The Cardio Problem: Wasted Time & Energy

Philip Pape 0:00

If you've been doing hours of cardio every week , expecting it to help with your fat loss , and you're either not seeing the changes you want , you're always feeling exhausted , or you're watching your strength training suffer , this episode will change how you approach cardio . Many people treat cardio as punishment for how much they've eaten . Or they chase meaningless calorie burn through cardio , or they avoid it completely , thinking it destroys their muscle gains , and all three approaches honestly waste time and energy . I'm going to show you the Adaptive Cardio Pyramid , a three-layer framework that tells you exactly how much movement you need for fat loss , muscle growth and longevity , without wasting time . Welcome to Wits and Weights , the show that helps you build a strong , healthy physique using evidence , engineering and efficiency .

Philip Pape 0:56

I'm your host , certified nutrition coach , philip Pape , and we're going to talk about cardio today because you're either spending lots of time on cardio an hour a day , maybe on a treadmill or some sort of machine . Maybe you're sweating through HIIT interval classes , peloton F45 , crossfit style boot camps . Maybe you're tracking all the calories you burn using your wearable , but after weeks or months or maybe you've been doing this for years it doesn't seem to be affecting the scale or , more importantly , your fat loss and body composition , maybe it's causing your lifting performance to decline , and maybe you're always exhausted and it's stressing you out . Anyone or all of these things could be happening when it comes to cardio . And you're not alone , because this is what happens when we treat cardio as kind of this sledgehammer for losing weight , for metabolism , for fat loss , instead of the precision tool that it's meant to be . Now , cardio can definitely accelerate your results and the results we are looking for on the show , which is an improved physique and performance , function , strength , leannessess . It could also extremely undermine those results and those goals , and so the difference between them comes down to having a strategy rather than just showing up and treating cardio as kind of an afterthought . Right , if we're going to have a strategy for our lifting and our strength development , why wouldn't we do the same for all the other forms of movement we have in our lives now ? Now , before we get into this framework that I've put together for you it is a three-layer framework that I think will be very time efficient and very adaptive to your needs I want to let you know about something happening .

Philip Pape 2:35

Tomorrow , tuesday , september 16th , I am hosting a live workshop called the Adaptive Cardio Workshop , where I'm going to show you exactly how to build your own personalized cardio plan using the pyramid we're discussing today . We're going to set up your starting metrics . We're going to identify what you're capable of , what your schedule allows , and help you map out how to fit cardio into your life in an enjoyable way that gets you the results , and this is in theory . I'm a big fan of workshops being step-by-step , actual work that you get done and come out of it with a plan that is tailored to your goals , your schedule , your recovery capacity , what protocols , what the timing is , how to layer it with your strength training to get the maximum result . You'll also , in that workshop , get a download called the adaptive cardio guide , only exclusive to people who show up for the workshop , and our eight straight training templates as well , so you can fit that in along with your lifting in an efficient way . Workshop attendees also get a month of access to Physique University included in the price of $27 , and a custom six-month nutrition and training transformation plan that I put for you together for you Again , all included in the $27 for everything . This is tomorrow , tuesday , september 16th , at 12 Eastern . It also includes the replay , so if you cannot attend live , you're still going to get all of that stuff and including the replay . You can register at livewitsandweightscom and if you're already in Physique University , you get this included . So , again , another bonus to people who are in there is that these workshops are free . You can register at livewitsandweightscom for tomorrow's Adaptive Cardio Workshop . If you're hearing this episode after it's done , the link will still work . You can still get the replay and all the bonuses I just talked about .

Philip Pape 4:22

All right , let's build an understanding of why most cardio approaches don't work so well , and then what actually works and how we can put this together . So let me start by destroying some myths . We love busting myths . These are things that are just wasting your time . They are wasting your energy . Okay , myth number one that cardio is the key to fat loss . It's just not .

