The Science Of Advanced Aerobics & Fat Loss

Q: What is it about the high-intensity MET MAX cardiovascular exercise that allows you to burn more fat than moderate or low intensity cardio?

A: The MET Max cardiovascular conditioning program is based on cutting edge research performed by Japanese scientist Dr. M. Yoshioka. The research he carried out was a comparison between the effects on body fat reduction from both high and low intensity cardiovascular exercise. He discovered that the fact that “high-intensity cardiovascular exercise favours a lesser body fat deposition” might be related to an increase in post-exercise energy metabolism.

What does this mean exactly? Well... it means that after performing the high-intensity interval cardiovascular training that MET prescribes, you will continue to burn up to 142% more calories within the hour after you worked out than if you did a low-intensity cardiovascular workout (as published in the Journal Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise). In addition, studies published in the Journal Metabolism confirm that the fat burning acceleration of high-intensity aerobics may last up to 48 hours after the workout was completed.

Q: What do you think is the best machine for maximizing efficiency for burning the highest amount of calories in the least amount of time?

A: This is a question that appears to come up quite often. Everyone has that certain piece of cardio equipment that they prefer, and they always seem to feel that that particular piece is the best for burning fat. It doesn’t matter if it is the stair-H?steppers, stationary cycles, cross country ski simulators or the many other plethora of other cardio machines found in today’s typical gym, if someone typically uses that machine they will say that they are certain they read that it is the best. The only problem is they always “forget” where they read the information. To our advantage though, Dr. Niall Moyna actually tested the various popular pieces of cardiovascular training equipment to see which provided the greatest benefits.

Along with some of his colleagues at the Centre for Sport Science and Health in Dublin, Ireland, Dr. Moyna discovered that the age old adage of “keeping it simple” is still the best way to get results. Subjects were tested on three different machines, including the old favourites, such as the treadmill, as well as the newer, more complex machines on equivalent intensity levels of the categories; fairly light, somewhat hard, and hard. These levels corresponded to their rating of perceived exertion (RPE). What the research team found was that energy expenditure (calories burned) at each RPE was highest on the time-honoured treadmill for all subjects. Not the ski machines, or the steppers, just the simple treadmill. The stationary bike actually scored the lowest for all RPEs. Dr. Moyna reported: “Our results indicated that there are large differences in energy expenditure between exercise machines. Subjects can expend more calories at the same RPE during treadmill exercise, for example, than during exercise with other devices.” More calories burned equates to more fat loss, so just because a machine is more complex does not mean that it is better. Occasionally, you can try different machines but the MET Max cardio system primarily recommends the treadmill, and not just because it seemed like a good idea. Like all facets of the MET System, decisions are made based on empirical facts.

Q: The MET Max cardiovascular training system claims to burn more calories and fat than other low-intensity based programs. I naturally have a low amount of body fat and my main goals for cardiovascular training are a strong heart and improved oxygen flow. Would I still benefit from the high-intensity based MET Max system?

A: As I explained in the previous answer, high-intensity interval training is scientifically proven to be a much more efficient and effective way to burn body fat. However, that is not the only reason that cardiovascular training should be done at a high intensity. A recent study performed at the world renowned Harvard University advises that intense exercise reduces the risk of heart disease more than moderate exercise. In the United States heart disease is the number one cause of death. Performing high-intensity cardiovascular training could have a significant impact on reducing the risk of this disease and prolonging the quality of life for those that chose to use the high-intensity system.

According to Dr. Howard Sesso, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health, performing exercises like running, aerobics and swimming at a high-intensity level will reduce the risk of heart disease to a greater extent than low and moderate level aerobic alternatives. So, if you value lowering the risk of heart disease, then working your way up to the MET Max high-intensity interval aerobics should be the choice you make. However, as I always tell my clients, make sure you get a green light approval from your doctor before starting any new diet or supplement program.

Q: I enjoy doing the MET Max aerobic system, and I have experiH?enced great results so far. However, I am not absolutely sure if I am pushing myself enough, or if I am at the level that I should be, or how to know when it is time to step it up a level. How do I figure these things out in order to get the absolute best out of this program?

A: If you recall from the main MET Max cardiovascular lessons (available still for review at www.bodyfitness-uk.com under MET), the most accurate way to know if you are training at the level you should be is by monitoring what your heart rate is during exercise and to stay in the prescribed Target Heart Rate zone. In the case of beginners this target heart rate zone is 50-65% of maximum heart rate (MHR). For intermediates, it’s 65-75%, and for those operating at the advanced levels it’s the all out MET Aerobics MAX.

