Ladies, Please Cut That Shit Out

This one’s for the ladies in the house. Or the ones in the office. Or the street. Or the track. Or the gym. All the ladies really.

This is a topic I’m particularly passionate about and today’s blog post is about making a plea to all women.

Ladies…

STOP

FUCKING

SAYING

WEIGHTS

WILL

MAKE

YOU

BULKY

Let’s get one thing real straight because I’m about to science the shit out of your brains right now. Both men and women produce testosterone (most people think it’s a male only hormone but is indeed produced by both genders). The main difference is, men produce nearly ten folds the amount women do; for obvious reasons. Testosterone is one of the main hormones responsible for muscle synthesis and promoting fat burn.

When you ask a woman why she doesn’t lift, her response is usually along the lines of “OMG EW you want me to look like those oiled up freaks?! They look like men they probably have balls!”

This what you think will happen to you if you lift. You silly, silly woman

Now that you’ve expressed your narrow minded and stereotype/ill-founded belief regarding the effects of weight lifting on women, allow me to do you the honors of correcting your misbeliefs.

Let’s clarify something, as the above picture indicates, weight lifting CAN indeed lead to that type of physique developing. But you ought to know that she put in more work, effort, dedication (and possibly some hormonal experimentation) than you could ever muster if you work, go to school or have kids. This is her entire life. She gets paid to look like that. Plain and simple.

Back to hormones. As mentioned, both genders produce testosterone, but since men produce it on a much larger scale, its effect on the male body are more notable because it makes muscle synthesis and fat loss a much easier process for men than it is for women. Women also ought to know that they’re constantly fighting an uphill battle against their biology when they’re striving for fat loss. Aside from the body viewing fat as a survival currency for energy, being a woman also puts your body on extra guard mode because fat is essential for maintaining your menstrual cycle and supporting you through pregnancy; which is why the female body is even less forgiving about releasing fat from storage.

It is exactly for that specific reason that women must take weightlifting more seriously. Cardiovascular training is good and dandy but it’s very easy for your body to hit a plateau doing nothing but cardio every day. Weightlifting can prompt your body - via triggering the appropriate hormonal response - to burn more fat and put on muscle mass (albeit in much smaller growth percentages than men training at the same level). Weightlifting is also quite recommended for women due to the fact that a regular weight lifting routine prompts your body to increase bone density - something many women suffer from and lack due to pregnancies which suck out calcium from your bones to support the growing miracle (Read: monster) brewing inside of you.

In fact, if you are pregnant, your doctor will likely recommend that you do take up a weightlifting routine - albeit with serious reservations on what you can and cannot do - because of the aforementioned reasons! You can also check out this amazing article by a great friend of mine who found her inner gym beast in her pregnancy (not that she wasn’t a fitness freak before)

Now it’s important to note that I’m not asking you to bench press 100 kgs or squat 300 lbs here, but I am saying that your 2 lbs dumbbell bullshit isn’t exactly the trigger for your body to change a damn thing about itself. The trick is choosing moderate weights that are challenging but not impossible and to progressively increase/decrease/fluctuate weights per body part/muscle group as you progress and as your fitness goals change.

I personally know no less than 200 women who have complained to me personally about their disgruntled attitude with having arm wings (flabby triceps). You can do all the cardio in the world to make your arm (and body) thinner, but it won’t do jack shit to pull back loose skin and help your arms get a toned and firm look; that’s all weights baby girl!

“Right so that’s all nice talk and no walk so far, I’ve never seen a girl who lifts weights AND looks good. They all look dudes to me!”

Oh yee of little faith.

The above picture shows Bella Falconi, my absolute favorite reference in the realm of female fitness. 95% will think she’s “too much” and that she’s “push it too far” and I’d be tempted to agree with you for one reason. This is what she does for a living. It’s her job to look the way she does, but what’s more important is that she looks feminine whether you’d like to admit it or not. She’s muscular, she’s toned and she’s strong; but she sure as shit doesn’t look like any dude I know; even the most fabulous ones.

The point being, while you definitely won’t get to where she is at unless that is specifically your goal and you have an insane amount of dedication and patience (it took her YEARS to look like that), what you can achieve via incorporating weightlifting as a regular part of your fitness lifestyle has no limits!