Philip Pape 4:45

You know , if you go into the gym in January , new Year's resolutions , what do you see ? You see people spending all their time on cardio machines . In fact , most big box gyms that's what I see . I see tons and tons of cardio machines . You know a lot of people using those very few people using the free weights or even the machines , and people are convinced they're going to lose weight , they're going to lose fat

Adaptive Cardio Workshop Introduction

Philip Pape 5:06

, they're going to get the result they want improve their physique doing cardio and the research just does not show this to be the case . Let alone experience an anecdote from working with hundreds of clients .

Philip Pape 5:18

Studies are consistently showing that cardio-only interventions okay , where you just do cardio underperform by 20 to 50% compared to predictions . And the big reason why is because your body compensates Metabolic adaptation occurs and endurance adaptation occurs and you get hungrier . You actually move less throughout the day , so you're neat . Your non-exercise activity thermogenesis actually compensates and comes down . So all of these things your metabolism , your hunger , your compensation through movement it doesn't create the calorie deficit you're looking for , whereas nutrition absolutely does this . Now , cardio can 100% support your fat loss , but it is not the driver of fat loss , and this is where the nuance is important and treating it like the main thing is what's going to make you extremely frustrated and you're going to burn out . And this is often the crux of so many people who find this podcast . And then they're like oh , I see , the missing piece is actually lifting weights . No wonder it's not working for me and no wonder I move more and more and seem to eat less and less and I don't get the result , and that is why Cardio is not the key to fat loss , but it can definitely support it . We're going to talk about that in a bit .

Philip Pape 6:39

Myth number two is that cardio kills gains . So this is kind of the other side of it , where you have people who say I don't have to do any cardio . You know , and I've even used this messaging to a degree where I say you know you can get the result you want , you can build muscle , lose fat and not have to do any cardio . And that's kind of a little bit of a puff word in the sense that cardio can refer to multiple things . It can also refer to walking . So if you're going to include walking in there , then absolutely you want to do cardio . But I'm talking about more intense , metronomic , stressful cardio .

Philip Pape 7:13

People avoid any cardio because they think it interferes with strength gains , are missing out on lots of forms of cardio that can work . That's where I want to separate the two . And this all comes from research on what's known as the interference effect , the idea that cardio blunts the muscle building response , the adaptation that you get from lifting weights . Right , but the key word is excessive . The interference effect only shows up when you're doing high volumes , very , very high volumes of intense cardio that compete with your recovery resources . Now , a lot of you are doing what would be considered excessive , so I don't mean to downplay it either , but some people think an hour a week of running or something is going to just kill all your gains , and it's not . I'm not a huge fan of running . I'm just saying as an example , it's not going to kill your gains . If you're an endurance athlete , if you're a runner , you could still train concurrently and have a hybrid approach to lifting and training that still works .

Philip Pape 8:14

We've talked to some people on the show . Minimal , intelligently programmed cardio is going to actually enhance your recovery . It's going to enhance your performance in several different ways related to health markers , related to your lifting recovery , related to your athleticism . We're gonna talk about it , but , again , it's not gonna just kill gains , right . There was a meta-analysis in 2012 by Wilson and colleagues and it found that low-dose cardio , for example , can improve blood flow , nutrient delivery and recovery between lifting sessions . It is the dose that makes the poison , as with many things .

Philip Pape 8:49

Myth number three is that more cardio more cardio equals better health . This is an important one and to understand why it's a myth . We see people doing lots of cardio , thinking that that is the thing that's gonna optimize their health , their blood markers , their resting heart rate , et cetera , their VO2 max . Whatever they're thinking , they're trying to improve cardiovascular health , quote unquote . But the research consistently shows that it's the volume of your movement , not the intensity , that predicts longevity , and so , if you think about what that means , you can have lots of volume . That's very low intensity , whereas people are hammering home this message on social media that you need to do interval training , even sprinting I love sprinting and we're gonna talk about that but it's not necessary to have really , really great cardiovascular health , like far superior than the average and more than sufficient to have a great health span .

Philip Pape 9:41

Studies tracking hundreds of thousands of people show that around eight to 10,000 steps per day is linked to the lowest all-cause mortality . I think you can go as low as , say , 7,500 , but 8,000 to 10,000 is a good round number or range . And then adding high-intensity work on top of that provides only marginal benefits and that you need to have that foundation of the steps . Now , steps can be metabolic equivalent . It doesn't have to be just walking Again one of the nuances we can talk about but it's general movement , low-intensity movement .

