I'm not clear on which exercises are Cardio and which are Strength
mbender719
Posts: 17 Member
I use ClassPass so I switch up what I am doing every day. I usually do 1 rest day where I will go to a 90-minute Vinyasa class, but the other 6 days I'll alternate between:
Barry's Bootcamp (running + lifts/squats/abs, with weights)
Boxing (I often equate these classes to a HIIT since we do more than just punch the bag, often doing lunges, push ups, etc)
TRX - Another circuit class, using body weight for resistance
Barre Class- I really like the cardio barre studio, we use some light weights but I am pretty confident this is primarily cardio (I mean, it's in the name, so...)
Basically- I'm not ever going to the gym to just lift weights, but I can see and feel more muscle development and tone. And a lot of my classes do use weights and resistance training.
Can anyone explain this to me?
Barry's Bootcamp (running + lifts/squats/abs, with weights)
Boxing (I often equate these classes to a HIIT since we do more than just punch the bag, often doing lunges, push ups, etc)
TRX - Another circuit class, using body weight for resistance
Barre Class- I really like the cardio barre studio, we use some light weights but I am pretty confident this is primarily cardio (I mean, it's in the name, so...)
Basically- I'm not ever going to the gym to just lift weights, but I can see and feel more muscle development and tone. And a lot of my classes do use weights and resistance training.
Can anyone explain this to me?
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Replies
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I take a lot of classes my but I wear an HRM. I log everything under cardio even if my classes do involve weights because I would consider it circuit training or HIIT. Time I spend specifically lifting weights I don't even log on MFP. I keep a separate log book to track that portion.
On a side note I just got my invite to Class Pass today. Really cool idea. I might try it for a couple months.0 -
Those are all cardio.
Strength training generally involves load bearing movement.0 -
Those are all cardio.
Strength training generally involves load bearing movement.
Some of these classes (specifically Barry's and TRX) so have (what I thought was) load bearing movement. For example, chest presses in TRX where your body weight is the "load" or Russian Twists (at Barry's) with a 15lb dumbell (dumbell as "load").
Hence my confusion...0 -
I take a lot of classes my but I wear an HRM. I log everything under cardio even if my classes do involve weights because I would consider it circuit training or HIIT. Time I spend specifically lifting weights I don't even log on MFP. I keep a separate log book to track that portion.
On a side note I just got my invite to Class Pass today. Really cool idea. I might try it for a couple months.
You will love it, I'm obsessed. I've been to a class every day for 2 months, whereas before you couldn't drag me to the gym (and i couldn't afford to go to studios).
I've been logging everything as cardio as well, because MFP doesn't seem to change anything based on whether you log as cardio or strength, so I'll probably just keep on keepin' on with that until I can get a HRM. Thinking of the FitBit Charge HR but it just came out so I am waiting to see more reviews
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Those are all cardio.
Strength training generally involves load bearing movement.
Correct.
Anything that involves circuit-training or some sort of constant motion with little/no rest is generally going to be cardio/endurance training. If weights are used, typically they will be lighter and involve higher reps (12-15+)
Anything that involves specific amounts of sets/reps with real rest periods (say, 1-5 minutes between each set) and involves progressively heavier and heavier weights is generally going to be strength training. Usually rep ranges will be lower, in the 1-10 rep range depending on goals and exercises used.
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Those are all cardio.
Strength training generally involves load bearing movement.
Correct.
Anything that involves circuit-training or some sort of constant motion with little/no rest is generally going to be cardio/endurance training.
Anything that involves specific amounts of sets/reps with real rest periods and involves progressively heavier and heavier weights is generally going to be strength training.
Pretty much ^^^^
You're getting some resistance work in with those kind of things, but it's minimal...the focus is cardiovascular fitness and endurance.
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So if I am using dumbells (Barry's) or body weight resistance (TRX), and am able to increase the weight of those dumbells OR the number of reps... this is Strength training?
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Luckily, some smart folks weighed in before I did.mbender719 wrote: »Those are all cardio.
Strength training generally involves load bearing movement.
Some of these classes (specifically Barry's and TRX) so have (what I thought was) load bearing movement. For example, chest presses in TRX where your body weight is the "load" or Russian Twists (at Barry's) with a 15lb dumbell (dumbell as "load").
Hence my confusion...
I hope their extended commentary aids you in understanding.
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To be more clear, I should have said load bearing movement with a progressively increasing load and intensity.0
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mbender719 wrote: »
So if I am using dumbells (Barry's) or body weight resistance (TRX), and am able to increase the weight of those dumbells OR the number of reps... this is Strength training?
I've never heard of those programs you're talking about so I really can't say. Re-read my guidelines and judge that against what you're doing.
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OK I am following you all. This is making more sense.
