Baker Barbell Podcast #16 - Cardio for Fat Loss, Sports, and the Game of Life
Andy and Dan discuss a perenially popular topic for lifters and trainees everywhere -- how do I do cardio? When, how much, what kind... it's a question that comes up for coaches all the time, and it's worth exploring the various ways it can be approached. As Andy points out, people train for a variety of reasons, but only a small percentage of the trainees at any given gym are serious strength athletes or sport athletes. Most people are training to be generally healthy, so a good coach should incorporate some amount of conditioning into his programs. Of course, for the competitive athletes, the conditoning must be very specific to the sport, if not just sport training itself.
For the majority, however, Andy says the best cardio is the cardio you will actually do. There's no getting around the fact that cardio is boring. Despite whatever novelty you introduce at the beginning, it eventually gets boring. So, the best way to stick with your cardio and get the benefits -- whether its fat loss, heart health, or general preparedness for life activities -- is to remove as many obstacles to doing it as you can. Do your cardio right after your lifting, while you're still at the gym. Don't wait to do it later, because odds are you won't. Don't choose exercises or implements that require a lot of setup, like strongman carries or tire flips, because that extra time spent setting up will eventually dissuade you from doing it altogether.
The best cardio for most people is something simple, that you enjoy... or at least don't hate.
Cardio article on Andy Baker's website:
https://www.andybaker.com/what-type-of-cardio-should-you-do/
Andy Baker
Blog: www.AndyBaker.com
IG: @bakerbarbell
Owner of Kingwood Strength & Conditioning
Co-author of Practical Programming for Strength Training
Co-author of The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40
Dan Flanick
IG: @coachdanflanick