Philip Pape 10:16

So if cardio does not drive fat loss , if it doesn't interfere with muscle gains unless it's overdone , and if

Busting Common Cardio Myths

Philip Pape 10:24

it doesn't require extreme intensity to get the health benefits , then what is the right approach ? And that's where the adaptive cardio pyramid comes in . All right , so I want you to think of cardio as a hierarchy , just like a nutrition pyramid . Or , if anybody's familiar with the muscle and strength pyramids by Eric Helms , same idea . It's the most important things at the bottom and until you do those , you don't worry about the things higher up in the pyramid . You start with the foundation that supports your health and metabolism and then you add layers only as needed for your specific goals . So let's start with the base layer , what I call minimum effective movement . And , by the way , in the workshop tomorrow , we're going to give you a diagram , we're going to give you specifics for each of these , we're going to help you map it out . We're going to give you a week by week plan for the next eight weeks . All of that . But I just want you to understand the concepts today .

Philip Pape 11:10

So the foundation , minimum effective movement is walking and low level movement . So that includes walking , of course . Just normal walking also includes brisk walking , rucking , which is where you add some weight . It could be a backpack , a rucking sack or even a weighted vest , which are all the rage right now . I understand it could be inclined treadmill work , walking on hills , basically anything that keeps you moving at a conversational pace . And we're not even gonna talk about heart rate zones or anything today . That is , in my opinion , unnecessary when it comes to having a totally optimal minimum effective dose cardio plan for yourself . Right ? We want to keep it simple . So your target for the minimum effective movement is going to be measured in steps , because that's one of the easiest proxies to measure with a wearable , with your phone , with time , there's lots of ways to do it . You don't have to have a pedometer , although most people have them today . 7,000 to 10,000 steps per day are equivalent , is really the target , and this works because it raises your non-exercise activity thermogenesis , your NEAT .

Philip Pape 12:14

Neat is the energy that you burn from all the movements . That isn't formal exercise , and I want you to be clear here that formal exercise represents less than 5% of your calorie burn . It's insignificant , whereas NEAT can represent anywhere from 25% to 60% . I mean it can represent a huge amount depending on how much you move that lever . I guess the British say lever , I say lever , so this also includes fidgeting , standing , walking to your car , taking the stairs , going for walks . Neat has the biggest impact on your long-term energy expenditure and fat loss , right ? In other words , you're able to increase your metabolism and eat more food or lose more fat , lose more , you know , be in a bigger deficit because you're moving more in the low stress way . Low level movement . And low level movement is incredibly stackable .

Philip Pape 12:58

You can walk while taking phone calls , listening to podcasts , running errands , being on , you know , zoom calls . It supports digestion when you do it after meals , improves your glucose control right , your blood sugar . It enhances your sleep quality when you do it in the evening , and the research is crystal clear . A 2019 study following over 16,000 people found that mortality risk drops significantly at 8,000 steps and plateaus around 10,000 to 12,000 . So you don't need marathon runners . In fact , running is extremely stressful .

Philip Pape 13:31

I don't even know why I use that as an example . To get longevity benefits , you just need to be getting off your butt and walking right . And there's lots of corollaries to this , having to do with looking at your day , how sedentary you are , how much you walk today . Actually getting to 8,000 if you're currently at three , could seem like a big request , a big challenge , and so I am a big fan of that 0.1% a day improvement . If you're getting 3,000 steps a day now , get 3,500 steps a day next week , inch your way up there , and eventually you'll get there successfully in a sustainable way . So that's the base layer , and I have a lot of other examples that we're going to talk about in the workshop tomorrow . The middle layer is what I call adaptive enjoyment . This is for sustainability and adding extra movement that you wouldn't add if it weren't , for it being something you like , if that makes sense . So once you have that movement foundation and look if you're still getting 3,000 steps a day , you shouldn't even be thinking about this stuff other than you know you do it already anyway .

