Cardio Sucks: The Simple Science of Losing Fat Fast...Not Muscle (Muscle for Life)

I'm not a super fitness buff. I work out because I care about my overall health and the way that I look. This book is basically some very good ways to build a leaner stronger physique and get yourself into some pretty good cardiovascular shape as well. You can always push yourself harder and harder if you want to get into the upper-echelons of cardiovascular fitness and I believe this book will equip you with those tools. I used to gruel away at 5-6 mile runs, long two-hour swim sessions, etc. I've tried Navy SEAL fitness routines as well as practiced Chinese Martial Arts for many years, so I'm no stranger to hard work and pain, but I've honestly seen more results in two-months of utilizing Mike's recommendations in this book than I have in years or pushing myself through grueling workouts 5-6 days a week. Aside from that, the author Mike Matthews is just a great guy and is genuinely out there to inform people and help them get into the best shape of their lives and be happy with the way they look and feel.

Although this book is only 56 pages long, and I already knew most of what the author was describing, I still think it is a worthwhile book to read especially for those who find themselves strapped for time and need to remember some very important points. One of the most important suggestions the author makes is to find an activity you really enjoy that helps burn fat and retains (or builds) muscle so that you stick to it. So many health clubs, fitness centers and gyms aggressively promote their memberships and really overbook COUNTING on the fact that a good many people will sign up, earnestly attend a few training sessions and/or classes and then slowly, quietly (if not abruptly) drop out never to be seen again with the health club "member" still liable for membership fees they have legally signed a contract agreeing to pay. That is why I was so SIMPLY DELIGHTED when the author included Chapter 11 DANCE THE FAT AWAY WITH ZUMBA. Now THIS was an activity I personally found and was able to stick with! Whatever you do the point is to keep active. Cardio DOESN'T HAVE TO suck! From Chapter 6 BOX YOUR WAY INTO SHAPE to Chapter 14 HEAT THINGS UP WITH HOT YOGA, 15 JUMP ROPING CAN DO WONDERS FOR YOUR BODY. 17 TRAIN LIKE THE BRITISH ARMY and 18 THE CARDIO CORE BLAST there is something for most everybody. There is even a BONUS REPORT 12 HEALTH & FITNESS MISTAKES YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'RE MAKING. Significantly the author does not neglect the importance of nutrition in helping an individual lose weight and/or improve their health and fitness. He emphasizes that "No matter what anyone tells you getting ripped boils down to nothing more than manipulating a simple mathematical formula:energy consumed versus energy expended." (otherwise known as calories in, calories out). "Healthy fat loss isn't as simple as drastically cutting calories, however." the author tells us "If you eat too little, your body will go into 'starvation mode' and sure, it will lose fat, but you will also lose muscle. Plus, worst of all, your metabolic rate will slow down and once you start eating more, you'll quickly gain the fat back (and sometimes even more than you lost). This is what leads to yo-yo dieting." Finally in thie second chapter the author emphasizes "...doing cardio doesn't equal burning fat. It can accelerate fat loss by burning calories and by speeding up your metabolic rate, but whether you actually lose fat or not will be determined by your daily caloric intake and expenditure." I would like to have seen this book a little longer and more developed. There is a little bit of cookie cutter mentality to it (one solution fits all). For instance, I disagree with him about genetics. I think it really IS harder for some people to lose weight because they come from families where historically people tend to be larger and more prone to being overweight eating habits notwithstanding. A number of these people will make valiant attempts to lose weight, eat properly, exercise vigorously on a regular basis and "do all the right things" and STILL not lose a great deal. Also, the whole issue of women, especially post menopausal women having difficulty losing weight was never really addressed. That being said the book is still a nifty little GENERAL guide on helping people lose their disdain for cardio and embrace it as something they can really enjoy and benefit from. For this I would recommend it.

This book is probably the best fitness-related book I've purchased in recent memory. It is extremely concise. I don't mean that it's short, exactly. It *is* short, but packed with good information start to finish. Nothing excess, just good information on practical exercises. If you're anything like me, you'd rather not wade through a bunch of excess prose to get at the heart of the matter with a book like this, and the information here is presented about as directly as I would think possible. I was skeptical at first, being a long-time cyclist who's always loved intense cardio. I gave it a shot, though, because a little while back I got hit by a taxi while riding, and recovery from injury and present lack of a bike led me to get a little softer and rounder than I'd like, and I needed a new, practical approach to getting back into shape. The author delivers 100% effective, practical exercises from start to finish. Even when I'm working 16 hour days, I can fit in something from this book. That counts for a lot. Highly recommended.

I bought this book mostly as confirmation that I was on the right track. For over a year now I regularly do HIIT classes (more specifically full body metcon relying mainly on bodyweight and kettbells): pleased with the results, as over the course of 6 Months I must have dropped 6 to 7 Kgs. Then since the start of the year I took up weights again (based on Mike's other book BLS), so now my plan is 3 days BLS/week and 2 days HIIT/week. Overall a great book, easy to read, clear and to the point. Also some great advices in regards nutrition. Few recommendations from my side though: I think it would be great if the book would also highlight all the less "visible" benefits of cardio: e.g. benefits to the heart, benefit to energy levels, positive attitude/mindset, and stress reduction to mentino a few. Certainly, when I started off Hiit, I saw first hand my energy levels going through the roof, and my positiveness going way up, and my stress levels going down.

