After college I made big mistakes in cardio. I would go for long stretches of cardio on a treadmill or exercise bike thinking it was the best way to stay fit.
Instead, my muscles started to disappear and I eventually got bored and stopped working out altogether.
Fortunately, I realized the problem shortly after, stopped the endless hours of boring cardio, and crafted the workouts that would eventually become Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes and Core to Score.
And it never fails that I get several of the following question every month:
“Hey Chris, what’s the best cardio for golf?”
I have to laugh a little bit when I get those questions. After all, I wrote the best selling Shed Pounds to Shave Strokes.
Quite simply, I don’t believe in long boring amounts of cardio to lose fat and build conditioning for golf. Why? Because my short workouts are the best workouts for fat loss AND conditioning.
The rest of the fitness industry remains fooled, telling you that you need hour-long workouts (either cardio or high-impact, knee crushing workouts). You don’t.
Here’s the proof. (You might want to print this out and give to your friends who continue doing hour upon hour of slow boring cardio):
An American research study found that 300 hours of cardio per year helped men and women lose an average of just 5 pounds. That’s brutal. It would take you over 50 hours – a full work week of cardio – just to lose one stinking pound. (Reference: Obesity 15:1496-1512, 2007)
I wouldn’t wish that on anyone – not even Carl the Dog’s worst enemy – cat owners!
Do you have that kind of time for exercise? Let alone the time you’d need to add for getting to the gym, changing, showering, and then adding a stop-off at Starbucks on the way home.
That’s practically an entire morning, afternoon, or evening WASTED.
Another article (Reference: Obesity Reviews, 13:6) explained that cardio doesn’t work for FOUR reasons:
- Cardio causes some people to eat more
- Cardio decreases your metabolism at rest
- Cardio burns muscle (another reason your metabolism decreases)
- Cardio makes you lazier & less active over the rest of the day
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So if you’re still trying to lose fat with cardio, those are the reasons why you must just say NO to cardio. Cardio does NOT work.
In a study from the Mayo Clinic Hospital (Reference: Mayo Clinic Proceedings 87:587-595), researchers concluded that too much cardio can cause heart damage and disease. OUCH!
The lead cardiologist from the study wisely said, “When people come to me and say they want to run a marathon I say, ‘OK, do one and cross it off your bucket list and then let’s focus on an exercise pattern that’s more ideal to producing long-term health benefits and improving your longevity.”
So what’s the solution? What’s the “Best Cardio for Fat Loss”?
Just 4 minutes of my Core to Score workouts are 7 times better than cardio.
In a powerful study from the Journal of Applied Physiology in Nutrition and Metabolism (Volume 37(6):1124-31). Canadian researchers tested a Core to Score style program against 30 minutes of long cardio.
Two groups of college-aged women did 4 workouts per week for 4 weeks.
Group A ran for 30 minutes at 85% max heart rate (hard cardio!)
Group B did 8 rounds of 20 seconds of a single bodyweight exercise (burpees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or squat thrusts) with 10 seconds of rest between rounds.
The results?
That’s right, the short bodyweight workouts (of 4 minutes) worked just as well as 30 minutes of cardio even though they were SEVEN times shorter. Shocking.
BUT…it was only Group B – those that did the bodyweight exercises – that also increased muscular endurance in common exercises like chest presses, leg extensions, sit-ups, and push-ups.
And finally, this short, burst style of training used by Group B also resulted in greater overall workout enjoyment compared to the cardio group.
Scientists concluded that “extremely low volume bodyweight interval-style training” will boost cardiovascular fitness just as well as cardio while giving you BETTER improvements in muscle endurance…all in just 4 minutes.
How do you apply this to your golf fitness? Simple.
I’ve created 3 Endurance Building workouts inside the all new Core to Score golf fitness system that you can do anytime, anywhere to get golf fit, build endurance, and lose fat.
=> Get INSTANT ACCESS to Core to Score and EVERY Golf Specific Workout I’ve Created for Just $1
These workouts are not just proven by scientific research, but also by the thousands of happy Golf Aggressive students that have used our programs.
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“I wanted to take a minute and share something… I have been using the program for 3 months
now and have seen amazing results.. It is a easy to follow program that gets results.”
– Aaron Laurich
“I’ve noticed all around improvement mainly in my flexibility which in turn has helped my
game.” – Robert Cardenas
“Love all the workouts. Dropped 20lbs and gained 20 yards.” – Dylan Stafford
“3rd workout of yours and they keep getting better.” – Paul Roch
“I have shaved about 3 strokes and gained about 5 yards all around on my game.”
– Lance Raska
“Chris, I have lost 25 lbs, my flexibility has increased and I have taken my handicap from a
7 to a 4. I can play all day without being in pain for a few days. Thanks for your help!”
– Kirk Mortensen
Whew. So many amazing stories come in my inbox every week.
I can’t wait to hear yours too.
So just say NO to cardio and YES to short workouts that will improve your golf fitness, energy, endurance, and power – and don’t leave your knees – or heart – crying.
=> Get INSTANT ACCESS to Core to Score and EVERY Golf Specific Workout I’ve Created for Just $1