Philip Pape 14:34

This is the cardio that you enjoy . This could be hiking , cycling , dancing , pickleball , swimming , martial arts right , bjj whatever keeps you coming back , being athletic , moving your body . It helps with other areas that your strength then complements , and when you're doing this , it's usually one or two sessions a week , maybe 20 to 40 minutes . We're not talking about a lot of time , right ? Maybe you're in some sort of league . Maybe it's bowling , whatever . Did I say pickleball ? Yeah , that's popular today . So the key word here when I say adaptive enjoyment is the word adaptive . Your enjoyment and life circumstances are going to change , so your cardio should adapt with it . So maybe it's tennis in the summer , maybe it's indoor assault biking in the winter , or Peloton or something like that . Maybe it's hiking on the weekends and then yoga when you're really busy and you could just need to throw it in .

Philip Pape 15:24

And this layer is really important . It serves multiple purposes that are intentional . First , enjoyable activities have very high adherence rates . You're going to do it . So , even if you've established your step count foundation and one week you just happen to get so busy , you just don't get a lot of steps in . But you're like I got to go to that basketball game Friday . I mean I'm looking forward to that . Think about it . You're going to do it . It's going to reduce your stress , it's fun , it's social .

Philip Pape 15:51

In many cases , a 2018 study by Reljic and colleagues found that adherence to HIIT protocols drop significantly over time compared to moderate activities that people actually enjoy . So , again , you don't want to punish yourself with cardio . I think the base layer we talked about . Most people would agree that , like low grade walking and things like that is pretty sustainable . It doesn't feel like punishment . But once we start getting into the more intense versions of cardio , like even medium intensity cardio , some people feel like it's an obligation , that they hate , that they don't want to do , that it's exercise . We don't want to get your head into that space . So again I'm setting up the argument here that you never have to do high intensity training ever if you don't want to and still get fantastic results . And then the second thing is , besides , having high adherence is fun .

Philip Pape 16:39

Cardio provides variety . It provides psychological benefits beyond just supporting the health and metabolism piece . All the social activities that are out there team sports , group fitness classes I'm okay with those if they are reasonable in terms of

The Adaptive Cardio Pyramid Framework

Philip Pape 16:56

time and intensity and they don't stress you out . They add those community elements that can improve mental health , that can improve your stress management . Some people just love to go into the environment of the gym to have other people around them . So that's the middle layer . And then only then , once you've got the step count , once you've got some fun activities , now you can say , okay , let me add in some deliberate cardio sessions . Now you might be surprised and say , wow , philip really like puts this to the end . Yeah , I do .

Philip Pape 17:25

Because , going back to the argument that you do not even quote unquote need cardio other than walking to get great results , including fat loss , low resting heart rate , low blood pressure , good blood sugar control , all the things you really don't . You really don't . But if you're into optimizing , if you're into performance , if you want to push the needle a little bit more , if you want to improve your VO2 max or , yes , even get a little extra boost with some calorie burn during a fat loss phase or not , then this is where the top of the pyramid is important . It's called precision , precision cardio , and this is where performance matters , where sprint intervals , some structured , high intensity interval training Again , I'm not a huge fan of HIIT , so it's gotta be very intentionally recoverable , let's say .

Philip Pape 18:14

Or more longer steady state sessions , which I'm okay with , medium and low-intensity steady state . That's a little bit more intense than the walking . So for this I would say no more than two sessions a week . One or two sessions a week , start with one . I would say no more than two sessions a week . You know , one or two sessions a week , start with one . Maybe add into again sustainability only if your schedule in your recovery allow , right , don't force it in because that defeats the purpose . So this layer is going to improve specific aspects of cardiovascular conditioning . So this is the the principle of specificity . Just like we train to build muscle and lift weights , if you sprint you can improve your VO2 max , your anaerobic power , your aerobic capacity , your work capacity . I will say a lot of that gets improved just by lifting and walking . Probably 90% of what you need . But if you want to get that other 5% to 10% , that's where this comes in . 5 to 10% , that's where this comes in .

