Should You Even Bother With Cardio?
Aaron Wickline
Article Summary
The article "Should You Even Bother With Cardio?", written by Aleisha Fetters in the U.S. News and World Report on March 25, 2016, compares strength training with cardio workouts and the benefits of strength training in fat loss and improvement in overall health. Throughout her study, she compared people who lifted weights versus those who simply did cardio. She found that people who lift weights are able to burn calories more efficiently while simultaneously building muscle. However, Fetters explains that cardio workouts burn calories from fat and muscle which requires more recovery time to rebuild the muscles used during the workout. She also explains that weight lifting allows you to maintain improved overall health while burning fat, however, it is still important to include some form of cardio in your workout to establish heart and lung efficiency. Finally Fetters concludes with the fact that fitness is an important part in improving overall health regardless of the results you are trying to achieve.
Article Critique
Aleisha Fetters, the author of the article, is a freelance Health and Wellness reporter at U.S. News & World Report, a well-known, reputable website and information center. She is a reliable and credible author based on her ability to provide topical information backed up by data and facts. U.S. News & World Report provides the public with key information about popular topics that are current and newsworthy. The argument she makes related to the ever-standing debate on benefits and types of exercise as it relates to overall health is supported by credible information that is evidence-based and ultimately provides increased reliability and credibility. Fetters provides information in an article with includes data based on a 2015 Obesity Study that was conducted by researchers at Harvard University. This study followed 10,500 men for 12 years to determine which type of exercise was more effective in accomplishing weight loss goals. In addition to this study, Aleisha Fetters includes additional input from Brad Schoenfeld, the assistant professor in exercise science at Lehman College in New York. He is able to provide fact-based statements such as, "Without question, lifting weights is the most important thing you can do in the gym for your health", along with many other examples. She also explains why cardio is such an important component in all workout regimens. Fetters includes support for the information she provides by citing another credible source, Dean Somerset, an Alberta-based kinesiologist and certified strength and conditioning specialist. All of the information that Fetters references in her article, along with the information she includes from the industry experts, Schoenfeld and Somerset, provides a concise, fact-based legitimate article that people want to read. The arguments she presents are valid and considered credible. Her articles are taken seriously by those interested in fitness, whether they want specific information on topics like ways to lose body fat or simply learning about ways to improve their overall health.