Most of the women I know complain the most about how they’re putting in 6 days at the gym, sometimes for upwards of two hours doing all kinds of cardio on the treadmill, stair master, EFX machine and stationary bike but reporting little to no changes despite their massive efforts and dedication; ironically leading to their frustration, quitting and resort to comfort food. It doesn’t have to be like that! Your progress plateaus because you’re not changing what you’re doing, the human body is the pinnacle of evolution, not because we’re the strongest, fastest or smartests, but because we’re the most adaptive. Your body can quickly adapt to fitness routines which stop being challenging once your body builds a tolerance to their effects; rendering them just above useless.

Weightlifting changes all of that. There are a billion varieties in terms of the weights you’re lifting, the number of repetitions per set, the numbers of sets per exercise, the rest time between sets, the width of your grip, the type of weight you’re using (dumbbell, barbell, pulley, machine, etc.)

Needless to say, consult an expert trainer as well as a nutritionist in order to come up with a safe to execute plan that tackles both exercise and nutrition in a wholesome manner. You need to eat to give your body the nutrients it needs both to pack on muscle AND to burn fat. Yes, you need to eat to lose. Hard to believe but it’s true.

Fire up your questions my way by commenting on this post or by tweeting at me on @Foxicakes

The Worst Kept Secrets In the Fitness Industry (Part 5): Weight Maintenance & Management

Don’t you just hate how we’re in a constant state of yo-yo-ing? Haven’t you always wondered how your weight can shift by two to three kilograms every other week? Don’t you just hate how you can’t figure out why your body is being a little bitch about weight gain?

It’s science time, bitch!

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane. Specifically some 200,000 years ago right around the time Homo sapiens really made their breakthrough on this floating rock in space. You ought to know what our over-glorified species has evolved since then with hardwired mechanisms for survival just like every other creature on Earth. Much like other animals, we were opportunistic feeders, gatherers and hunters, eating whenever possible because you never knew when the next meal would come by. Fast forward to today, we’ve allocated millions of square kilometers to farmland, grocery stores fill every corner of our streets with foods stacked up further than you can reach, your fridge is within arm’s reach and filled with goodies.

Do you know what the problem with that is? Our bodies simply didn’t have enough time to co-evolve alongside our progression as a species. Your bodies have historically been hardwired for fat storage - for the purpose of survival - and to store a % of consumed food (which was historically consumed over prolonged intervals, sometimes days) into fat. Your bodies simply haven't caught up with the concept that you can eat every hour on the hour. That's why you look around and see obesity rates skyrocketing across the globe. Humans need to understand that their bodies are unaware that we've evolved into growing and hoarding food so close to our hearts. The same concept applies to gaining muscles!

Believe it or not, it's somewhat contradictory to your body's mantra to even put on muscle mass. Your body views it as an unnecessary expenditure of energy and resources towards something that is otherwise used sparingly. Your body is much more geared towards fat storage because fats are an excellent source of energy whereas muscles promote increased functional movement but aren't an optimal energy storage mechanism. And that's not taking into account the actual energy which goes into maintaining muscle mass let alone create it.

Muscle is created when an external force exerts itself on existing muscles, rendering the need for more muscle fiber in order to perform the same movement (lift the same weight) more easily the next time. Weight lifting operates by the mode of creating micro-tears in your muscle fibers, which your body then fixes by filling up those tears and then adding on new fibers and motor units to increase functional strength. But maintaining such muscle mass in the modern era is like fighting an uphill battle. Our ancestors were arguably much fitter and much more capable of holding onto their muscle mass due to their more active lifestyle, whether as hunters, warriors or farmers prior to the automation of the process and reliance on machinery. A constantly active and engaging lifestyle guarantees an easier maintenance of weight due to the interexchange of calories between muscle gain and fat storage/loss. Nowadays though, it's a different story...

The trick here is about ensuring you have a good plan with two attack angles. Step 1: An active routine. You can't expect to labor away at a desk for eight to ten hours then go back home to crash in front of the TV for three more hours and then magically keep your weight and waistline stable. You need to get moving.

A weight lifting routine (girls, don't freak out and go running for the hills just yet you WON'T get bulky and manly looking) ensures that your bones, muscles, tendons and joints are challenged towards putting on muscle mass and burning through fat storages while boosting overall metabolism. Weight lifting also ensures increased bone density which is arguably far more important for women who are at a constant risk of bone density loss on account of pregnancy. Weight lifting routines which are consistently maintained and tweaked every four to six weeks also create a hormonal balance which puts the body in the right state for anabolism (muscle building) rather than catabolism (muscle breakdown).