Philip Pape 19:08

Sprinting is particularly powerful for lifters because it is anabolic , it recruits your fast twitch fibers , it helps you preserve your muscle mass because it's very little work to a lot of restroom recovery and it triggers favorable hormonal responses . That's very complimentary to lifting adaptations and you feel like a superhero when you sprint . It doesn't . It's not running . Let me , this is the argument I'm going to make . Sprinting does not feel like running . I am not a big fan of running . I'm not going to say I hate it . Well , you know , I try not to use the word hate , but I kind of almost do . I think most people . But sprinting feels totally different from running , in my opinion , whether it's flat ground or on a machine , because you just it's just like all out power for a very brief moment of time . It is much more closer , in my opinion , to something like doing a deadlift , one RM . You know it's this all out effort just for a brief period of time .

Philip Pape 19:55

So the critical thing I think with the precision layer is that it's like the sprinkles on the top of the pyramid . It is that small of a triangle or a piece of the pyramid . It is not required for fat loss . It it's just not . It's not required for your metabolism . All that meaningful stuff happens in the first two layers , but this last one can add a little extra oomph to the equation .

Philip Pape 20:22

And so many people are flipping this pyramid upside down . They really are there . They skip the walking . You know they might lift weights but then they skip walking . They they don't do anything enjoyable because they're like , focused on getting all the regimented fitness lifestyle stuff in their schedule . They jump straight to suffering through HIIT classes and then they wonder why they burn out or they don't get the results .

Philip Pape 20:46

So I think this framework gives you this big picture . Implementing it is where people get stuck right . How much walking is enough for your situation ? When do I do it ? How do I do it sustainably ? How do you time cardio around your lifting sessions ? What if you hate traditional cardio but you want the precision layer because you've done all the rest and you want to get your performance goals right ?

Philip Pape 21:05

And these are the questions we're going to answer tomorrow in the Adaptive Cardio Workshop . I'm going to show you how to assess your current baseline , how to build your plan from the bottom up . You're going to get eight training templates from Physique University that take all the guesswork out of programming your lifting , if that's what you are interested in . And you're going to get the downloadable adaptive cardio guide that has all the protocols and troubleshooting strategies . Workshop attendees get a six-month nutrition plan from me and a full month of access to Physique University . All of that for $27 . I mean , you can't , I'm not making this up . All of that is included , no strings attached , just $27 . So it's tomorrow , tuesday , september 16th , 12 Eastern register at livewitsandweightscom . Make sure you get a spot before we run out and you will get the replay if you can't make a live but you have to register to get the replay . Again , that's livewitsandweightscom for the Adaptive Cardio Workshop tomorrow .

Philip Pape 21:58

All right , so I want to give you the scientific

Scientific Backing & Common Mistakes

Philip Pape 22:01

backing for why this research , or I should say why this pyramid structure , works so well , and that will set us up to talk about all of the common mistakes . So that's what we're going to cover after this . So , real quick on the science , and then we're going to get into the mistakes that people make and what you should do instead , and then some final I'll say tips on building this up . Even if you can't make the workshop tomorrow , okay , I don't want to leave you hanging .

Philip Pape 22:23

So , going back to the base layer , we know that walking and low level movement work through multiple mechanisms . They increase your daily energy expenditure , but do not trigger hunger , the same hunger that high intensity causes . I think there was a review in 2021 by Helms , and colleagues found that moderate cardio has minimal impact on appetite hormones compared to intense training . Second , walking improves insulin sensitivity and glucose control , especially 15-minute walks after meals , and they tend to have better outcomes than a single longer walk that are not after meals , let's say , although you should walk whenever you're able to walk . Third , there's the muscle protein synthesis angle . Recent research shows that prolonged sitting reduces your body's ability to build muscle , and we're gonna talk about that at tomorrow's workshop in detail , about how you can break that up and improve your muscle protein synthesis through movement . But the moral of the story is don't sit around for hours at a time . So that's the base layer . That's just some of the basic science .

