LL Cool J Does Long Duration Cardio For Fat Loss
September 15th, 2008
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by Scott Tousignant · Filed Under: Fat Loss Exercise · Muscle Building Nutrition
LL Cool J has one of the best physiques in the music industry. His 40 year old body puts most 20 year old physiques to shame. So how does LL Cool J achieve 6 pack abs? A large part of his training incorporates 35 minutes of cardio several times each week.
I can hear you shouting at me already, “What, long boring cardio. I don’t want to do that!” Yep, that’s the voice of a brainwashed industry that is being constantly bombarded with emails from fat loss experts preaching that long duration cardio is the devil!
Here’s My Stance On
Long Duration Cardio For Fat Loss
The best physiques in the world have been created by incorporating long duration cardio into their fat loss program. We’re talking about the people who achieve single digit body fat percentage and even the low range of under 4% body fat.
I honestly believe that it’s a grave mistake to completely avoid long duration cardio. And personally, I don’t think that it’s boring. 30 minutes of clearing my head, planning my day, visualizing my goals, and thinking of my future and past successes all while riding my bike along the edge of the river, hiking along a beautiful trail, or jogging through the forest, is heaven on Earth for me!
Hey, I love HIIT as well and I incorporate 9 to 15 minutes of it several times per week in addition to long duration cardio and resistance training.
There are just way too many examples of amazing physiques that have been achieved by including long duration cardio into the program to avoid it. And please don’t give me the lack of time excuse. You want to lose belly fat and get a flat stomach or even 6 pack abs don’t you? Well pull yourself up out of the chair and get your butt moving!
Do what the people who have 6 pack abs do. You’ve seen the abs on Angie and I haven’t you? We do long duration cardio and we don’t look like a frail Kenyan marathon runner.
If 35 minutes of cardio is good for LL Cool J, it’s good enough for me. He’s got a physique that I admire and aim to achieve.
Your 6 pack is calling you. Answer the door!
Scott Tousignant
Hi Scott.
So what is a skinny guy to do? I need more muscle, (pretty fit already) but I have learned not to do long boring cardio cause I want ripped larger muscles?
great debate
Robert, Most of my skinny clients have been totally reshaped by adding in some HEAVY Powerlifting type exercises and sprint type HIIT cardio. Think about how many “skinny” distance runners you see. Ever seen a “Skinny” Sprinter? Hell no, those guys are ripped beasts. Id say in your situation, intense sessions are key, but like Scott said, get in both…maybe do the HIIT 3 times a week and long duration 2.
For the best results I think that combining the two like casey suggest would be the most effective.
http://dailyabworkout.com/
Hey Scott – I actually did a phone interview on this very subject today.
My take is this: I consider long boring cardio a session that last 45 minutes and up, at the same pace that never changes.
I completely agree with adding a “longer” cardio session at the end of your interval training days.
For instance, if you do your interval training on T/TH/Sa then you would perform a 20 minute run at the end of your interval training session which involved High Intensity sprints.
About 3 months ago I trained a lady with this very method combined with some strength training and she lost 17 pounds, 15 inches and decreased her 5K time by 15 minutes…all in 28 days.
Thanks for the input and you’re right…LL is a fit son of a gun. He’s doing something right!!!
Thanks for your response Donovan. But now here’s my question to you…
What if a 45 minute longer cardio session is not boring to you?
What if you get a thrill or a high out of it?
What if it’s the only thing that you’ve ever stuck to?
What if you are actually burning fat and changing your body with it.
I have a real issue with today’s fitness trainers telling me that I should think a certain way like I should be bored when I go out for 45 minute jog or bike ride.
Hey, I love interval training, but lets face it, it’s not the only way to burn fat. Yes it’s effective, and yes it’s ideal for the busy person, but long cardio sessions do work and have been working for years.
And as much as many fitness pros would like to believe, it won’t turn you into a frail looking person who looks like a twig.
I’ve done it all and I’ve done it all with my clients. I find the best results come when you incorporate both HIIT and long duration cardio in your program.
I’ve seen way too many people give up fitness because they were getting bombarded from fitness experts saying to give up long duration cardio because it’s useless and they should only do HIIT.
Some of them got injured from HIIT and stopped all together. Others simply did not enjoy HIIT at all, but assumed that long duration cardio was useless so they didnt’ do that anymore either… they ended up gaining more weight.
As fitness experts we can’t be narrow minded. We’ve got to think of what’s in our customers best interests.
There is no one single answer for cardio, resistance training, or diet. It’s time to take a smarter approach and get out of this “My program is better than yours mentality.”
It’s all about compliance and progression. You can do this in a variety of ways and enjoy the journey.
That’s my 2 cents
Scott Tousignant