Whether they want to admit it or not the vast majority of people exercise because they want to look better, period. Although the health benefits are undeniable, people  want the rippling six pack and the tight butts they see on the fitness magazine covers. In fact a recent survey found 60 percent of people would rather look good than feel good. I am not sure how “official” any of these findings are but my point is most peoples goals are based more on how they want to look than how they feel or perform. Right or wrong this is the way it is.

Keeping this in mind I am puzzled by the amount of people who desire one outcome but do training that is counterproductive to that goal. One example of this that I see everyday is people who desire the bodies of fitness models and physique athletes but train like endurance athletes. Any successful natural bodybuilder or fitness model I have ever trained has no idea what their best time for a 10k is. The reason for this is the training involved in achieving an elite time in a 10k or more will do nothing to help achieve a cover models physique. It will in fact hinder the process.  

The tight muscles possessed by cover models and natural physique athletes, are a result of  2 things

1)intense weight training

2)strict diets

The  weight training builds and maintains the muscles that give those bodies their shape and form and the diets strip bodyfat to low levels so these muscles show. Cardio training does have a place in their training but I would put it third in priority.  If the other two factors are in check the amount of cardio that is required is relatively low. 

To turn everything upside down and put the training priority on cardio does 2 things

1) drains the bodies recovery reserves

2) strips away muscle tissue, especially in the upper body.

It is easy to see why these two things are exactly what you don’t want when trying to get as lean and ripped as possible.

This is not an attack on endurance athletes either. far from it. In fact for them to train as physique athletes or natural bodybuilders do would be  equally ridiculous.  It is  a sure way to be the best looking loser of any race.

The overall point is you first have to decide what you are trying to accomplish, and then train specifically for that purpose. unfortunately you cannot have the best of both worlds. If you try to train for two apposing goals at one time, your end result will be mediocrity in both.

Tags: abs, athletes, cover model, fitness model, lean, lose weight, nat, six pack

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