10
health
Misconceptions
exercise
and training
about
Have exercise misconceptions
prevented you from starting an exercise
programme? Clear up any confusion
and let these exercise tips improve your
workout routine.
By Prof Elmarie Terblanche, Chairperson of the Department of Sport Science at the University of
Stellenbosch. Prof Terblanche writes about research of a practical nature and addresses questions
that are of relevance to athletes at all levels.
18
1
I will burn more fat if I exercise longer at a
lower intensity
So you’ve heard about the “fat burning zone”. In other words, if you
want to lose weight, you need to exercise at a low intensity (a low
heart rate). What few people realise is that you actually burn the
highest proportion of fat while at rest (around 70% of your energy
comes from fat) and by now we know that being a couch potato
doesn’t make you thin. The most important focus in exercise and fat
weight control is not the percentage of energy coming from fat during
exercise, but the total energy cost of exercise, or how many calories
are burned during the activity. The faster you walk, step or run, for
example, the more calories you use per minute. Therefore at low
exercise intensity, you need to exercise for a very long time (far more
than an hour per day) to match the total energy expenditure of a high
intensity workout.
There is a growing body of research supporting the use of highintensity interval training for fat loss. This form of “cardio” takes
less than half the time (typically 12 to 20 minutes) of traditional long
duration cardio and leads to better results, i.e. faster and greater
fat loss, more rapid improvements in fitness and better exercise
adherence.