And remember, when it comes to muscles, use it or lose it. Your body will not waste energy on something that's taking up space and offering no functionality. The process is known as muscle atrophy and it simply means that muscles that aren't constantly engaged and have their limits pushed are broken down into basic elements and their nutrients recycled back throughout your body. If you use the muscle, it will grow and stay there.

Step 2: Nutrition Plans. No, I'm not talking about counting calories. I leave that shit to Victoria's Secret models and celebrities. Normal people who have school, university or desk jobs don't have the luxury of having teams of people whose sole occupation is to ensure they look good. Which bring me to a good point. Stop comparing yourself to celebrities and their physiques. They operate on entirely different levels. They are paid to look like that. Their lifestyle revolves around that. You can't expect to achieve the same levels while leading your normal life with all its shit and giggles. But I digress...

Your nutrition plan needs to account for both your active routine as well as your largely sedentary lifestyle (which you need to change!). That means that meal timing is everything. Don't munch on apple for breakfast and reach out for the chicken and pasta before you sleep. Eat heartily when you wake up. Your body needs the energy and your body is likely to burn through whatever you eat for breakfast (unless it's ice cream, which it shouldn't be, unless your name is Willy Wonka). You should eat a good combo of proteins and complex carbohydrates before your workout and a similar meal after your workout when your body needs nutrients the most. Your dinners should be consumed at least three hours before bedtime and should focus on giving your body something to do while you snooze (think Cottage cheese) with snacks throughout the day including fruits, nuts or yogurt.

What you need to do is be honest to yourself about this. It's not easy. Acknowledge it. It's not a short trip. It's not a one off trip till you reach some fantasy goal. This is a lifestyle. Your weight will still - to a degree - bounce around until you find that balance and learn enough about yourself, what affects you, what works for you, and what doesn't. You might discover that dairy makes you bloated and you should cut it out, you might discover adding oats to your diet helps you lose belly fat, you might figure out that drop sets workout for your muscle building capacity than normal sets, etc.

Take this as an opportunity to learn about yourself, your body and what you think you can do. The results may surprise you.

Remember that your body doesn't know what you're doing, it doesn't know you want to hit 10% body fat and look like a model at the beach. It doesn't care for your muscle building. It's a cold calculating machine which allocates resources (and strips them off!) as necessary. All your body wants to do is to store some fat and ensure that your dumb ass survives long enough to propagate and spread your genetic material down into the genetic pool. 

You need to control it, don't let it drive you around.

The Worst Kept Secrets In the Fitness Industry (Part 4): Pre-workout Meals

There is no denying that you are what you eat. We’ve established that through countless retweets and status sharing during the late 2000’s. But what about purposeful nutrition? Sounds puzzling? Truly and honestly isn’t.

The whole point of this piece is to give you an understanding of how the human body operates in relation to food more than to simply bestow some sample recipes which you can try out if you’re feeling experimental.

It’s science time, bitch!

Let’s start with the basics. You are composed of muscles, fat, bone, internal organs, blood vessels and a few other gross components lodged in between. Check. Your muscles are the driving force behind your movement and are connected to your bones via tendons. Check. Your muscles store carbohydrates to be utilized as energy when required. Check. Your body stores fat to be utilized as an energy source when required. Check.

Now that we’ve established this little cycle of operation, let’s get down to explaining how different muscles use different fuels depending on different activities.

You have carbohydrates stored in your muscle as glycogen. Glycogen is broken down into Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is the energy currency used by the body’s muscles. Then you’ve got fats stored around your body which are made from lipids which are made from triglycerides. Those fats are stored as per required future need but they require breakdown before being utilized directly as energy which is not an instantaneous as when glycogen is used.

In the most basic terms, your muscles are not all the same, they are composed of different muscle fibers, namely types I, IIA and IIB. Each muscle fiber type has largely different functional characteristics. Individual muscles are composed of numerous individual fibers which are organized into motor units designated for specific functions and grouped within the muscles. “

“What’s a motor unit? Am I like an engine in a car? Ugh this is so confusing!” You blurt out naked in front of the mirror, your hands and mouth covered in dry Nutella.

