flex magazine have to say, but I'll save that rant for another time). Athletes train with weights and at high intensities, so it's no wonder that so many have 6-pack abs and great overall physiques. Here's a picture to illustrate my point. I don't know about you, but I'd rather look strong and healthy than gaunt and sickly. So before you spend 3 hours a day on a treadmill, think about what is your best option for getting that body of your dreams. Here's a sample workout that is both fun and effective and can be performed in pretty much any gym or fitness center:

1) Squat 5x5

2) DB or KB Clean&Press 3x5

3a) Chin Ups or Recline Rows 3x10

3b) Push Ups 3x10

4) Walking Lunges 2x100'

5) Plank 3x max time