Cardiovascular Activity Hoax – Cardio as a Panacea
This is the final part in a series on Health Hoaxes that are Destroying Society – The full series is Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, & Part 5
| “I believe it’s jogging or yogging. It might be a soft j. I’m not sure but apparently you just run for an extended period of time. It’s supposed to be wild.” Ron Burgundy hit the nail on the head for this hoax with that quote. A book titled Aerobics was written in the late sixties by Dr. Kenneth H. Cooper. This book advocated cardiovascular activity as the sole requirement for healthy living. Combine this bestseller with bodybuilders like |  |
Arnold Schwarzenegger associating weight lifting with freakishly huge physiques you have got the perfect storm for a health hoax. I don’t think having the body of a wiry marathon runner is the intention of most gym goers. Yet people in the gym always flock to the cardio equipment in an attempt to accomplish all of their fitness goals. I love how forty years later each one of my female clients still asked me “Am I going to get big and bulky?” as if touching a dumbbell and the mere aroma of a protein shake would tack ten pounds of manly muscle on to their frame.
Salvation: Mix It Up. Cardiovascular activity such as running is excellent. Just make sure never to forget all the several options you have to get your ticker really tickin’. Every activity such as playing sports, doing yard work, and going on a rowing machine all tax your body in different ways. Cardio is just a single piece of the fitness pie. Resistance training is much more effective at boosting your metabolism and firming your physique but no activity can bring the results you crave if your energy is coming from a dietary disaster.
Health and Fitness is the best arena to swim against the tide and fight against this ever expanding population. We need to be able to utilize our current technologies but never forget that our bodies were meant for living outdoors not sitting in an office chair. Our actions need to be aligned with the goals we have in mind otherwise it is just like jogging on a giant gerbil wheel. Armed with these fresh fitness outlooks and a little elbow grease, society should be able to avert a WALL-E like weight gain and usher in a much friendlier and firmer future.