Simply stated, motor units are just groups/bundles of muscle fibers. Any time you want to move anything, be it your finger, arm or eyelid, your brain instantly signals the appropriate muscle fibers and the relevant motor units within via the spinal cord and voila; the miracle of movement!

Type I

Commonly referred to as “slow twitch” muscle fibers. This fiber type is characterized by high endurance and low power/speed production capabilities. It’s most notably in action during long endurance events such as marathons or steady-speed jogs, etc.

Type IIA

Commonly referred to as “fast twitch” muscle fibers. This fiber type is a unique mixture of both Type I and Type IIB.

Type IIB

Commonly referred to as "fast twitch glycolytic". This fiber type is characterized by low endurance and high power/speed production. It’s most notably in action during short bursts of energy such as sprints, weight lifting, etc.

Fun Fact: Lifting a spoon recruits the same motor units as lifting a dumbbell does. The main difference is in the number of motor units recruited to achieve this action. Lifting a dumbbell naturally requires more force, which in turn recruits more motor units till the threshold that allows for the lift has been bypassed.

This brings us back to our original topic; pre-workout nutrition!

Those different muscle fiber types feed upon different types of fuel. Your Type IIB (fast twitch) muscles requires energy on-the-go due to the high intensity nature of the activity. Carbohydrates storages (glycogen) are usually the optimal choice as they are already there and are the fastest and easiest to break down to produce energy (ATP). These storages are quite limited and are usually depleted rather quickly. However, if your physical activity drags on for longer, your body is forced to start switching to fat, breaking them down and converting them for use as ATP molecules by the muscles.

“Holy fuck balls. We’ve been at this A-level bio course for like two pages now. What does this mean for my pre-workout meal?”

Complex carbs and proteins.

That’s what you want your pre-workout meal to have. You need a steady stream of proteins (preferably whey based) for quick breakdown and release of amino acids so your muscles aren’t forced to catabolize other muscles for repair. On the other end, carbs are a must, they are the main energy currency and the source of quick energy. But you want to avoid simple carbohydrates. These kinds of carbs (think processed flour, sugar, etc.) cause a spike in your insulin which would ultimately result in an energy spike followed by a crash; not good for your workout and overall mood.

Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain flour, cereal, oats, etc. are comparatively much better suited to provide your body with a steady stream of energy throughout the entire workout rather than just spiking it and leaving your sweaty corpse in the dust.

My optimal recommendation for a pre-workout meal?

• 2 whole soft-boiled eggs OR 3 scrambled egg whites
• One bowl of oatmeal flakes with ground cinnamon and diced banana
• Assortment of water-filled fruits (watermelon/cantaloupe/kiwi/apricots,etc.)

• 

This is usually my pre-workout meal of choice but you get the basic premise. Think peanut/almond butter on whole grain toast with banana. Think small tuna salad. Just focus on avoiding processed sugars and flours and ensuring there’s a protein source in there.

Hit me with any questions you’ve got by commenting below or by tweeting me on @Foxicakes

The Worst Kept Secrets in the Fitness Industry (Part 2): Abdominals

Now that we’ve established a mode for you to start shedding off body fat in an efficient manner, it’s time we loop back to our original topic of conversation and the most desired muscle group in the field of aesthetics; abdominals.

Your abs are no magical muscle. They needn’t endure thousands of repetitions or hundreds of sets to pop out anymore than your chest, leg, back or arms require a dozen repetition over three or four sets. It is however, about understanding your abs from a scientific perspective. Many times you’ll hear people (including self-proclaimed fitness pros) refer to abs by region, i.e. upper abs, lower abs, etc. and while yes certain exercise exert more stress on specific parts of your abdominals, it’s very important to realize it’s all one big connected hunk. It does not operate separately from one another.

That being said, I wish we’d all focus on the concept of “core development” rather than abs. Yes abs are arguably the most aesthetically pleasing bit of your bootylicious physique but there’s a big difference between having popping abs and having a functional and strong core. Just take a look at skinny people. We all have that one friend who’s naturally skinny, they can crunch out two large pizzas followed by a bucket of KFC and a Double Big Tasty combo, head over to Baskin Robbins and devour a tub of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream and still look ready for a modeling shoot. We hate them. We loathe their existence. But science calls them ectomorphs and it’s not their fault, they’re just born that way. But do you notice how they always seem to have popping abs? More importantly, do you notice how they’re more often than not, completely unfit for physical exercises demanding a strong dependency on the core area of the body?

