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Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?: Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise Paperback – Illustrated, May 24, 2011

by Alex Hutchinson (Author)

4.4 581 ratings

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Award-winning journalist, physicist, and bestselling author of Endure Alex Hutchinson reveals the little-known and often surprising truths that science has uncovered about exercise, ranging from cardio and weights to competition to weight loss.

There's plenty of conventional wisdom on health and fitness—but how much of it is scientifically sound? The truth is: less than you'd think.

In Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?, physicist and award-winning journalist Alex Hutchinson tackles dozens of commonly held beliefs and looks at just what research science has—and has not—proven to be true:

Should I exercise when I'm sick?
Do I get the same workout from the elliptical machine that I get from running?
What role does my brain play in fatigue?
Will running ruin my knees?
To lose weight, is it better to eat less or exercise more?
How should I adapt my workout routine as I get older?
Does it matter what I'm thinking about when I train?
Will drinking coffee help or hinder my performance?
Should I have sex the night before a competition?

This myth-busting book covers the full spectrum of exercise science and offers the latest in research from around the globe, as well as helpful diagrams and plenty of practical tips on using proven science to improve fitness, reach weight loss goals, and achieve better competition results.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Authoritative and easy to use. . . . This book answers all the big questions.” — Amby Burfoot, Runner’s World

“Factual, informative and empowering....a refreshing perspective on fitness and well-being.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Once in a while in the crowded fitness & health genre a book comes out that stands out from rest...[I]f there’s only one fitness book you ever buy this should be the one.” — BC Living

From the Back Cover

There's plenty of conventional wisdom on health and fitness—but how much of it is scientifically sound? The truth is: less than you'd think.

In Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?, physicist and award-winning journalist Alex Hutchinson tackles dozens of commonly held beliefs and looks at just what research science has—and has not—proven to be true:

Should I exercise when I'm sick? • Do I get the same workout from the elliptical machine that I get from running? • What role does my brain play in fatigue? • Will running ruin my knees? • To lose weight, is it better to eat less or exercise more? • How should I adapt my workout routine as I get older? • Does it matter what I'm thinking about when I train? • Will drinking coffee help or hinder my performance? • Should I have sex the night before a competition?

This myth-busting book covers the full spectrum of exercise science and offers the latest in research from around the globe, as well as helpful diagrams and plenty of practical tips on using proven science to improve fitness, reach weight loss goals, and achieve better competition results.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mariner Books; 1st edition (May 24, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 317 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 006200753X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062007537
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15.2 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.3 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #541,463 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #535 in Sports Psychology (Books)
- #785 in Anatomy (Books)
- #899 in Sports Training (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 581 ratings

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Alex Hutchinson

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Alex Hutchinson (@sweatscience) is National Magazine Award-winning journalist who writes about the science of endurance for Runner’s World and Outside, and frequently contributes to other publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker. A former long-distance runner for the Canadian national team, he holds a master’s in journalism from Columbia and a Ph.D. in physics from Cambridge, and he did his post-doctoral research with the National Security Agency.

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581 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book informative and well-written. They find it easy to understand and a worthwhile read that provides solid information on exercising. The book explores the actual science and covers many topics, providing readers with answers to questions. Readers describe it as entertaining and educational, mentioning that it offers interesting insights.

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Information quality Readability Value for money Entertainment value Health Surprise content

82 customers mention "Information quality"82 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and useful. They appreciate its solid collection of points about exercising, especially debunking some myths. The book examines the actual science, looking at more studies than any other work to date. Readers find it a good learning tool for people who don't know where to begin, using logical, fact-based reasoning to address many common questions. It is one of the most interesting books for a fitness novice, intermediate, or enthusiast, and relevant.

"...and other experts, what's unique about it is that the author has looked for scientific studies which can help prove or disprove the conventional..." Read more

"...competitive athlete with a PhD in physics, and he uses logical, fact-based reasoning to address many common questions and issues that athletes face...." Read more

"...This book had a range of information, citations if you want to go further into something, was fun and interesting to read, and really well presented...." Read more

"...of ground from footwear, to warm-up routines, mouthpieces, cardio vs. weight training, high-intensity interval training, aging and exercise,..." Read more

49 customers mention "Readability"45 positive4 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They appreciate the clear, concise writing style that cuts through the noise. The opinions are based on sound studies and are well-written. Readers find the content interesting and accessible, with great information organized in an easy-to-consume format. Overall, it's a book that can be picked up and read for just a short period of time.

