Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?
, by Hutchinson, Alex
- ISBN: 9780062007537 | 006200753X
- Cover: Paperback
- Copyright: 5/24/2011
Award-winning journalist and physicist Hutchinson reveals the little-known and often surprising truths that science has uncovered about exercise, ranging from cardio and weights to competition and weight loss.
Alex Hutchinson is a contributing editor at Popular Mechanics magazine, senior editor at Canadian Running magazine, and columnist for the Toronto Globe and Mail. He holds a master's in journalism from Columbia and a Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge, and he did his postdoctoral research with the U.S. National Security Agency.
| Introduction: What This Book Is (and Isn't) | p. 1 |
| Getting Started | p. 6 |
| How long does it take to get in shape? | p. 6 |
| Am I exercising enough? | p. 8 |
| Which should I do first: cardio or weights? | p. 10 |
| Can I get fit in seven minutes a week? | p. 12 |
| Can exercise increase my risk of a heart attack? | p. 15 |
| Will exercising in cold air freeze my lungs? | p. 16 |
| When is it too hot to exercise? | p. 19 |
| Should I avoid exercising outside when air pollution is high? | p. 20 |
| How will exercise affect my immune system? | p. 23 |
| Is motivation to exercise genetic? | p. 25 |
| How long does it take to get unfit? | p. 27 |
| Fitness Gear | p. 31 |
| Is running on a treadmill better or worse than running outside? | p. 31 |
| Is the elliptical machine just as good as running? | p. 34 |
| Do I really need specialized shoes for walking, running, tennis, basketball, and so on? | p. 36 |
| Will running barefoot help me avoid injuries? | p. 38 |
| Will compression clothing help me exercise? | p. 40 |
| Does walking with poles give me a better workout? | p. 42 |
| Are sports video games real workouts? | p. 44 |
| What should I do with wobble boards and exercise balls? | p. 46 |
| Can a mouthpiece make me stronger, faster, and more flexible? | p. 48 |
| Is there any benefit to strengthening my breathing muscles? | p. 51 |
| The Physiology of Exercise | p. 56 |
| What role does my brain play in fatigue? | p. 57 |
| Does lactic acid cause muscle fatigue? | p. 59 |
| Why do I get sore a day or two after hard exercise? | p. 61 |
| What is ôVO2maxö and should I have mine tested? | p. 63 |
| What is ôlactate thresholdö and should I have mine tested? | p. 66 |
| How can I avoid muscle cramps? | p. 68 |
| What's happening when I get a stitch? | p. 70 |
| At what time of day am 1 strongest and fastest? | p. 72 |
| Aerobic Exercise | p. 76 |
| Why should I do cardio if I just want to build my muscles? | p. 76 |
| How hard should my cardio workout feel? | p. 79 |
| How do I determine my maximum heart rate? | p. 81 |
| What's the best way to breathe during exercise? | p. 83 |
| Will running on hard surfaces increase my risk of injuries? | p. 85 |
| Do I run ôwrongö? | p. 88 |
| What's the best way to run up and down hills? | p. 90 |
| Does pumping my arms make me run faster? | p. 92 |
| Do spinning classes offer any benefits that I can't get from biking on my own? | p. 94 |
| Will taking the stairs make a real difference to my health? | p. 96 |
| Strength and Power | p. 99 |
| Do I need strength training if I just want to be lean and fit? | p. 100 |
| How much weight should I lift, and how many times? | p. 101 |
| How do I tone my muscles without bulking up? | p. 103 |
| What's the difference between strength and power? | p. 106 |
| Free weights or machines: what's the difference, and which should I use? | p. 108 |
| Can body-weight exercises like push-ups and sit-ups be as effective as lifting weights? | p. 111 |
| Can lifting weights fix my lower-back pain? | p. 113 |
| Will I get a better workout if I hire a personal trainer? | p. 115 |
| Do I need extra protein to build muscle? | p. 117 |
| Flexibility and Core Strength | p. 121 |
| Will stretching help me avoid injuries? | p. 121 |
| Could stretching before exercise make me slower and weaker? | p. 124 |
| Do flexible runners run more efficiently? | p. 126 |
| How should I warm up before exercise? | p. 128 |
| Will stretching after exercise help me avoid next-day soreness? | p. 131 |
| Where is my ôcore,ö and do I need to strengthen it? | p. 133 |
| What are the benefits of yoga for physical fitness? | p. 136 |