I guess what had confused me was that I had the impression that cardio would primarily burn fat and strength training would primarily build muscle, but I'm learning that there is some overlap, since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.0 -
mbender719 wrote: »I take a lot of classes my but I wear an HRM. I log everything under cardio even if my classes do involve weights because I would consider it circuit training or HIIT. Time I spend specifically lifting weights I don't even log on MFP. I keep a separate log book to track that portion.
On a side note I just got my invite to Class Pass today. Really cool idea. I might try it for a couple months.
You will love it, I'm obsessed. I've been to a class every day for 2 months, whereas before you couldn't drag me to the gym (and i couldn't afford to go to studios).
I've been logging everything as cardio as well, because MFP doesn't seem to change anything based on whether you log as cardio or strength, so I'll probably just keep on keepin' on with that until I can get a HRM. Thinking of the FitBit Charge HR but it just came out so I am waiting to see more reviews
Good to know. The list of facilities that are participating in my area is pretty impressive. Im actually trying Barry's this weekend as they are here in connection with a hotel promo.
Once you decide on a tracker you can just customize your exercises in MFP.
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How do you know?mbender719 wrote: »since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
What analysis methodology are you using to determine that, and what has the rate of growth been? I'm always curious how people set up their analytics.
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mbender719 wrote: »OK I am following you all. This is making more sense.
I guess what had confused me was that I had the impression that cardio would primarily burn fat and strength training would primarily build muscle, but I'm learning that there is some overlap, since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
If you are eating at a calorie deficit and trying to lose weight, you aren't building any appreciable amount of muscle. That's not how muscle building works. You may be shedding some fat and revealing some muscles you already had, but you are definitely not building any new muscle.
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How do you know?mbender719 wrote: »since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
What analysis methodology are you using to determine that, and what has the rate of growth been? I'm always curious how people set up their analytics.
Let me ask this - if I couldn't do ten bicep curls with a 5 lb dumbbell two months ago, and now I can do twenty bicep curls with a 10lb dumbbell, is that not an indicator of muscle growth? Or do I just have the same amount of muscle but it's better somehow?
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How do you know?mbender719 wrote: »since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
What analysis methodology are you using to determine that, and what has the rate of growth been? I'm always curious how people set up their analytics.
Let me ask this - if I couldn't do ten bicep curls with a 5 lb dumbbell two months ago, and now I can do twenty bicep curls with a 10lb dumbbell, is that not an indicator of muscle growth? Or do I just have the same amount of muscle but it's better somehow?
I'm curious about this as well.0 -
How do you know?mbender719 wrote: »since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
What analysis methodology are you using to determine that, and what has the rate of growth been? I'm always curious how people set up their analytics.
Let me ask this - if I couldn't do ten bicep curls with a 5 lb dumbbell two months ago, and now I can do twenty bicep curls with a 10lb dumbbell, is that not an indicator of muscle growth? Or do I just have the same amount of muscle but it's better somehow?
An increase in muscle strength does not automatically mean an increase in muscle size or mass.
Almost all of your initial strength gains are due to more efficient muscle activation.
In the beginning one can double strength levels without seeing significant gains in muscle size.
To add: one of the more extreme examples I ever saw was a guy I tested about 18 yrs ago. He was 5'10", and weighed about 145lb. He could bench press about 250. Other than being a little larger in the chest, he looked more like a marathon runner than a power lifter.
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Almost all ´programs´ or videos you see are cardio. Unless they are specifically telling you to increase the weight you are using every few weeks, you aren´t going to build much strength or muscle mass past the first few weeks.0
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How do you know?mbender719 wrote: »since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
What analysis methodology are you using to determine that, and what has the rate of growth been? I'm always curious how people set up their analytics.
Let me ask this - if I couldn't do ten bicep curls with a 5 lb dumbbell two months ago, and now I can do twenty bicep curls with a 10lb dumbbell, is that not an indicator of muscle growth? Or do I just have the same amount of muscle but it's better somehow?
Stronger does not mean more muscle. I went from deadlifting 135lbs to 415lbs without gaining a pound of muscle. In fact I lost some LBM (and about 100lbs overall).0 -
The reality is practically any movement (even bodyweight) will increase strength in the beginning. Movement requires muscular action. Then, you’ll hit a level of “muscular competence” and not get any stronger unless you apply a progressively higher load.
Strength does not have a 1 to 1 relationship with mass, but being stronger puts in you in a great place to add mass.0 -
mbender719 wrote: »OK I am following you all. This is making more sense.
I guess what had confused me was that I had the impression that cardio would primarily burn fat and strength training would primarily build muscle, but I'm learning that there is some overlap, since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
If you are eating at a calorie deficit and trying to lose weight, you aren't building any appreciable amount of muscle. That's not how muscle building works. You may be shedding some fat and revealing some muscles you already had, but you are definitely not building any new muscle.
