Hail to the Dinosaurs!
I've been getting tons of questions from
readers about how to combine strength
training with cardio training.
Most of them come from older Dinos --
and most of them are asking about how
to program sprints, hill sprints, long distance
running, finishers, prowler pushes, high rep
bodyweight work or high rep kettlebell swings.
So here's the bottom line -- and as always,
I'm going to be perfectly blunt.
Most of the "cardio training" that you see on
the interwebs or in the magazines isn't going
to work very well for you.
That's because you are a strength athlete --
and strength athletes require a different kind
or cardio -- especially if they are older trainees.
Cardio training for strength athletes requires
a careful balance between doing enough to
get results and NOT doing so much cardio
that you affect your strength training or
your recovery ability.
You also need to train your cardiovascular
system in ways that avoid excessive wear
and tear on your joints.
And please note -- both problems are of
special concern to (1) a bigger, heavier
lifter (which describes many of us), and
(2) an older lifter (which also describes
many of us).
I mean, face it -- the things that are okay
for a 17 year old who weighs 145 pounds
are hardly going to work for a 60 year old
who weighs 220 pounds.
And if strength training is your preferred
form of exercise, and it is important to you
to squat, deadlift, pull, push and press hard
and heavy -- then face it, too much cardio
work is going to have a NEGATIVE effect
on your training.
I don't care how you program it, running 10
miles a day is going to cut your squat and
deadlift big time.
That's why very few (if any) top weightlifters
or powerlifters do much if any cardio. Lifting
heavy iron is their job, and they don't want
to do anything that will hurt their lifting.
But still, there are benefits to doing cardio
work -- especially for older trainees.
So here's a middle of the road position --
although you should avoid the middle of the
road when you do it.
Try walking.
In many respects, walking is a perfect cardio
exercise for guys who do lots of squatting,
pulling and pushing.
It's easy to do.
You can do it pretty much anywhere.
It doesn't require any special equipment other
than a good pair of shoes.
You can start as easy as you want, and build
up gradually over time.
It won't cut into your recovery ability and it
won't affect your strength training (unless you
go nuts and overdo it).
For a healthy lifter with no pre-existing foot,
leg, back or hip issues, it's pretty safe -- as
long as you wear good shoes and you start
slow and easy and build up the speed and
the distance g-r-a-d-u-a-l-l-y.
Of course, if you have any kind of health
issue -- high blood pressure, heart problems,
joint issues, etc. -- then check with your
doctor before starting a walking program.
Note: "Gradually" means "slowly steadily,
sensibly and progressively." It does not, as
many believe, mean "overnight" or "
"immediately."
Many doctors -- including at least one former
Surgeon General of the United States -- believe
that 30 minutes of daily walking is one of the
very best things you can do for your health
and fitness.
Bernarr McFadden believed the same thing.
He was such a big fan of walking that he
even wrote a book about it. He titled it "The
Walking Cure."
There are other kinds of Dino-style cardio
training that you can try. I detail them in
Gray Hair and Black Iron. It will give you
tons of tips on effective cardio training for
older Dinos and for strength athletes.
But start by walking. It's good for you.
As always, thanks for reading and have a
great day. If you train today, make it a good
one.
Yours in strength,
Brooks Kubik
P.S. Go here to grab Gray Hair and Black Iron:
http://www.brookskubik.com/grayhair_blackiron.html
P.S. 2. My other books and courses -- including
links to my Kindle e-books -- are right here:
http://www.brookskubik.com/products.html
P.S. 3. Thought for the Day: "Shoes on feet,
and feet on the ground, makes a darn good
workout." -- Brooks Kubik
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