Is cardio a waste of time?

GoalWeight165by2018 · March 2015

I have been reading these boards and I often see posts along the lines of 'lift weights, it's better'
Currently I do a strength + cardio workout MWF, it lasts about an hour total, including warm up and cool down, and it just alternates between a strength move (some with free weights, some along the lines of push ups and other body weight exercise) for one minute and a cardio move for one minute.
And if I can't get to the gym, I ride a stationary bike at home for an hour.
Should I increase, decrease, do something differently?
In the beginning I thought it doesn't matter, just MOVING is better than NOT MOVING, but I'm at the point now where I know I'll do the work, and now i just want to make sure to spend my time efficiently.

_Terrapin_ · March 2015

It depends on your goals. And they are?

jennifershoo · March 2015

Improving your cardiovascular system is never a waste of time.
However, it's not necessary to lose weight. Only a calorie deficit is.
You can achieve that deficit with only food or you can use exercise to help you.
Lifting is a must, to avoid losing muscle mass when you lose weight (and it helps with the saggy skin issues).

sodakat · March 2015

I'd say it isn't a waste of time for the member who posted today in the Success sub-forum after losing 166+ pounds. His "secret"? Eating under 2,000 calories and walking 5 miles a day.

arditarose · March 2015

You're right, moving is better than not moving. Cardio is great for health and helps you get a larger deficit/eat more. How much you do really depends on your goals. For me, I hated it and I wanted to focus on body composition and a work out that was sustainable for life. Lifting heavy/resistance training helps you retain more muscle mass in a deficit.

I think when we say people are doing too much cardio, it is often when the person is doing it 5 days a week, not weight training, maintaining a large calorie deficit, and then wondering why they are "skinny fat" (I hate that term), or are just not happy with their body fat percentage.

Mr_Knight · March 2015

Moving is better than not moving. Moving not-slow is better than moving slow.

Similarly, lifting/pushing something is better than lifting/pushing nothing.

Either define your goals, and figure out a process to get there, or figure out what you like to do enough to stick to, and work out some goals.

Good luck! :drinker:

jimmmer · March 2015

No. c-v fitness, conditioning, whatever you want to call it is part of allround fitness. As is some sort of strength work and some sort of flexibility/mobility/soft-tissue work.

The world is not all A or B. No matter what some anonymous person on an internet forum tells you

How much cardiovascular work you do will be goal-dependant. Ask yourself what your goals are and then you can decide how much (if any) and what kind you want to do.

MeanderingMammal · March 2015

GoalWeight165by2016 wrote: »

I have been reading these boards and I often see posts along the lines of 'lift weights, it's better'

There are a few knuckledraggers around that still spout the cardio is bad for you nonsense, but the vast majority seem to work on the basis of some combination of resistance and CV training. The balance depends on your goals. If the goal is maximisation of muscle growth then CV work does make that slightly more difficult.

Resistance training helps develop strength, and retain lean mass while you're in deficit, CV work helps to drive your calorie deficit, builds aerobic capacity and endurance. Some forms of CV work will have other beneficial physiological effects, but one needs a decent aerobic base to build on.

Personally speaking, I spend most of my training time running, do some cycling, a bit of swimming and some rowing. I do a couple of bodyweight resistance sessions per week, although that's the least interesting part of my plan. I've lost a decent amount of weight and reduced mybodyfat percentage by about a third. So it's not a waste of time.

That said, I can see why lots of people dislike cardio when it involves droning along on ellipticals or stationary bikes inside and air conditioned room. Absolute purgatory.

You won't find many runners or cyclists who don't also do some form of resistance work, as it helps mitigate injury risks and improves performance.

999tigger · March 2015

They both involve movement so both good. They also have unqiue aspects, so ideally you want the benefits of both. Ignore the people who say only do one and diss the other.

tomatoey · March 2015

Cardio can reduce appetite in some people (not everyone has this response but some do) and I've read that it can work synergistically with weight training to help muscles grow - but I'm not sure this is true for all types of cardio at all intensities/durations. Too much can interfere with recovery. It really depends on how you plan out your program - how much weight, volume etc go into your strength stuff vs how much time/intensity goes into your cardio. Ive read that low rep strength training can go well with longer, slower cardio, and that higher reps/lower weights mean you can do more intense cardio.