"...It's organized in a practical way, and you can easily jump from question to question without needing to read each page that came before it...." Read more

"...This is a quick read and all the information is presented in a very accessible way for us laymen...." Read more

"...citations if you want to go further into something, was fun and interesting to read, and really well presented. Totally worthwhile...." Read more

"...5 stars for this fun-to-read, well-written and useful book." Read more

40 customers mention "Value for money"40 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and well-written. They appreciate its unbiased approach and helpful cheat sheets at the end of each chapter.

"...It's the best book I've ever seen in answering the "practical" fitness questions you've ever wondered about in deciding how to exercise...." Read more

"...Totally worthwhile. If you like the kindle sample, buy the book, i was not disappointed with the rest of the book." Read more

"...5 stars for this fun-to-read, well-written and useful book." Read more

"...is excellent—informative, well researched, and worthwhile, if you’re an athlete addicted to soaking up readable sport science...." Read more

7 customers mention "Entertainment value"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book entertaining and educational. They say it's easy to read.

"...of information, citations if you want to go further into something, was fun and interesting to read, and really well presented. Totally worthwhile...." Read more

"A very readable and entertaining book, based around the exercise science research...." Read more

"...It is both informative and entertaining. Thank you!" Read more

"...Regardless, each question and answer is informative and entertaining...." Read more

4 customers mention "Health"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book helpful for leading a healthier life. They mention it offers tips on aging, exercise, and supplements.

"...cardio vs. weight training, high-intensity interval training, aging and exercise, supplements and so forth...." Read more

"...whether a competitive athlete, or someone concerned about optimum health and longevity...." Read more

"...Can warmly recommend it to anyone interested of leading a happier, healthier life." Read more

"...all the available science to clearly indicate whats the best avenue for general health and even performance. Loved it." Read more

4 customers mention "Surprise content"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book has interesting surprises for old believers. They say it makes for some interesting discussions.

"...Some of the information is also useless to me, but still interesting and entertaining...." Read more

"...book, a lot of myths busted based on the latest research and surprises every chapter. A good read and informative." Read more

"I'm really enjoying the read and sharing the wisdom - makes for some interesting delates." Read more

"Great book to read. It is full of interesting surprises for us tried and true old believers." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

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Justin T
A must-have fitness book
Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2011
Verified Purchase
Whether you exercise to stay healthy or are a serious athlete in training, this book is a must-have reference book. It's the best book I've ever seen in answering the "practical" fitness questions you've ever wondered about in deciding how to exercise. If you're going to be spending hundreds or even thousands of hours in training, this book will help make sure you're not wasting it. It's organized in a practical way, and you can easily jump from question to question without needing to read each page that came before it. This makes it a good reference to come back to as you continue to change your workout routines over time.

While the book consults with sports doctors, physiologists and other experts, what's unique about it is that the author has looked for scientific studies which can help prove or disprove the conventional wisdom you hear in the gym. Though the author was a former competitive athlete, he leans more heavily on his PhD background to help you understand what scientific studies have shown about the best way to exercise. This helps you to cut through the marketing hype and locker room folklore so you can decide how best to exercise for what you want to accomplish. And, where the science isn't conclusive, he tells you that, which I like. I've already found two or three improvements in how I would exercise.

So what does the book cover? Well, just about every exercise question I've ever wondered about and a few dozen more. And there are as many topics for the serious athlete as there are for the casual exerciser so this would make a good reference for both. Good ones that come up for people often:

- Is running on a treadmill better or worse than running outside?
- Do I need strength training if I just want to be lean and fit? (or also: Why should I do cardio if I just want to build my muscles?)
- Does listening to music or watching TV help or hurt my workout?
- What are the benefits of yoga for physical fitness?
- To lose weight, is it better to eat less or exercise more?
- Will running on hard surfaces increase my risk of injuries?
- Do I need extra protein to build muscle?

Good ones for more serious athletes:
- Should I carbo-load by eating pasta the night before a competition?
- What is lactate threshold and should I have mine tested?
- What should I do with wobble boards and exercise balls?
- Is there any benefit in deliberately training with low energy stores?
- How should I adjust my training in the final days before a competition?
- Should I be taking probiotics?

With 270 pages of material, I can't list everything I found interesting but my wife is already bugging me to take the book after I'm done so I'm quite happy with the purchase.

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89 people found this helpful

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Zozer
A breath of fresh air in an industry brimming with garbage
Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2012
Verified Purchase
Whether you're new to the world of health and fitness or a veteran, you know how hard it is to sort the true, workable principles from the junk and "broscience" ("Bro, doing dumbbell presses on the exercise ball builds an awesome chest!").

