Cardiovascular fitness may not be the first thing taht pops into your head when you think about strongmean contests. More like barrel-chested guys name Magnus lifting boulders and trucks. But strongman events can involve a good helping of cardio, too: They often take minutes, not seconds and require stamina as well as strength. "It is a prett heavy duty demand both for the cardiovascular system and the muscles," says David Sandler, MS,CSCS, director of Strength Pro, Inc. and trainer to professional strongmen.
Although lower-intensity cardio burns a higher percentage of calories from fat, total calories burns a higher percentage of calories from fat, total calories burned is what counts when it comes to chredding bodyfat. And hight intensity workouts are calorie carnivores. In a 2005 study, 16 overweight men were put on either a moderate intensity cardio program or a shorter duration, high intensity routine. After 14 weeks of exercising three tiems a week, only the high intensity group showed a significant drop in average bodyfat percentage--almost 5%-- even though they exercised about 15 minutes less per session. Also consider that tha average 180-pound male burns 220 calories in 20 minutes performing moderate intensity cardio on the treadmill. These workouts burn more calories in less time.
To ensure you tap into your cardio capacity with the following desciplines, you need to go light on the weight. "If you are trying to get that cardiovascular oomph, you have to use weights that will allow you to do a sufficant number of repetitions and go for an extended period," says Sandler.
In general, steady-state, longer duration cardio ultimately is mor ebeneficial for heart health. Still, these activities present a new challenge to your cardiovascular system by recruiting more upper body muscles thatn readitional cardio. YOu will elevate your hear and breathing rates higher than during a normal job as well as increase the amount of blood your heart pumps per minute. YOu also need to have good strength and are not for beginner," Sandler warns. "You should have a strong back and torso." In fact, anyone with back problems, no matter how minor, should keep away from them.