Hopefully more knowledge able people than me will help out.

BeaBizzy · March 2015

I do have to admit I enjoy my cardio time a whole lot more than the thought of strength training or any form of anarobic exercise. Walking, cycling are great ways to enjoy the outdoors and bump up the calories burned. While important for muscle mass I drugge the thought of weights, body weight, any form of resistance equipment as they are, for me, only found in stinky gyms that I have to travel miles to get to and back from. I'd much rather spend my time outdoors. So my preferance is cardio and as little gym time as possible.

flumi_f · March 2015

My run through the forest yesterday and my bike ride along the stream and uphill to the forest and the field of spring flowers.....nope not a waste of time and even gave a 1000cal burn for the weekend

I like strength exercises too. It's all about the mix and what you like doing, imo.

ameliajane90 · March 2015

As a 5 foot tall female if I don't do some form of cardio I'm stuck eating <1200 calories a day, which sucks. Therefore I bust my butt on the treadmill or elliptical (bad back) and earn some extra calories so that I can maintain a deficit without eating so few calories that it becomes unhealthy. My 6'2 boyfriend with 18,000+ calories a day doesn't always need that extra burn and is fine with strength training alone. I figure it depends on your needs, but just like with your food, balance is key. Do some cardio do some heavy lifting if that's your thing, find what helps you achieve your goal and do THAT!

DangerousDUCK · March 2015

GoalWeight165by2016 wrote: »

I have been reading these boards and I often see posts along the lines of 'lift weights, it's better'
Currently I do a strength + cardio workout MWF, it lasts about an hour total, including warm up and cool down, and it just alternates between a strength move (some with free weights, some along the lines of push ups and other body weight exercise) for one minute and a cardio move for one minute.
And if I can't get to the gym, I ride a stationary bike at home for an hour.
Should I increase, decrease, do something differently?
In the beginning I thought it doesn't matter, just MOVING is better than NOT MOVING, but I'm at the point now where I know I'll do the work, and now i just want to make sure to spend my time efficiently.

Weight trainng will build muscle, improve bone density and "sculplt" a body how you want it, Diet will drop body fat and Cardio is just as important as it'll strengthen the heart and increase your CV capacity so basically they all have their benefits just adjust the amount of each you focus depending on your short term and longer term goals

cwolfman13 · March 2015

GoalWeight165by2016 wrote: »

I have been reading these boards and I often see posts along the lines of 'lift weights, it's better'
Currently I do a strength + cardio workout MWF, it lasts about an hour total, including warm up and cool down, and it just alternates between a strength move (some with free weights, some along the lines of push ups and other body weight exercise) for one minute and a cardio move for one minute.
And if I can't get to the gym, I ride a stationary bike at home for an hour.
Should I increase, decrease, do something differently?
In the beginning I thought it doesn't matter, just MOVING is better than NOT MOVING, but I'm at the point now where I know I'll do the work, and now i just want to make sure to spend my time efficiently.

I think you're misinterpreting things...generally I see people telling people they should lift when all they do is cardio. Both are pretty important and serve different purposes fitness wise. It has nothing to do with losing weight...you can do nothing but eat to your calorie goal and lose weight; no exercise required. Exercise is for fitness and when you understand that, you will understand the value of both.

Cadio is basically weight lifting for your heart and lungs and actual resistance training is for your muscular skeletal structure. Start thinking about your body as a whole machine and how you would train that machine to function optimally.

Also, you're going to be much better off in the long run if you can start identifying with exercise for the purpose of fitness...so many people so closely identify exercise with weight loss that they fail to maintain their weight because they don't identify with exercise for the purpose of fitness regardless of weight control goals.

999tigger · March 2015

Nope wolfman ive seen plenty of posts where the answer is just to do weights with a good amount of sneering at cardio.

sistrsprkl · March 2015

I enjoy running, hiking, and spin classes so no, not a waste because I enjoy it and it does help my overall health and fitness.

rsclause · March 2015

I think, why not both. I am too old to bulk way up and its a pain to buy new suits etc. when you build up. I do a mix of a lot of cardio (running) and a very mild Nautilus set every other day just to get some strength and tone. The Gym is on the run route so that helps, I get to run no matter what.