Popular workout magazines are FULL of false, misleading advice, and their primary mission is to SELL PRODUCTS for the supplement companies that own them (yup)--not teach you sound, scientific principles of getting bigger, leaner, and stronger. The Internet forums are even worse, and very often, trainers don't have a clue what they're doing or talking about.

With so much confusion abound, what are you to do?

There's where books like Cardio or Weights come in. The author was a competitive athlete with a PhD in physics, and he uses logical, fact-based reasoning to address many common questions and issues that athletes face. Things such as...

How effective is High Intensity Interval Training, really? Is the hype justified?

Can exercise increase risk of a heart attack?

How much is "enough" exercise?

How long does it take before I'll start seeing results from weight lifting?

What times are the day are best for training?

And more...

Mr. Hutchinson calls in the wisdom of many recognized, accredited experts in training, medicine, and physiology, and shares a wealth of scientific studies to help shed light on the various issues addressed in the book. In some cases, the findings are absolutely clear. In others, however, scientists aren't sure exactly why certain phenomena occur, and the author doesn't try to pretend he knows all the answers.

This is a quick read and all the information is presented in a very accessible way for us laymen. It's not thesis paper that whumps you over the head with a sledgehammer of technical jargon that you can't make heads or tails of. I learned quite a bit from this book and have already picked up a few tips that I will use to improve my exercise routine.

Getting in shape takes quite a bit of time, effort, and dedication, and I recommend that you read books like this to help you get the most out of what you put into it. This book will help steer you in the right direction and avoid pitfalls that cause so many others all kinds of problems and frustrations.

P.S. I also really liked Muscle Myths: 50 Health & Fitness Mistakes You Don't Know You're Making (The Lean Muscle Series), which takes the same approach as Cardio or Weights. It debunks some really commonly accepted training, diet, and lifestyle myths, and it taught me quite a bit about how to achieve my health and fitness goals quicker and easier.

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55 people found this helpful

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-A.
i go back to this book again and again
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2013
Verified Purchase
As a beginning exerciser, this book had most of the issues discussed in researching fitness from various sources. Id read or learn information somewhere and instead of facts, which are actually pretty hard to find in fitness reading, id find a lot of conflicting bits and pieces. Id have a question, and find lots of products but not much about how my body works or why id have a particular experience. This book is like a literature review of scientific studies done on all those little and not so little questions and debates about fitness and exercise. The author gives this bit, then that bit, from each study of a topic, and then gives an overview of the answer, with a lot of "it depends on the situation" yet still with specific conclusions and answers. Which is GOOD.

So, as i progress in my own training and have a question, and i keep reviewing different parts of the book when i remember a topic in it that suddenly has a relevance. And the chapters have specific information but really are a compass to help navigate a lot of information out there that is conflicting and confusing and often just out there to sucker you into buying a product. This book had a range of information, citations if you want to go further into something, was fun and interesting to read, and really well presented. Totally worthwhile. If you like the kindle sample, buy the book, i was not disappointed with the rest of the book.

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15 people found this helpful

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A
Good
Reviewed in Germany on October 18, 2023
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Good

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Karthik
Excellent book.
Reviewed in India on February 25, 2018
Verified Purchase
Thorough book that separates Facts from Myth. Author quotes every research done so far about every aspect of cardio and weights. Note that this book is not about how to train your body.

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Mr. R. C. Whittaker
Good summary of current science
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2016
Verified Purchase
Nicely thought through and organized summary... in particular the evidence is laid out so you can estimate the significance of results for yourself.

Would recommend in particulate for intermediates, who do not benefit from having a personal trainer, but still want to customize their training.

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Utente Amazon
Libro interessante
Reviewed in Italy on October 19, 2016
Verified Purchase
Letto volentieri questo libro che spiega miti e verità dell'attività fisica. Interessante per tutti e non solo per atleti.
consigliato a chi vuole fare attività fisica con criterio senza perdere tempo in cose che non hanno un riscontro scientifico e non sono di provata efficacia

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Charly Pazdor
Great Book about the science of Exercise
Reviewed in Canada on August 21, 2013
Verified Purchase
The book is very readable -- broken down into themed chapters with sub-sections (effectively articles) addressing a related topic and all followed by a useful summary at the end of each chapter.
The author does an outstanding job of substituting facts for impressions. The book refers to a number of studies relating to exercise -- like stretching, nutrition, aging. In some cases, showing what really works and what might be described as myth (or at least, what is not supported by research).
While you can read it straight through, my suggestion is to pick the chapters and the articles that are of greatest interest to you, then get around to the others when you have time.
I've been a runner and a reader about running for 35 years and I feel that I learned a lot.
I highly recommend the book.

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