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Here try this. Workout with weights for the same time it takes you to jog 12 miles. Circuit train for one hour non stop, then run for one hour non stop. Then tell me which burns more fat and calories.
"while those in the resistance group did three sets of eight to 12 repetitions three times per week."
The above quote from the OP's article is not even a damn warm up if you do resistance training correctly.
Brogain HERE. I'm not trying to be personally critical of posters here, but I'm confounded by the foolishness being displayed. Honest people come here for honest answers, and the "revelations" being drummed up here, or shall I say, invented, are quite unethical. If you find the urge to troll, I suggest you choose a different forum. Thank you and good day.
quote: Please link us to some objective, peer-reviewed scientific studies.....
Scientific studies are fun to read, but my own experience has so often been exactly opposite of what the scientific studies have proven, that I consider it to be more like entertainment than something to base my life upon.
EG: Back in the day when 6 paks abs was something that mattered to me, I focused intensively on ab work for about a month, and lo and behold, the little bit of fat on my gut mysteriously disappeared and just as mysteriously, my ab muscles appeared. The rest of my body stayed pretty much the same. I didn't make any dietary changes, nor any additional changes to my workout routine. The only thing that changed was a more intensive ab workout....and the appearance of my abs. Wish I'd have taken a picture, but my 6 pak ab days are l-o-n-g gone. My gut's still in pretty good shape for 62 yr old guy, but I'd never claim to have the 6 pak look. Moral of the story: in my own experience I found that spot reducing of belly fat can indeed be done.
EG: Back in the day when 6 paks abs was something that mattered to me, I focused intensively on ab work for about a month, and lo and behold, the little bit of fat on my gut mysteriously disappeared and just as mysteriously, my ab muscles appeared. The rest of my body stayed pretty much the same. I didn't make any dietary changes, nor any additional changes to my workout routine. The only thing that changed was a more intensive ab workout....and the appearance of my abs. Wish I'd have taken a picture, but my 6 pak ab days are l-o-n-g gone. My gut's still in pretty good shape for 62 yr old guy, but I'd never claim to have the 6 pak look. Moral of the story: in my own experience I found that spot reducing of belly fat can indeed be done.
You said you didn't make any changes to your workout routine, which leads me to believe you were already a fit individual (probably with low body fat, too). If so, then intensely working your abs would no doubt make them more visible and defined. If the "average joe" (for lack of a better term) who did not workout regularly began to work their abdominal region w/o any form of cardio exercise(s), they would most likely not see the same results you did (as an already fit guy).
I'm an advocate of both weight training and cardio exercise to maximize weight loss, but would recommend the latter to those whose goals are geared primarily towards losing weight.
You said you didn't make any changes to your workout routine, which leads me to believe you were already a fit individual (probably with low body fat, too). If so, then intensely working your abs would no doubt make them more visible and defined. If the "average joe" (for lack of a better term) who did not workout regularly began to work their abdominal region w/o any form of cardio exercise(s), they would most likely not see the same results you did (as an already fit guy).
AGREED! Yes as you surmised I was already pretty fit. Just had a bit of fat on my gut. I think the less fit, more fat person could achieve the same results. It would just take them longer than it took me. But they could do if they stuck with it. Based on my personal experience I believe that spot reducing is not only a realistic expectation...it's a reality. One popular myth of the fitness industry....busted!
Brogain HERE. I'm not trying to be personally critical of posters here, but I'm confounded by the foolishness being displayed. Honest people come here for honest answers, and the "revelations" being drummed up here, or shall I say, invented, are quite unethical. If you find the urge to troll, I suggest you choose a different forum. Thank you and good day.
First thanks for the link. Second, don't get upset because people disagree with you. If you google "spot reduction" you will find most of the links in my post right on the first page, including a link referring to the Danish study in your link. Most of the exercise "authorities" do not believe in spot reducing. You can either believe it or not.
Your link was an abstract of the Danish research. Did you read the abstract? I didn't see where they tested resting tissue. Maybe I'm wrong but they seemed to have exercised the legs and performed a "subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT)" on the legs. Did they actually compare exercising muscles to resting muscles?
Their conclusion, "blood flow and lipolysis are generally higher in SCAT adjacent to contracting than adjacent to resting muscle irrespective of exercise intensity" may or may not prove the validity of spot reducing. I sure don't see it from the study. But I'm neither a Dr nor a researcher.
At the bottom of the article you linked to under "Articles citing this article" is another link:
Their research seems to be related but don't ask me what it means. It almost sounded like they were saying the issue needed more study. But their article was mostly over my head.
You should do both, but with weight training you only need to do 2-3 times a week. While running/jogging is more effective when done between 4-6 times a week.
Thanks for the link, Clinton. That's the first study I've seen that suggests spot reducing *may* be possible.
Does that one article/study trump all the others that have been done that say spot reducing does NOT work? Not in my book, but I'm not a Dr.
In my experience, and the experiences of people I know, spot reducing does not work.
So, like most things in fitness, it seems the issue is far from settled...
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My 2 cents