This is why core development is so much more important than worrying about the aesthetic development of abdominal muscles. If you have a strong core, the abs will undoubtedly follow. But instead of having a hollow exterior, you’ll also have the power from within.

“What the shit is the core? Isn’t that like filled with magma and lava super deep inside the Earth? What does this have to do with anything? Oh my God do I have lava inside of me? Am I a mutant?” Once again young Padwan [Boom! Star Wars reference] you worry too much about unnecessary details.

According to the much beloved Wikipedia, “the core refers, in its most general of definitions, to the body minus the legs and arms.Functional movements are highly dependent on the core, and lack of core development can result in a predisposition to injury.” Your core carries you through most workouts. Are you doing push ups? Your core is engaged. Are you doing squats? Core. Deadlifts? Core. Trying to balance yourself on one leg with a glass of beer on your nose during a party? Core.

So instead of situps and crunches (which can still be utilized) we ought to focus on more wholesome exercises that benefit your entire core. The cool thing about abdominal workouts and other body-weight type exercises is that you can perform them virtually anywhere; no gym membership necessary! Let’s begin with my personal favorite; the infamous Plank.

The above video shows how the plank is performed. Naturally, like any other exercise, it can be tweaked to increase its difficulty, whether its via a raised leg in the air, a raised arm, a combo of the two or by doing it with the legs resting on a large stability ball for increased core engagement. The more you find yourself having to squeeze your core in order to maintain balance and perfect form, all the better. Planks are static exercises, which unlike dynamic exercises (those requiring motion) rely on the strength of your core and its constant engagement for performance (i.e. you don’t move)

This exercise - like all others - relies on your ability to execute it in perfect form both to reap out its benefits and to avoid potential injury resulting from poor or improper form. Another variation which can help target your obliques (those much sought-after V-shaped curves on your waist) is the side plank. You can watch it being performed here and it can also be made more difficult by raising one leg in the air or it can be done dynamically by squeezing your obliques to lift your body up and down by its side.

A good start for you is trying to maintain the plank position for 30 seconds. If you find that you're doing so in perfect form with significant ease, prolong it till failure and set that time as your standard set time. Dish out 3 to four sets of those with 30 seconds of rest in between.

Next up on my list of favorites is the Hanging Raises.

Do keep in mind this workout is usually reserved for individuals operating at more advanced levels. Many, even experienced folk, make the mistake of utilizing momentum to drive the movement in this exercise but that’s something you should strive to avoid. This workout engages your entire core area by virtue of your abs raising your legs and lowering them (in a controlled motion) rather than a spring action in which the legs are driving the movement.

There’s a wide variety of other exercises you can throw into your abdominal workout routine in a variety of format (supersets, interval sets, pyramid sets, etc.) such as crunches, heel touches, flutter kicks, scissors, alternating elbow-to-knee bicycle kicks and many more. Just be sure to consult someone with experience in order to show you how these moves are executed in perform form to ensure benefits and avoid injury.

Sample abs workout at the end of your weight lifting/cardio routine:

• Super Set [perform both exercises after one another with no rest in between] - Plank (1 minute)/Hanging Raises (12 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Heel touches (15 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Side plank raises (12 reps per side) - 3 sets - 30 seconds rest
• Alternating elbow-to-knee bicycle kicks (15 reps) - 4 sets - 30 seconds rest

And for Christ’s sake, please stop dedicating an entire day to your abs. They’re a minor muscle group. All they need is 10-15 minutes of attention at the end of your chest or shoulder day routine or performed after cardio once or twice a week max. Don't forget to stretch out at the end of your workout.

You might fall flat on your face the first couple of times. The soreness the following morning might be a bit too much. Laughing may be a painful experience for a couple of days but trust me, it gets better, you get better. 

If you have any question on techniques or execution please comment below or reach out to me on Twitter on @Foxicakes I’ll be more than glad to assist!

Now go kiss that mat during a plank.

