The health writer Mark Sisson has a compelling theory that the consistent aerobic exercise we typically consider to be part of healthy lifestyle can actually be bad for you. He outlines this theory on his blog, "The Case Against Cardio," at MarksDailyApple.com.
In his book, "The Primal Blueprint" Sisson presents a comprehensive and compelling lifestyle plan based on the diet, exercise habits and lifestyle behaviors of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, whom he idealizes into a primal human role model named "Grok."
The idea that suffering and struggling through obsessively consistent workout routines at a mild-to-severely strenuous pace might not be the best idea is gaining some momentum these days. Strength coach Steve Maxwell (maxwellsc.com) put together a bulleted list on his website of some of the dangers of doing cardiovascular exercise too often or too hard:
1. Oxidative Stress
This causes a breakdown of tissues. It also predisposes one to cancer and heart attack.
2. Elevated Cortisol Production
This causes a breakdown of muscle tissue and increases fat storage, or "depot" fat. People do aerobics to alleviate stress yet end up creating more stress.
3. Lowered Testosterone and HGH Levels
For men, aerobics are a form of chemical castration. Low T-levels are associated with lowered libido, depression, anxiety, increased body fat and decreased muscle tissue. This contributes to muscle-wasting and lowers the basal metabolic rate.
4. Increased Appetite and Binge Eating Patterns
Aerobic exercise makes people hungry.
5. Excessive Muscular Fatigue
This makes it difficult to do other, more productive forms of activity; aerobics creates muscular weakness.
6. Conversion of Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibers to Slow-Twitch
The loss of fast-twitch muscle fibers contributes to aging and the loss of explosive power and speed; people become slower and slower.
7. Burns a Relatively Small Amount of Calories vs. Time Spent
One large meal completely offsets the pitiful amount of calories burned in an hour aerobics session.
8. Overuse Injuries to the Feet, Ankles and Knees
This is exacerbated by over-engineered running shoes that cushion the feet in such a way as to create "neural amnesia" where pain is not sensed as well after overuse.
9. Shortening (Deformation) of Muscle Tissue From Repetitive Mid-range (Partial Range) Movements
This creates inflexibility, immobility and muscle imbalances. Besides being tight, the body's postural alignment becomes compromised. Aerobics create tight, inflexible bodies that are in chronic pain.
10. Adrenal Burnout
A consequence of the "feel good" neurotransmitters that also stimulate the release of adrenaline. Adrenaline is the "fight or flight" hormone. Excessive adrenaline creates an addictive response and people going routinely for the so called "high" of running end up with adrenal burnout, which leads to chronic fatigue and depression.
While this list is certainly not pretty, they are most certainly very real consequences from not training properly.
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