The way that you calculate your target “training heart rate” zone is as follows:

You can easily determine your maximum heart rate. It is simply done by starting with the number 220 and subtracting your age. For example, if you are 40 years old, then your maximum heart rate is 180 beats per minute (220 ­ 40 = 180). If you are not a complete beginner and you wish to begin the MET Aerobic program at the low end of the intermediate MET target aerobic program, then start out at 65% MHR. Percentages are set up as fractions of 100 (since 100% equates to “all” of something.), so 65% equates to 65/100, or 0.65. Therefore, in order to exercise at 65% of your maximum heart rate, multiply 180 times 0.65, which equates to 117 beats per minute. To exercise at 75% of MHR, the higher end of the intermediate level, you would have to increase to 135 bpm (180 X 0.75 = 135). Since the intermediate level prescribes remaining between 65 and 75% of your MHR, then as long as you are 40 years old and staying between 117 bpm and 135 bpm, you are H?in the intermediate zone.

Now that you have calculated what your target heart rate is, you can monitor yourself during your cardiovascular workouts to ensure you are where you should be. This is done by checking your pulse. If your pulse is too slow while exercising, then add some intensity by picking up the pace. If it’s too high for the level you selected, then slow down until your heart rate is where it needs to be. You can measure your pulse by placing your index and middle finger gently on the radial artery on the inside of your wrist, or on the carotid artery at the neck just under the chin. In order to make things easy, do not try and count the pulses for an entire minute. Simply count the number of pulses that occur in ten seconds, and multiply that number by 6 (one minute has 60 seconds, and 60/10 = 6). The answer is your current heart rate.

As you recall, the MET system is built on progression. You should always start at the lower end of the level’s specified intensity. Then, as you become more adept at that level, you can continue to add intensity until you reach the upper end of the prescribed level. You’ll know you’ve mastered a level by being able to sustain that intensity level non-stop for the given duration of time outlined in the program without feeling overly stressed by it. For example, the intermediate level prescribes training at 65- 75% of your MHR. Therefore, if you were making the transition from beginner to intermediate, you would start out at 65% MHR. Once you mastered that intensity level, you would move to 70%, and then later to 75%. Once you mastered the 75% intensity level, you could move up to the advanced level. As far as when to move up a level, there is no exact number of days or sessions. You will be the only one that knows when you can maintain an intensity level without feeling overly stressed. As you spend more time in the gym and get to know yH?our body, you’ll know just by how you feel when you are exercising in that particular zone. The MET target aerobic system consists of nine different levels, and each has it’s own level of difficulty or time and intensity factors.

With the ever-advancing technology that is being created, more and more people are enjoying the convenience of using a heart rate monitor to calculate and keep track of their maximum heart rate and target heart rate zone when exercising. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to use, and they strap comfortably around the chest and transmit information (including your heart rate) directly into a wristwatch. This makes it easy to check your heart rate and allows you to remain focused on your training. You will only need to make a simple glance at the watch to know your heart rate, so you can adjust your intensity level accordingly. You won’t have to manually take your pulse and do the calculations in your head while you are in the middle of an intense cardiovascular session.

As the MET system stresses in all of its phases, you should train as intensely as your body will allow you to without over-training. This means that you should perform your aerobics at as high an MHR as possible. The old theory of “the more aerobics the better” just isn’t correct. The old method of trying to burn fat was to sit on a piece of cardio equipment for as long as possible without worrying about the intensity level. Thanks to the many scientific studies that have been performed over the years, we now know that it is more beneficial to work harder for shorter periods of time. It is the quality of the cardio that matters, not the quantity. Therefore, the key is to stay high on the MHR reading, not on the time clock.

As I mentioned a little bit earlier, only you will know if what you are doing is easy or difficult. You are the one that must be honest with yourself when it coH?mes to making the decision to move up a level, or even down. Don’t go into the gym thinking that you must impress everyone there and go full out on the cardio equipment every time you train if you haven’t been properly conditioned to it. Don’t try to start at level nine when you should be at level two or three... you will only end up burning yourself out, or even worse, injuring yourself. You could also end up discouraged if you consistently try to perform workouts that you are not yet conditioned for. Be honest when evaluating your abilities and carefully select the level that is right for you. As you progress through the program, use the MET Tracker Sheets at www.bodyfitness-uk.com to guide you to where you should move to next in the program. Do not skip levels. Use the Tracker Sheets and notes to track and evaluate your workouts and really learn what your body is capable of doing. You may feel ready to move up to a particular level one certain day, but be sure that once you move up you will be able to maintain that level of intensity every time you are at the gym. The MET Tracker Sheets make it easy for you. Simply pick your level, write in the information the night before the workout, schedule your workout time and then do it!