The Worst Kept Secrets in the Fitness Industry (Part 1): Cardio

“Oh my God! I totes read this article on OMG Insider that Britney Spears used to do like 4,000 crunches and Nelly used to blast like 1,000 crunches every hour on the hour! Well of course they do! Just look at their toned chocolate-bar style tummies!”

First of all, Britney got fat. Like, way fat. She’s fat with a Ph. And no, I won’t leave her alone.

Second of all, I need to demystify this odd belief regarding abdominals being some sort of magical muscle that can take on this kind of punishment. Do you whip out 4,000 bench presses on chest day? Do you normally find yourself or others in the gym dishing out 1,500 barbell squats? No? Did you never stop and wonder why you usually got between 6-20 repetitions for your other muscles but for some reason forego this type of exercise when it comes to your abs?

Frankly, it isn’t your fault.

Mainstream media is largely to blame for this false belief that the surest route to a six-pack is quadruple digit crunches and situps. After all, those fancy abdominal curl gimmicks you’ll find on the shopping channel had to have a sponsor. But before we delve into what is largely accepted by the mainstream fitness community as the #1 exercise for helping your abs get popping, let’s try and explain how the concept of a six-pack even works.

It’s about a simple muscle/body fat balance. And this first part of our “Worst Kept Fitness Industry Secrets” series will tackle the concept of cardiovascular training.

In the most basic terms, if you have too much body fat, you will not be able to see your abs. It’s that simple. You could have a glorified eight-pack brewing under that layer of blubber but you’d be shit out of luck to see it during your next beach visit if your body fat % exceeds a certain amount. What does that mean oh wise one? Cardio. Specifically, a decent mix between HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and LISS (Low Intensity Steady State) cardio.

What the fuck are you talking about? What do these acronyms mean? Why is there nacho dipping sauce in my navel? You ask, sweating while grasping your computer screen in doubt of life, yourself and everything you once held dear. Let me explain.

HIIT

HIIT labors under a fairly simple premise; intervals. After a nice 5-minute warm up brisk walk to get your muscles ready for what’s to come, alternate walking/sprinting speeds in set periods of time. Example: Sprint for 30-60 seconds followed by 2 minutes of brisk walking/jogging and repeat these intervals for 15-20 minutes followed by 5 minutes of brisk walking for cool down. You can apply that same basic premise to virtually any cardio activity, be it running, cycling, swimming, rowing the EFX machine, the treadmill, stairmaster or otherwise.

HIIT has the benefit of triggering a hormonal response which sheds body fat as well as adds on muscle. It’s preferable not to perform HIIT exercises more than three times a week (and always AFTER your weight lifting routine) with rest days in between as it has an impact on your muscles. You should avoid performing HIIT workouts on an empty stomach as it depletes your carbohydrates stores rather quickly.

LISS

LISS on the other hand labors under an even simpler premise; steadiness. Basically, to get a specific rate going and hold on to it for prolonged periods of time. Example: Perform 5-minutes of brisk walking to get your muscles warmed up and ready for what’s to come. Then, finding a suitable jogging speed (usually between 6-9 km/hr for most people) maintain this for a period of 30-45 minutes followed by 5 minutes of brisk walking for cool down.

My personal experience with LISS worked out best when doing it first thing in the morning before breakfast. All I would have was one mug of unsweetened dark coffee (no milk) or a single caffeine pill in order to add the benefits of metabolism-boosting caffeine to my run. You can also take a single serving of BCAAs before your run if you want to ensure no muscle loss. You should have a hearty breakfast following that long run!

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. What does that mean in the real world? When can we eat?” Calm your titties. Remember when I said you should have a combo of both HIIT and LISS in your workout routine? That wasn’t out of thin air, performing one or the other alone will result in you more or less adopting the morphology of either a sprinter or a marathoner.

“Well DUH I want to be a sprinter just look how healthy she looks in comparison to that marathon runner!” You say, ecstatic at this revelation and giggling to yourself about all those fools on the treadmills like hamsters on wheels doing nothing but LISS and heading towards a bleak future. 

Not so fast. While yes, sprinters have more muscles and appear to be “healthier” there are many benefits to LISS that HIIT cannot match; namely stamina. Marathoners are infamous for their amazing stamina and endurance while sprinters are renowned for their short-burst high-intensity performances. This is why I implore you to incorporate a combo of both techniques when it comes to cardio so that you can get both benefits and help your body adapt to both conditions.

Now get that ass moving.