I've been observing people at the gym during my cardio workouts. It's interesting to observe gender roles with respect to their fitness approach. While some women lift, it's like the men's fears of the night must entirely revolve around a treadmill.

Again, it is pertinent to understand why we do what we do. What are we training toward? In that context, what should be prioritized?

I see a lot of overweight men at my gym lifting—and lifting only. Today, I watched a 50-something do assisted pull ups with a band. Now, I love-LOVE the idea of a bodyweight regimen. But, if somebody needs a cheat to do a pull up, instead, reallocate that time into something that melts off the fat poundage.

Unless it's purposeful strength building, what good is it to build lean mass only for it to hide behind a thick slab of fat? And what good are doing pull ups when one is just too fat to do any? Clearly, his life focus isn't climbing over something—maybe digging into another bucket of fried chicken.

Cardio is king for fat loss. Yes, additional lean body mass increases BMR, but only marginally. Cardio simply burns many more calories than resistance. And when I have 200,000+ calories in storage, do I need to do something that gives me more strength or something that will get those calories out the door? I don't want a hoarder body.

I suppose people lead directionless lives in the gym and rely on a monkey see, monkey do approach. Weightlifting is sexy: the barbarian clanging the guttural grunts; dieting and cardio is not. Perhaps the disconnect is simply when obese people see sub-8% bodyfat bodybuilders wrecking the gym like King Kong in Tokyo, it is believed that level of success is from the fireworks—as if the bodybuilder started from a place of a McLovin' life. Yet, diet and cardio—not resistance—has given me a 70+ lb weightloss so far this year and will lead me to 134 lb by EOY. And while they're hammering out more reps while drinking orange soda (true story), I'm striding ever closer to my goals.

In context to all of this, I'm taking resistance out of my program. It's just not time for it. I don't need more strength; I need the economy of movement provided by the slashing of unnecessary (and frankly, dangerous) fat weight.

And I'll do pull ups one day...unassisted.