HA! "Jogging Burns fat better than lifting weights"

[Adam Spang]

A good laugh to start your day.

Link WFS http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness...fat/50190566/1

Aerobic exercise is better than resistance training if you want to lose the belly fat that poses a serious threat to your health, researchers say.

That's the finding of their eight-month study that compared the effectiveness of aerobic exercise (such as jogging), resistance training (such as weight lifting), or a combination of the two activities in 196 overweight, sedentary adults aged 18 to 70.

The participants in the aerobic group did the equivalent of 12 miles of jogging per week at 80 percent maximum heart rate, while those in the resistance group did three sets of eight to 12 repetitions three times per week.

Yea, okay, and it has nothing to do with how 3 sets of 8-12 reps is no where near the equivalent of running 12 miles per week.....

[Dave Traeger]

12 miles vs 3 sets of 8-12 is laughable.
And 3 sets of what, curls?
Why is belly fat dangerous for health vs other areas of fat?
How do they choose which parts of their body lose fat?

Cool article

[Richard Colon]

Yea the standards based on the article aren't quite even. That's a matter of pretty intense activity (12 miles a week for an overweight person), vs. almost nothing in 3 sets, and its not a fair assessment.

However, that being said, I know for me - running is what makes me lose weight. It always has and yes that is even with nutrition being equal. I can eat the same stuff during a month of heavy resistance training, powerlifting style, olympic stuff, crossfit with all variety of metcons, barbell complexes, etc and I'll improve and lose some weight but nothing compared to old school 20+ miles of running per week. A lot of running IS resistance training for me. When I'm at 200 lbs and I move my body around for 3-5 miles 4+ times a week its resistance =)

It is just how my body responds and 20+yrs of studying tells me so. Maybe its the boxing stuff like I used to do with "road work" that triggers something.

[Ash Smith]

Next up: Swimming burns more calories than vacuuming, so all those stories about "housework as exercise" have been a pack of lies. Lies!

[Lewis Dunn]

Here is another WFS link with a bit more information on the study.
http://www.dukehealth.org/health_lib...ning-belly-fat

Really a pretty straightforward study. It’s interesting how things like this always get such a kneejerk reaction on this board. You may not like the way the study was done, and it obviously doesn’t include many components that might be of interest to Crossfitters (diet, metcon-type aerobic work, more resistance work, non-overweight and non-sedentary participants, etc.), but there’s really nothing in it that’s very surprising.

The comparison of 12 miles of jogging should be to 9 sets of reps (3 sets 3 times per week), not 3 sets. Nine sets isn’t all that much work, but 12 miles isn’t all that far.

They were apparently looking specifically at visceral and liver fat, not other areas of fat and not overall weight loss.

Keep in mind the group studied was 100% overweight and sedentary.

[Ash Smith]

Originally Posted by Lewis Dunn

Really a pretty straightforward study. It’s interesting how things like this always get such a kneejerk reaction on this board.

I think it's because the results were predictable and obvious (hard cardio vs easy weights, with the goal of fat loss).

My only beef with it is that it tends to paint strength work as a bad choice for people trying to lose weight. Some 300# guy off the couch is going to hit the pavement for a few miles a week and potentially trash his knees in the process--because how many noobs really consult a running coach? Everyone thinks they can run, but they're terrified of simple free weights as being too complicated or dangerous. Both can be self-taught.

If he were to go to a gym, even for a free training consultation, they could devise some pretty high-intensity stuff that would have similar results. It's just more perpetuation of the idea that cardio and strength are two polar opposites, rather than just points along a continuous spectrum.

I hate to paint with a broad brush, but I think most average people run, use the elliptical, or ride a stationary bike because it's pretty simple and repetitive. The work may be hard, but the program is easy and requires almost no planning or counting reps. (obviously people seriously training for a run know better, but I'm not talking about them)

[Lewis Dunn]

I agree with pretty much everything you said, Ash. And even though this study didn't look at diet, I hope the target audience does.

[Katherine Derbyshire]

Originally Posted by Ash Smith

I hate to paint with a broad brush, but I think most average people run, use the elliptical, or ride a stationary bike because it's pretty simple and repetitive.

... and then quit after three months because it's boring.

The best fitness program is the one you'll actually follow.

Katherine