Philip Pape 23:18

The middle layer , the enjoyment layer , the research here is actually pretty surprising and sobering to a lot of people . But we're going to start with a sobering fact Most people quit their exercise programs within six months period . But if it's enjoyable , the adherence rates are significantly longer . Right , and this isn't just up here in the mind . This isn't just psychology . There are physiological benefits to doing activities you enjoy as well . They lower your stress , your cortisol levels more effectively than forcing the exercise . It improves your mood , you release endorphins , it creates positive associations with movement rather than punishment mindsets . And then at the precision layer , the science really depends on your goals . So if it's VO2 max , interval training can be very efficient . But we again are talking about a specific way to do that Very few sessions , very short sprints , lots of recovery , and it doesn't take that long and you can get your conditioning really quickly . When I was in CrossFit , I remember if I had taken off time for a while and then came back to it , the conditioning came back very , very quickly just within a few weeks .

Philip Pape 24:26

For accelerating your fat loss , sprints can be helpful as well , and that's why I think it's not the solution to fat loss . But if you're already doing all the other things , which are , I'll say , the biggest return on investment , sprinting is a nice thing to add in . They create what's called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption , or EPOC , where you burn additional calories for hours after the session because it's just so intense , but in a short , recoverable way , that you get this added benefit to it . They also improve insulin sensitivity and help you preserve muscle mass . Right , there's no real risk there . So that's kind of the basic science .

Philip Pape 24:55

I don't want to get too too nerdy on this . I know you guys love that , but I don't want the episode to be too long . So that leads us to try and understand okay , what mistake are people making that ? The science gives us the rationale for these , right , and the first big mistake is skipping that foundation , like , hopefully you've been convinced that you need that in there . You know , I see people doing like the boot camp classes , but then they get 3 000 steps a day . So they're like building that pyramid upside down and it's just going to create new problems . It's going to stress you out more , cause you to adapt and not do the thing you want , which , at is very basic . It's not going to even burn the calories you want to burn .

Philip Pape 25:32

Mistake number two is Confusing hard effort with effectiveness . Now , that might sound sacrilegious , because when it comes to lifting weights , training hard is important . When it comes to cardio , there's more nuance , because I know lots of clients who came to me doing spin classes , for example . Those are very popular , right 90-minute spin classes and they like feeling wiped when they would go to their lifting sessions . They weren't getting the result , their metabolisms were lower and I said let's just eliminate that for a while , see what happens and all of a sudden they have a much , much less stress , the metabolism increased and they're able to hit more reps in the gym , more weight in the gym and able to progress , and then they can layer in cardio in the right way .

Philip Pape 26:14

Mistake number three is not listening to your recovery signals Very important . Your body's gonna tell you when cardio is helping you and when it's hurting you , if your strength is plateauing , if your sleep feels disrupted , if you're always fatigued , you're probably doing too much or you're doing the wrong type , and so this pyramid concept , this adaptive cardio , should enhance your other goals and not compete with them . Again , we're not talking about endurance athletes that might require some extremes that you have to make trade-offs for . We're talking about people who are prioritizing body composition , fat loss , muscle building . And then the last mistake is more mental than anything , and that is the all or nothing thinking that you have to choose between cardio and lifting , like like I'm a lifter or I'm an endurance person , and that's not really the case . I think what I'm trying to demonstrate today is that you can get the benefits of both without the downsides of either extreme . So I'm going to give you just some tips , just to close out the episode , that are going to help you move the needle forward . I want you to pick one tip today from what I tell you and move it forward Now . If you want to come up with your plan , join us at the workshop tomorrow , livewitsandweightscom .

Philip Pape 27:22

But you want to start by tracking your steps . Very simple . If you're not already doing that it's like tracking your food . You might be shocked by how little you actually move .

Implementation Tips & Workshop Preview

Philip Pape 27:31

And then you're going to gradually increase by 500 to a thousand steps a week . I mean 500 , 500 to a thousand daily steps each week until you get to the target you want . And you want to use movement stacking , you know . Or movement snacking and stacking , I should say so . Stacking is walking while you do other things , snacking is taking breaks , right . And then there's all the other ways to get more movement outside the scope of today's episode . And of course , you can add a little bit of challenge to your walks , if you want , with something like a weighted vest or rucksack .