| What are the benefits of yoga for overall wellness? | p. 137 |
| Injuries and Recovery | p. 141 |
| Ouch, I think I sprained something. How long should I stay off it? | p. 141 |
| Will a post-exercise ice bath help me recover more quickly? | p. 145 |
| Will a heat pack or hot bath soothe my aching body? | p. 147 |
| Will massage help me avoid soreness and recover more quickly from workouts? | p. 149 |
| Should I take painkillers for post-workout soreness? | p. 151 |
| How long does it take to recover after a marathon or other long, intense effort? | p. 153 |
| Can ôplatelet-rich plasmaö cure my tennis elbow or Achilles tendon? | p. 155 |
| How can I reduce my risk of stress fractures? | p. 157 |
| Should I exercise when I'm sick? | p. 159 |
| Will having a few drinks affect my workout the next day? | p. 160 |
| Exercise and Aging | p. 164 |
| What's the cumulative effect of all the exercise I've done over the years? | p. 164 |
| Will running ruin my knees? | p. 167 |
| How should I adapt my workout routine as I get older? | p. 169 |
| How quickly will my performance decline as I age? | p. 171 |
| How can I stay motivated to exercise as my performances decline? | p. 173 |
| What are the pros and cons of exercising in water? | p. 175 |
| What type of exercise is best for maintaining strong bones? | p. 177 |
| Can exercise keep my DNA from aging? | p. 180 |
| Weight Management | p. 183 |
| Is it possible to be fat and healthy at the same time? | p. 183 |
| Is weight loss simply the difference between ôcalories inö and ôcalories out?ö | p. 186 |
| To lose weight, is it better to eat less or exercise more? | p. 188 |
| How can I take advantage of the ôfat-burningö zone? | p. 190 |
| Won't exercise make me eat more and gain weight? | p. 192 |
| Can I lose weight while gaining (or maintaining) muscle? | p. 194 |
| Is lifting weights better than cardio for weight loss? | p. 196 |
| Will I burn more calories commuting by bike or on foot? | p. 198 |
| Can I control hunger by manipulating my appetite hormones? | p. 201 |
| Will sitting too long at work counteract all my fitness gains? | p. 202 |
| Nutrition and Hydration | p. 206 |
| Should I carbo-load by eating pasta the night before a competition? | p. 206 |
| What should I eat to avoid stomach problems during exercise? | p. 208 |
| What should I eat and drink to refuel after working out? | p. 211 |
| How much should I drink to avoid dehydration during exercise? | p. 213 |
| Is it possible to hydrate too much? | p. 215 |
| What ingredients do I really need in a sports drink? | p. 217 |
| Will taking antioxidant vitamins block the health benefits of exercise? | p. 220 |
| Should I be taking probiotics? | p. 222 |
| Will vitamin D make me a better athlete? | p. 224 |
| Is there any benefit to deliberately training with low energy stores? | p. 226 |
| Can I get the nutrients I need for a heavy exercise regimen from a vegetarian or vegan diet? | p. 228 |
| Mind and Body | p. 232 |
| If my brain is tired, will my body's performance suffer? | p. 232 |
| Does it matter what I'm thinking about when I train? | p. 234 |
| Does listening to music or watching TV help or hurt my workout? | p. 237 |
| Will I perform better under pressure if I focus harder? | p. 239 |
| Can swearing help me push harder in a workout? | p. 241 |
| Is there such a thing as ôrunner's highö? | p. 243 |
| Will taking a fitness class or joining a team change my brain chemistry during workouts? | p. 245 |
| What are the effects of exercise on the brain? | p. 247 |
| The Competitive Edge | p. 251 |
| How should I adjust my training in the final days before a competition? | p. 251 |
| Should I have sex the night before a competition? | p. 254 |
| Can drinking slushies boost my performance on hot days? | p. 255 |
| Will drinking coffee help or hinder my performance? | p. 257 |
| Does competing in front of a crowd improve performance? | p. 259 |
| How much sleep do I need for optimal physical performance? | p. 261 |
| How should I pace myself in a long-distance race? | p. 263 |
| Is endurance or sprint speed more important in field sports like soccer? | p. 265 |
| Conclusions: From Lab to Gym | p. 268 |
| Acknowledgments | p. 271 |
| References | p. 273 |
| Index | p. 310 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
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