"It isn't Cardio if it isn't plugged in!" Geoff Neupert

David Whitley had a great post on the Dragondoor.com forum about people being confused about kettlebells and "cardio" training and I thought I would add my 2 cents worth.

Geoff's quote above pretty much nails the issue down. People perceive "cardio" to be what you do on a treadmill, elliptical, etc... but cannot conceive of weight training like kettlebells being a cardiovascular activity. Why?

Because of the message coming from the general fitness industry which separates cardio and strength work and perpetuates the myth of fat burning zones etc... (yes I said the fat burning zone is a myth). Exact heart rate zone training can be tailored for elite athletic performance (think Lance Armstrong - who had a team of exercise physiologist testing and perfecting his heart rate zones for optimal performace but NOT for "fat burning"- oh and are you Lance?) but for the purposes of general fitness and fat loss heart rate monitoring is simply a safe place to start and provides general guidelines.

Also - you sell fewer cardio machines and have to provide space for people to move if you don't promote the "hamster wheel" form of fitness to people. The fitness club industry would have to clear space and actually teach people how to move - not going to happen. Hence the Geoff Neupert quote of it having to be plugged in to be considered cardio.

Kettlebells are cardio training. How is a weight training movement a cardio drill?
Let me first ask you a question:
What is the purpose of your heart and heart rate increase during exercise?

To provide oxygen to the working muscles.

And kettlebell swings and snatches work a LOT of muscles in a rhymically repetitve fashion along with rhythmic breathing. You can't beat this form of "cardio".

But - the proof is in the pudding so if you don't believe me - visit a local RKC and start swinging.

Only one spot left for my San Diego Intermediate KB workshop on Feb 2 and the early bird discount ends on January 19 - oh wait that's tomorrow! Better hurry...

We still have space at my Secrets of the Shoulder workshop at The Sporting Club in San Diego on Feb 1 - contact Paul David for details - paul.david@thesportingclub.com