Philosophies Behind 6 Pack Abs
Fitness experts have long discovered the potency of cardiovascular exercises in burning calories and eliminating fat from the body. Only by melting away enough body fat can stubborn body fat be trimmed off the midsection to expose the contours of the abdominal muscles- the much sought-after 6 pack.
Exercises that build muscle tissue speed-up the body's metabolism, making it easier to get rid of stored fat. Total body aerobic exercises that keep the heart rate at raised levels burn calories and reduce body fat effectively. There is some debate however as to what intensity levels the heart rate should be at.
Cardiovascular exercises can be done at low intensity and high intensity. The latter is more popular as a method of losing fat and getting 6 pack abs because first, it's easier to do. The physical effort in doing low-intensity cardio exercises can actually be done by novice exercisers and people that are extremely overweight.
Another aspect the low-intensity cardio theory has going for it is that it's a proven fact that exercises done at low-moderate intensity over an extended period targets body fat as the only source of calories used up. Exercising at intense levels actually cause the body to use up carbohydrates as well as fat for energy also.
The body absorbs carbohydrates from the food we eat and stores it in muscle tissue as glycogen. Supporters of the low-intensity theory say working-out too intensely can cause the loss of muscle tissue because some glycogen is used for energy when doing hard workouts.
Experts who swear by high-intensity cardio exercise for forming 6 pack abs say the sheer amount of calories burned working out hard offsets glycogen loss which can be replenished through post workout food. Of course, the faster the calorie-burn, the shorter the workout sessions.
High intensity folks also say hard cardio exercise causes muscle development because it works the whole body hard. In addition, intense workouts kick-up the body's metabolic rate hours after leaving the gym. The more calories spent throughout the day, more fat loss and faster 6 pack abs.
There are two different opinions when it comes to cardio exercises- both with pros and cons. Low intensity exercises have to be done for longer periods and this means more hours spent in the gym. High-intensity cardio workouts can have you out of your sweaty clothes in half an hour but they're not for beginners, elderly and the extremely overweight.
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