Though many of us live sedentary, couch-potato lives, our not-so-distant ancestors were high-performing endurance athletes. Being hunters and gathers, they traversed large stretches of land and led extremely active lifestyles. For them, it was a matter of survival. Researchers from the University of Arizona wanted to see if evolution pushed people to exercise through reward pathways. Spoiler alert: The answer [...]

Gender segregation is running rampant in gyms across the country and around the world. In the cardio section of the gym (with all the treadmills, bikes and ellipticals), you’ll find mostly women. And in the strength training area (with various machines and free weights), you’ll see mostly men. But this isn’t a segregation enforced by gym policies or rules – [...]

The treadmill can be a hugely effective piece of exercise equipment – when used properly. The problem is, many gym-goers make one very big mistake when using it: They hold on to the machine for support while walking or running. Unfortunately, holding onto the machine has some negative consequences: Fewer calories burned. Holding onto the machine makes the exercise easier [...]

In the fitness universe, there’s a lot of jargon and technical terminology. Like “VO2max,” a word you may have heard from a personal trainer or exercise guru. In a nutshell, VO2max is the maximum capacity of an exerciser’s body to transport and use oxygen during exercise – and it’s considered one of the best measures of cardiovascular ability. Once the [...]

I know you’ve been there: You’re 5 minutes into a 20 minute treadmill run. You’re already short of breath – and all you can think about is that you still have 15 minutes of running left. In your mind, you’re already defeated and there’s no way you’re going to finish the run. I like to say that running is 75% [...]

Howdy Davey! I’m starting your weight loss program and I was wondering if you could answer one of my questions. I understand the three types of exercise (resistance, cardio, and stress reduction), but I am wondering if is best to set aside each day to do a different one – or should I cram them all in together? Thanks for [...]

Whether cardio should be done before or after strength training is one of the more hotly contested fitness debates – and it’s a subject that I touch upon in my Ultimate Guide to Working Out. Though there are pretty good arguments on either side, it often comes down to goals. If your goal is weight loss or cardiovascular endurance, then [...]

There’s no doubt about it: Treadmill running is convenient. Rain, sleet, snow or shine – treadmill runners are untouched by weather conditions (unless, of course, you lose power). But for people looking to lose weight, how does the calorie burn of treadmills compare to running outside? There have been a number of studies comparing treadmill running to outside running. The [...]

Hey Davey, I have been doing a lot of cardio recently but have found that in the past four days I weigh four pounds more than usual? Is it water weight? Is it new muscle? What’s going on! Thanks, Jerry Hey Jerry, First things first, four pounds is nothing to fret about. I think I’ve taken shits that are bigger [...]

No trip the gym feels complete without a good run (and subsequent sweat) on the treadmill. I’ve been running for more than a decade – in fact, I first started running for my high school’s indoor track team – and I’ve learned a few tips from coaches and experts along the way. Here are 7 of my absolute favorite running [...]