I would just love to give a full, favorable review for one of Michael Matthews' books. He is knowledgeable, straight-forward, honest, and a good example for fitness enthusiasts. Furthermore, at a mere $.99 for the Kindle copy, how can you go wrong? I certainly can't judge him harshly for his aerobic primer simply because I have read of heard some of his advice elsewhere. My criticism is two-fold: First of all, I objectively think that I need to read a more elaborate fitness manifesto that I can sink my teeth into, and #2.) I love his overview, but his ending is abrupt and not as helpful as his earlier writing. At the end he recommends the following exercises for strengthening your core: "Captain's Chair Leg Raise," "Bicycle Crunch," "Crunch," "Cable Crunch," and "Ab Wheel"--all of which are great, but for those who aren't familiar, these names mean nothing without a description, instructions, or some pictures to instruct the reader. You have to go to the gym and ask others what these exercises are and how to do them. Fortunately for me, I know three of the four, but I don't know how to do one of them correctly. As a head's up, I want to give Michael Matthews another chance. I have purchased 'Beyond Bigger, Leaner, Stronger' because I know, deep down, Matthews is an expert fitness writer. Given the multiple five-star reviews and the nearly three-hundred pages of content, I believe that he will not let me down, and I will be able to reciprocate in kind with a review I feel in my bones he truly deserves. I am hoping he will reinvent the body building wheel for me like Tom Venuto and John Romaniello have.

Alot of books out there don't live up to their title, butthis one does. In a very short while, Mike Matthews explains how to get around the worst partof working out for people who hate cardio. He helps the reader learn the effective proven methods for burning fatand doing it in as little time as possible actually doing the work. He really does help the reader learn how to apply mximum effort, to create maximum gain, while keeping the time spentdoing the cardio, down to a comfortable portion of the overall workout and fitness scheme. Some of his regular readers will note that he reinforces the points he's made in other books, and adds information not covered elsewhere, so for me, having read his BiggerLeaner Stronger and The Shredded Chef as well as listened to a lot of his podcasts, I've been looking for, and found, how to add the extra missing link to my workouts and have already started to feel the changes over the course of the first two weeks of applying the workout changes outlined. Using Mike's methods outlined across the three books, I've lost 50 pounds in 9 months, and traded an additional 30 pounds of fat into muscle. I've still got a bit to go, but with Mike's plans and advice, I've mapped out what needs to be done, and milestones I'll have along the way. My goal shifted from simply 'wanting to be able to buy standard pants sizes' to wanting to actually achieve a low teen bodyfat percentage. There's already four inches of slack in the thighs of pants I bought in January of 2017

This book popped up in my Kindle recommended reads and I was intrigued by the title. I recently lost weight and yes, I lost a lot of muscle in the process. So much so that I gave up altogether. Nobody wants floppy skin and boney calves. I had a vague idea that next time around I'll try workouts that build muscle. Anyway, enough about me, this book had waaay more info than just how to lose weight without losing muscle. It had chapters on eating a balanced diet that encourages the body to lose fat instead of muscle, types of cardio exercise, tons of ideas for things to try, and even some tips on staying motivated with mini habits. I was seriously impressed. What it did not contain was info on muscle building but considering this book is part of a series I assume that's featured in other books. My only complaint about this book was the calculations to find calories needed from different sources were really confusing. I ended up having to do an internet search to figure it out. Other than that, I'm glad I took the time to read this and plan to read more of the authors books. Don't let the cover intimidate you or make you feel that the book is just for big bodybuilding types.

Great book. Best description of the components that make up a healthy diet that I've ever read. Order of importance: 1. How much you eat 2. Macronutrient balance 3. What you eat 4. Diet timing I've never read it explained quite this way before. A diet pyramid that makes sense, is easy to remember, and it works. I've tried lots of diets like low-carb etc. I've read lots of books about diet, nutrition, and exercise. As explained here, anything based on what you eat or when, is a diet doomed to ultimate failure. I've improved my physique, gained muscle, eat better than ever, and have lost a stubborn 10 lbs. Excellent. Good no-nonsense writing. Great tips on exercise and how different workouts affect your body.

I choice this book because I wasn't sure if I was headed in the right direction in my journey to lose fat and maintain muscle. After reading this book I have much better understanding of how to do just that.

Michael touches every topic required for a successful fat loss.There are topics covering cardio's why,what,when.A good chapter has been done on flexible dieting and i believe this is the correct flexible dieting.Good amount of cardio workouts and meal plans has been given.It's great if you want a book to bust myths and start your plan correctly.Why a four star then...I felt a week by week guide plan on tweaking diets could have been given.Here is the part"The author answers your question directly through his site".And you will love it....

This book is really complete and talk about several types of cardio... This will make you to forget about routine and also help you to get in shape!

Excelente, muy recomendado para todas aquellas personas que realmente deseen cambiar la manera de hacer ejercicio y sus hábitos alimenticios.

A good book, I like this book alot, its easy to understand and follow the advice for a novice. I've read a few exercise and weight loss books before this and to be honest they try too hard to impress and are inclined to ramble on too much developing into a science lesson, thats in no way meant as faint praise of this book mind you, because metabolism, proper nutrition, biology, exercise etc are adequately covered in it, the point is its presented in a way that is understandable. The paragraphs are short and sweet and every subject is broken down and not jumbled together which makes for a good read, I took a great interest in the first three chapters about fat loss and how to eat right, this has helped me recognise where I have been going wrong so I'm beginning to take on board the advice within these pages. There are plenty of exercise routines described to burn those calories but, no drawings/pictures showing you how to do them, however they can be easily found with a quick search, (I know the author has had this brought to his attention elsewhere and is considering it), to sum up its a very useful, inexpensive guide full of concise info on exactly how to go about the right way of fighting the flab.