As a certified Charleston personal trainer I often get asked to provide workout examples for cardio routines that can help with fat loss. Truth be told, ALL cardio workouts are good for fat loss.

While I spend a lot of time promoting burst and interval training routines, there’s a lot of benefit in lower intensity aerobic exercise as well.

The secret if there is one with the best type of cardio for fat loss is mixing up the routines so you’re working all the energy systems. Doing the same routine over and over is only a recipe for diminished results or over-training at worst.

Having said all of that, I thought it would be beneficial to write a post spotlighting 15 different examples of ways you could do cardio workouts for fat loss. The beauty is you don’t have to keep doing the same old boring routines on a treadmill or other cardio equipment.

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You might be a little surprised to see a fitness professional write an article about how exercise could be harmful to your health. Now before you jump to conclusions hear me out.

What I’m not saying obviously is that you should avoid exercise altogether. However, there is ONE form of exercise that I’ve long been an advocate against because of the potential harmful effects on the heart and immune system.

So what is it? Long distance endurance running.

Now before all the runners get up in arms about me bashing their exercise of choice let me explain. This is not a case against the running enthusiast who likes to do several miles each day and the occasional 5K or endurance event.

What we’re talking about here is individuals doing frequent prolonged long-distance running or endurance events like marathons.

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I received a great question this morning on cardio training that I wanted to share on the blog. I think it perfectly addresses one of the biggest misconceptions there is about cardio workouts….that more is better!

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Before we get into why, here is the question I received.

“Shane, I’m doing the elliptical trainer for thirty minutes and jogging on the treadmill for thirty minutes, five times per week but I’m not seeing very much change on the scale or in the mirror. What would you suggest I do differently?�

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As a fitness coach one of the most common questions I get asked is how to improve the appearance and strength of the abs. Many people have been misled into believing that if they do hundreds of crunches and sit-up’s that they’ll end up with six-pack abs and a tight, flat stomach.

The truth is it’s just not that simple. While crunches and sit-up’s can still be part of well balanced fitness regiment, you don’t have to do a ton of them.

For me they’re a small piece of the total puzzle in building a strong core.

Here is a summary of my position on ab training:

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As we know exercise offers many benefits for a new mother. Studies have shown that mothers who exercise after giving birth are able to return to their pre-pregnancy weight much faster, reduce stress, boost energy levels, and decrease the risk of post-partum depression.

Postpartum depression has become more and more prevalent over the last decade. There are several reasons for this in my opinion. For starters, there’s a tendency in our society to turn to medications and pills instead of healthy food, exercise, and proper rest.

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Guest post today from Mike Watson CPT, CES, and our friends at OutlawFit in Raleigh, NC. Mike shares four stability ball exercises to include in your exercise routine.

OutlawFit follows many of the same principals we do here at Shaping Concepts regarding exercise prescription. Functional exercise and mobility always comes first before weight training and higher intensity movements.

The stability ball is a great piece of inexpensive functional exercise equipment. If you haven’t used one for exercise or stretching you’ve got to give it a try. Here are four movements you can do.

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In today’s post I want to address a question I get all the time about the Burst Training workouts we do here at Shaping Concepts. A lot of people are initially hesitant that a 30 minute workout can really produce the results they’re looking for. This is especially true if they’re used to doing traditional 60-90 minute health club workouts.

Even if you don’t currently workout, it might seem a little far fetched to believe you could get optimal results in 30 minutes or less. I believe a lot of this has to do with the marketing pitches that lure people with unrealistic expectations. Look, I’ve been in this game a long time and there’s no way you’re going to get a toned tummy with “6 minute abs” or anything like that.

It may sell a lot of books or DVD’s, but it’s nothing more than marketing hype. If you want to change your shape you’re going to have to work hard at it and put in some time. Now having said that, it’s a complete myth and total misconception that you have to spend hours in the gym to get a lean, fit body.

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We put our clients to the test at Shaping Concepts last month on the rowing machines, and WOW did they impress!!

There were 3 separate distances to attempt, and we broke up the top 5 men, and the top 5 females in each challenge.

The quick burst was 250 meters, the middle distance was set at 500 meters, and the longer/endurance test was 1000 meters.

Congrats to everyone who even attempted the challenges, and special recognition and praise goes out to the top 5 men and women in each category. They are as follows:

250 Meters:

MEN

1. Andrew Clarke  41.0 seconds

2. Don Trott  41.9

3. Scott Senf  42.6

4. Rob Chardon  43.8

5. Alston Badger 45.8

WOMEN

1. Meaghan Beadle  45.4 seconds

2. Carrie Lewis  52.0

3. Kelly Gay 54.0

4. Penny Cralle  55.7

5. Tina Bailey  56.9

500 Meters

MEN

1. Devin Tombs  1:31.0

2. Don Trott  1:31.7

3. Andrew Clarke  1:32.3

4. Scott Senf 1:35.8

5. John Dotson 1:38.0

WOMEN

1. Meaghan Beadle  1:37.5

2. Carrie Lewis  1:55.0

3. Alexis Evans  1:58.9

4. Kristin Howe 1:56.4

5. Tina Bailey 2:06.8

1000 Meters

MEN

1. Devin Tombs  3:23.7

2. Don Trott  3:27.1

3. Andrew Clarke  3:31.1

4. Ben Lewis  3:36.1

WOMEN

1. Meaghan Beadle  3:32.9

2. Kristen Evans  4:04.7

3. Carrie Lewis 4:13.0

4. Penny Cralle 4:22.3

5. Liz C.  4:31.1

Andrew Duffy is a certified personal trainer, fat loss expert, and studio director of Shaping Concepts Fitness Training Studios. If you’re looking for a personal trainer in Charleston, you can receive a FREE, no-obligations (2) session trial and consultation without risking a dime. Over 1000 Charleston area residents have transformed their bodies following our unique burst training workouts and simplified nutrition programs.

When it comes to exercise selection for your workouts the choices are virtually endless. As long as you’re starting with a natural human movement, the exercise will likely be safe and effective.

A lot of trainers would have you believe that exercise program design needs to be complicated and requires in-depth knowledge. The reality is this is a bunch of B.S.

Some trainers are stuck believing textbook periodization plans are the only way to produce results for their clients or athletes. Instead of testing theory in the real world and experimenting, they only add to the misconception that exercise selection must be some sort of a formula.

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In the quest to get a flat stomach or maybe even a six pack it’s essential that you choose the right exercises or you’ll be disappointed with the results. While there is no shortage of TV infomercials with gadgets promising you ripped abs, the truth is none of them can deliver a complete solution.

In fact, most of them are not worth a red cent as you could get far better results with ab exercises using your own bodyweight. One of the most integral parts of an effective abdominal exercise is the involvement of the core muscles and far too many of the ab gadgets neglect those vital muscles completely.

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