HOW TO LOSE BODY FAT ON THE LEGS, Part 2a: The Role Of Growth Hormone
Exercise Protocols That Increase Growth Hormone Production
German Body Composition
German Body Composition is a phrase coined by strength coach Charles Poliquin. In the 1980's, the best research on training was coming out of Germany. Charles found the research, translated it, and turned it into a system of exercise specifically designed to lose body fat.
It is a great system for fat loss, and very closely resembles old-style body building circuit training – minimum rests periods, comparably high reps, and full body workouts.
Interval Training – The Un-Cardio
If there is a proper way to do “cardio,” interval training is it. Interval training is actually not cardiovascular in nature, because it uses different energy production pathways. It is a fast / slow method of training.
Low Threshold Type I Fibers and Hormonal Response to Exercise
Cardiovascular exercise uses the low threshold, or slow-twitch, Type I fibers of your muscles. These fibers are built for endurance types of activity, and their affinity for force production is low. The hormonal response that they produce with exercise is correspondingly low.
Cortisol Management and Cardiovascular Exercise
There is plenty of research supporting the idea that extended amounts of cardiovascular work is correlated with higher catabolic, or muscle-wasting, activity, including higher cortisol production.
If you are like most clients I see, your cortisol is too high to begin with (take a look at your waistline; it is a clear indicator of too much cortisol), so engaging in an activity that produces more cortisol is just shooting yourself in the foot from a biochemical standpoint.