Remember to keep yourself challenged. The last paragraph may sound like I was telling you to be a little over cautious and conservative. I was only trying to tell you to really get to know your limits so that you do not try to move too quickly through the levels and end up burning yourself out. As you get stronger and gain more endurance, continue to challenge your body and increase levels when you know it is the correct time. The MET System adapts along with your body. However, don’t force it to adapt before it is ready. Staying healthy and injury-free is just as important as gaining strength and burning fat.

Q: You say that the MET System adapts as your body does. When I finally reach MET aerobic level nine and master that... won’t I then have no choice except to go for longer periods of time?

A: If someone is able to truly master level nine of the aerobics, then they need to think of ways to add more intensity to the workout... not time. Level nine was developed with even the most advanced athlete in mind. The same is for the MET weight training system. The MET system has been used by hard gainers as well as obese novices and has produced amazing results. The MET System was created to teach people how to have the most efficient workouts possible while still adhering to proven scientific principles. The notion of simply adding on more time is not proven to do anything except wear you out. Besides, doing aerobics for too long a duration each day has been proven to reduce the strength and size of the muscles! Work out at a higher MHR if you can perform the entire level nine aerobic sessions; don’t turn your aerobic sessions into marathon worH?kouts.

Contrary to popular belief, aerobics can be over done. Dr. Kraemer, at the Centre for Sports Medicine at Pen State University, confirmed that strength and power drop noticeably when long aerobic type training programs are added to weight training programs. In one study measuring leg press performance, the men in the study progressed in strength by an average of 30% over a 12-week period. However, when the four-day-a-week aerobic program was added to their schedule, the average individual lost 10% of their strength in the leg press. In addition, the size of the original muscle fibres was reduced and there was an increase in the blood serum levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol. Dr. Kraemer and his colleagues specifically noted that weight training increased protein synthesis and the amount of contractile protein in the muscle fibre. However, the stress from the excessive aerobic training lessened the contractile proteins in the body to optimise oxygen uptake, which resulted in a net loss or reduction in the athletes overall strength and muscle gains by the end of the training program. By following the scientifically developed MET Program and volume guidelines as it is prescribed, this type of thing will not happen to you.

Q: If working out and stress in general cause my body to release cortisol, then what can I do to keep cortisol from destroying the muH?scle I am working so hard to gain?

A: In the question above, I briefly alluded to a study performed by Dr. Kraemer at the Centre for Sports Medicine at Pen State University, which observed the effects that long durations of aerobic activity had on the release of cortisol. As you may already know from previous articles, Cortisol is a steroid hormone made in the adrenal glands. Cortisol secretion increases in response to any stress in the body, whether physical (such as illness, trauma, surgery, or temperature extremes) or psychological. When cortisol is secreted, it causes a breakdown of muscle protein, leading to release of amino acids (the “building blocks” of protein) into the bloodstream. These amino acids are then transported to the liver where they are used to synthesize glucose for energy, in a process called gluconeogenesis. What ends up happening is that you lose valuable, hard-earned muscle. Being able to manage cortisol is an important aspect of physical training that Top Trainers Network trainers have educated their clients in. Knowing how to manage this muscle-deteriorating hormone can greatly increase the amount of muscle mass that a person can carry. The goal is to minimize the damage done by cortisol while maximizing growth hormone and testosterone output at the same time.

As I keep harping on about in all of these columns, the MET Program is a complete and scientifically developed system. All phases of the program must be followed together in order for it to maximize its effectiveness. One idea that was a priority of designing the MET System was to keep cortisol in check. That is why the client is limited to three cardio sessions per week of no more than 30 minutes as well as being limited in time and number of sets in the weight room. We do not want the client releasing too much cortisol and destroying valuable muscle tissue, but we still give them enough worH?k to do to rapidly build muscle and burn fat. The weight-training program, nutritional program and supplement regiment was also created to work in conjunction with the cardio program to help burn fat. Therefore, try not to get caught up in the “more is better” mindset when doing cardio to burn fat. If you go overboard in the cardio then you will end up losing hard-earned muscle and your fat ratios will actually increase. If you can perform level nine of the MET cardio program, then you have all the endurance and cardiovascular conditioning that you will ever need. In addition, if you are following the MET nutritional and supplementation program as prescribed, then melting away extra fat will be no problem.