Philip Pape 28:01

Then the enjoyment layer . This would be just genuinely fun , like if you dread it . I want you to pick something else . Don't let your spouse or friend or whatever force you into a sport you don't look forward to . The goal is the long-term sustainability . The goal is the long-term sustainability . So for this , if you're not doing anything right now , enjoy doing the research and looking around your neighborhood and the town where you live , wherever , to see what's going on . Talk to friends Maybe you already know of things at the local gym or whatever and schedule it in like a very important appointment , but at the time you feel like you can do it reasonably without stress , that you're going to be consistent and you you're gonna enjoy it .

Philip Pape 28:35

And it could be just free form , like a bike ride or going for a hike , right , it doesn't have to be a scheduled activity . And then , finally , we'll get to the top layer . The tip I have for you here , again , only once you've mastered the first two layers is to check out my sprinting episode , which is episode 293 , seven benefits of sprinting to Lose Fat . And that episode will give you a good starting protocol to work from . And , speaking of that , we did do an entire workshop on that sprinting protocol in Physique University . So if you want to join tomorrow's workshop , even if it's afterward , to get the replay , you could also get access to all of those replays , including the one on sprinting . And the total time commitment for sprinting once or twice a week is about five minutes each session . That's it . So the adaptive cardio pyramid is a framework . I love frameworks , I love systems .

Philip Pape 29:26

It's a way to think about movement strategically instead of emotionally or randomly . You're not punishing yourself , you're not making up calories , you're not trying to out-train a bad diet . You're going to use the minimum effective dose of movement to support your physique goals , your health and your performance . Again , most people are looking at this backwards . They start with the hardest , most time-consuming options , the most high-intense . They think that the most intensity is going to burn the most calories in the shortest amount of time . Therefore , it's sustainable and it's not .

Philip Pape 29:52

It is not Walking . Think about it . Is it easy to walk or is it easier to constantly do HIIT sessions ? You know the answer . Is it easier to go do something you enjoy play with your kids or do a sport or is it easier to force yourself to go for an hour-long bike ride ? Right , you kind of understand the trade-offs here . And yet it's not just that there are more or less benefits to each . It's that you're going to do one and the other one you're not . You're gonna stop doing it , and that alone is worth the price of admission here and I want you to remember this that low-level activity improves your metabolic health tremendously , but does not trigger the stress response . Enjoyable movement enhances your adherence and your psychological well-being , again without triggering the stress response , and precision cardio gives you specific adaptations when you properly dose it once you've done the other two . So the beauty of this system is in the name . It's adaptable .

Philip Pape 30:47

If you have a busy week at work , you focus on the base layer . Of course , below that base layer , in my opinion , is your strength training , but that's outside the scope we're saying . On top of that is the cardio pyramid , right ? So , movement snacks , walking meetings , going for simple walks after a meal , even if it's 10 minutes long you can't do 20 , do 10 . You can't do 10 , do 5 . You can't do 5, . Take a break every now and then and do one minute . Your cardio should serve your goals . That's what we're all about here . That's the efficiency , that's the engineering approach .

Philip Pape 31:15

So if you want to take this from concept to implementation , I want you to join me tomorrow for Tuesday's Adaptive Cardio Workshop , where we are going to work together and build your personalized plan using this exact framework . And , yes , if you can't make it , you get the replay and you get the guide anyway , so you can walk through after the fact and put it together as well . You're going to learn how to assess your current movement baseline , set realistic targets for each of the layers . We're going to talk about troubleshooting common problems , and I'm going to share the protocols that I like to use , as well as a whole bunch of examples . I've got some bonuses for you , including a plan for a busy person who has a desk job .

Philip Pape 31:50

What does your day look like to make this all work ? So that's live tomorrow , tuesday , september 16th , at 12 pm Eastern . It's just $27 for all of that , including the replay , whether or not you can attend live Livewitsandweightscom . Looking forward to seeing you there and thank you so much again for listening to Wits and Weights . Until next time , keep using your wits lifting those weights and remember that your cardio should serve your body composition goals , not dominate your life . I'll talk to you next time here on the Wits and Weights podcast .