Recent discussions about the effects of climbing and running on fat loss have attracted a lot of attention. If you are confused or misled about this, please be patient** in the article below for a more comprehensive view. In the past, a lot of fans have asked me this question, but I haven't paid much attention to it. It wasn't until recently, when several of my personal trainers raised this question with me, that I realized just how impactful this misleading statement could be.
First, let me make a point: if you have the ability to run, you can choose running as your main fat loss exercise. Especially for people who are faster and can stick to a steady pace, running outdoors is better, whether it's to lose fat or improve cardio fitness. Conversely, for people with poor athletic ability, serious problems with running form or even gait, bad knees or heavy weight, if they stick to the treadmill, then I recommend climbing. Climbing can be an alternative to running, but it's definitely not a substitute for running on flat ground. Next, I will analyze the following facts specifically.
Fact 1: Most people, even most fitness trainers, have misconceptions about aerobic exercise. They tend to think simply and crudely that aerobic exercise is only for **. As a result, they will have questions like, "I'm not fat, do I need cardio?" In fact, the main purpose of aerobic exercise is to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, protect heart health, and prevent disease. Despite the fact that energy is consumed during exercise, especially the metabolism of fats and sugars can lead to**, the need for aerobic exercise is not determined by whether you are fat or not, but by whether your cardiorespiratory function is adequate. The impact of weight is only the impact on appearance, while the impact of cardiopulmonary function is related to our health. In addition, there are differences in aesthetics for individuals, and there is no standard weight requirement. No matter how fat or thin, you should do aerobic exercise. If you're interested in how to test if your heart and lungs are doing well, please like in the comment section, if more than a certain number of likes, I will post a separate article about the test.
Fact two:All kinds of human locomotor movements rely on the three major energy systems and the ATP produced by the oxidation of phosphoric acid sources, glycogen and fats. In these energy systems, the energy we consume comes mainly from sugars and fats. Therefore, the more energy is consumed, the more sugar and fat will be consumed, and the fat loss will be better. This statement is theoretically useful and reasonable. In practical application, if a person's running technique is not good and the speed is slow, the energy expenditure will be lower. I have a real case where every night I took my daughter-in-law out for a walk, and for several days in a row, I met a little fat man who ran at a very slow pace, strictly speaking, it can't be counted as running, because the speed is too slow, basically equivalent to a brisk walk. In addition, his movements are not the correct running posture at all, but rather a bumpy movement of jumping feet, making a heavy sound when he lands. This is what we call the wrong way of running that hurts your knees. For this person, climbing, cycling, swimming, or rowing machine are more effective in losing fat than running. If nothing else, I haven't seen him in a long time. It may be that the results are not ideal, and they try other methods, or they simply stop exercising. Therefore, controlling your heart rate is key, whether it's running or climbing.
Fact three:Changes in heart rate are associated with energy expenditure. For a given person, the higher the heart rate, the faster the blood is transported and the more oxygen is taken up by the lungs. As a result, breathing increases at a high heart rate, the amount of oxygen carried in the blood increases, and thus more energy is released per unit of time. However, the trade-off is that the duration may be shortened. Conversely, if the heart rate is too low, although the duration can be extended, the energy consumed per unit of time is also lower. As a result, the so-called optimal fat-burning heart rate has emerged, which guarantees both high efficiency and extended time. Overall, whether you're running or climbing, controlling your heart rate is key. Of course, for high-intensity interval training, both the improvement of physical fitness and the total energy expenditure during and after training are not inferior to those used to be. In addition, high-intensity interval training is shorter. However, this training requires higher athletic capacity as a support.
Finally, to sum up: first of all,When discussing the fat loss effects of aerobic exercise, more attention should be paid to heart rate than to form of exercise。Secondly,If you have problems with your running technique, or if you are slow or even can only do it on a treadmill, then climbing is indeed a good option。Third,For those who are more inclined to run, especially outdoor runners with immature skills, over-reliance on treadmills may affect the effectiveness of exercise。Finally, the most important conclusion is that aerobic exercise is good for heart health, regardless of the form. Whether you are fat or thin, you should stick to aerobic exercise because the question is not whether you can, but whether you are willing to do it. Hopefully, this article will give you some new insights and inspiration.