Now, let’s discuss cortisol in a little more detail. As I just mentioned before, cortisol is a catabolic hormone that literally saturates your system during times of stress, and especially during intense training sessions. In addition to breaking down muscle tissue, cortisol will suppress the release of growth hormone. These two facts will not help your body to recuperate from intense workouts. Vigorous physical activity also causes the body to release another catabolic hormone called prostaglandin-E2. This hormone causes an immune response that suppresses muscle growth. It also causes ACTH to suppress testosterone secretion by more than a whopping 50%! When cortisol attacks the muscles and forces amino acids to be robbed from muscle tissue, you are now left deficient in amino acids at the precise moment when you require them for muscle growth. If cortisol is not suppressed in some way it will continue to saturate the system and your testosterone levels will continue to plummet. In order to counteract the release of this growth-inhibiting hormone and enable you to realize the full effects of your training in the most efficient manner possible, the MET training program includes suH?pplementation with Primestrin+ and ADL3. Primestrin+ and ADL3 are essential links in the MET chain that will provide you with maximum gains. The goal of a training and nutrition program is to be in an anabolic state, not a catabolic one. Primestrin+ and ADL3 will substantially increase testosterone and GH levels safely and naturally while driving down cortisol levels, which is the key to anabolism. Primestrin+ also causes the cells in the hypothalamus to begin to release more gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GNRH). ADL3 helps stop the rise in ACTH after training that leads to the lowering of testosterone levels as well as a sharp increase in cortisol. Primestrin+ is a part of the Venice Beach supplementation program and will enable you to maximize the release of muscle building testosterone and GH naturally. This combo will ensure that you get the greatest gains out of each and every training session.

Another major player in the Venice Beach supplementation program is AGF MAX, an essential and non-essential amino acid component. AGF MAX is absorption enhanced and also contains the powerful ingredient glutamine. Glutamine helps bodybuilders by replenishing your body’s glutamine pool, diminishing the escalation of extra lactic acid from exercise, regulating the rate of protein turnover in muscle tissue, enhancing immune system function and increasing cell voluminization. The level of glutamine in our body is lowH?ered significantly within hours after training due to the delayed action of training. Specifically, each workout you do further decreases both blood and muscle glutamines. By using Venice Beach AGF MAX to replenish glutamine pools in the muscle, you will be sparing muscle loss and creating even more muscle during your training under the MET Program. Primestrin+, AGF MAX and ADL3 should all be used together in order to provide the best synergistic response. This is because glutamine levels are lowered in the presence of cortisol the same as growth hormone is. Research has shown this drop to be as much as 55% immediately after training. So, when cortisol levels are high, all glutamine stores become depleted, which further compromises your ability to increase lean muscle mass. It is important to replenish glutamine stores along with taking ADL3, because this will allow the glutamine and protein (AGF MAX) to help build muscle more efficiently while ADL3 is keeping cortisol in check. These core supplements are useful in both the mass building phase as well as the pre-contest preparation phase.

Since Primestrin+ will simultaneously help your body to raise testosterone and HGH levels, it is a perfect supplement for the mass-building phase of your weight lifting program. Androgens (most testosterone esters) work better when in the presence of HGH, which is why Venice Beach formulated Primestrin+ to increase both of these powerful muscle-building hormones. By adding ADL3, cortisol secretion will be blunted and the benefits of Primestrin+ will be further enhanced. ADL3, Primestrin+ and AGF can have a substantial influence on the amount and timeliness of your gains. In order to ensure that you maximize bioavailability of each of these superior products, Venice Beach has added Absorbal, which is a nutrient bioavailability magnifying agent. This allows you to take less of the product, because your sH?ystem will absorb higher ratios than with products that do not use an absorption enhancer. Just how much less can you take? Well, thanks to Absorbal, your body will absorb as much of the supplement from one serving as it did from four servings of the same product that does not use Absorbal. In addition to the supplements, don’t forget the importance of protein and diet in the over all plan. Protein and the rest of your diet are the main factors for feeding muscles. Be sure to read Diet, Nutrition and Change, which is available on the www.bodyfitness-uk.com. Remember that knowledge is power!

Observations

In my experience, the majority of available training systems are too rigid. They do not take all levels of athletes into account, and their programs do not provide flexibility. This makes it too hard for many people and too easy for many others. So, it leads the majority of those following it to a point where they become stagnant or become discouraged or they simply stop gaining altogether from over-training.

The MET weight training, cardio, diet and supplementation system is developed to be an adaptive program that grows as you do. It’s a self-regulating program for life. Wherever you are at right now, you can use the MET System, and it will guide you to gains you never thought possible. In the future, when you are looking in the mirror and seeing gains you never thought you would achieve, you will still be able to use the MET System to go even further to improve your health, fitness and physique. If you are new to this column and want to learn how to get started on the program and how to get your free MET Tracker Sheets you can go to www.bodyfitness-uk.com and look for the MET icon. This is where the valuable lessons and complete system is revealed. Form their, just start to implement the program and staH?y tuned to this column for monthly updates and valuable strategies and insights on how to succeed, MET style! Until next month... HAVE FAITH IN YOUR ABILITY, CONCIEVE, BELIEVE, ACHIEVE and TRAIN WITH PASSION!