That’s not entirely true. You can add muscle mass while losing fat. Granted, not on a significant deficit, but with sufficient protein and a good lifting program, you can add some muscle mass while losing fat (especially early on). It isn’t optimizing either, but both can be done at the same time.0 -
Most classes I take combine both cardio and strength (Body Pump, boot camp, even ballet and Zumba), so I log everything under cardio with an HRM calculation. I've seen dramatic results in muscle definition as a result of my participation in these classes without doing a pure strength routine.0
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I like that you ask good questions.
How do you know?mbender719 wrote: »since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
What analysis methodology are you using to determine that, and what has the rate of growth been? I'm always curious how people set up their analytics.
Let me ask this - if I couldn't do ten bicep curls with a 5 lb dumbbell two months ago, and now I can do twenty bicep curls with a 10lb dumbbell, is that not an indicator of muscle growth? Or do I just have the same amount of muscle but it's better somehow?
The answer is dependent on context, but in an untrained person eating at a baseline or a deficit it means simply you're most probably just achieving a greater level of muscle activation through increased physical fitness and central nervous system adaptation. So you've had a significant strength increase, but little in the way of growth. For people at a deficit, you've saved what you have built up in the past.
Essentially, you'll be gaining a greater ability to use what you already have. Personal example, I've been training hard since summer, little muscle growth, and I've stayed around maintenance since then, but my deadlift increased from 300 to 505. No Minimal new muscle, just "learning" how to use what I have better.
Make sense?
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Maybe this was asked/answered earlier but I'm not seeing it, or not understanding it.
I am new here, and just getting back to exercising after not doing any for several years - and then I was mainly doing 30-45 min walking and some videos to lose weight.
Now I am back to stationary biking about 5-15 minutes, with 5lb leg weights, doing bicep curls with either 1 or 2 lb hand weights and tricep curls with 1 or 2 lb weights.
And some squats with both the hand and leg weights.
How would I enter these and what exactly am I doing? Cardio? Strengthening? Combo?0 -
Rather than see exercises as either "strength" or "cardio", see it as a continuum, with many exercises having a mix of both strength and cardio/endurance benefits.
mbender719 wrote: »Barry's Bootcamp (running + lifts/squats/abs, with weights)
Boxing (I often equate these classes to a HIIT since we do more than just punch the bag, often doing lunges, push ups, etc)
TRX - Another circuit class, using body weight for resistance
Those exercises do have a strength element to them, especially if you challenge yourself. If your goal is fat loss, those classes should be enough to minimize the loss of muscle that happens with fat loss. If you decide to compete in powerlifting competitions, you'll need a different plan.mbender719 wrote: »I can see and feel more muscle development and tone.
Looking "toned" is mostly about having reduced bodyfat.
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AllanMisner wrote: »mbender719 wrote: »OK I am following you all. This is making more sense.
I guess what had confused me was that I had the impression that cardio would primarily burn fat and strength training would primarily build muscle, but I'm learning that there is some overlap, since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
If you are eating at a calorie deficit and trying to lose weight, you aren't building any appreciable amount of muscle. That's not how muscle building works. You may be shedding some fat and revealing some muscles you already had, but you are definitely not building any new muscle.
That’s not entirely true. You can add muscle mass while losing fat. Granted, not on a significant deficit, but with sufficient protein and a good lifting program, you can add some muscle mass while losing fat (especially early on). It isn’t optimizing either, but both can be done at the same time.
It is 100% true as I was referring to the OP who is doing cardio classes and no progressive load strength training. She is not building muscle in a deficit doing those classes.
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I have not experience with everything you have listed, but I can comment on TRX: it can be either cardio or strength training, depending on the instructor and type of class. I have had instructors who aimed for few reps, focused on specific body parts per class and it took pushing myself to the point my muscles could no longer take it for the final reps. The feeling was the same as in weight training. I would definitely classify these as strength training, and from doing one such class twice a week the last couple of years, I have definitel built mass, especially upper body. But I have also been to classes which were mostly fast circuit training, with much lower resistance, so I would classify these as cardio. These are basically lots of reps, really fast, changing from one exercise to another without break, and inevitably you have to use the TRX in a way that makes it "easy" on resistance, or you will be off after the warm up.0
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I like that you ask good questions.
How do you know?mbender719 wrote: »since I have been building muscle through my "all cardio" routine.
What analysis methodology are you using to determine that, and what has the rate of growth been? I'm always curious how people set up their analytics.
Let me ask this - if I couldn't do ten bicep curls with a 5 lb dumbbell two months ago, and now I can do twenty bicep curls with a 10lb dumbbell, is that not an indicator of muscle growth? Or do I just have the same amount of muscle but it's better somehow?
The answer is dependent on context, but in an untrained person eating at a baseline or a deficit it means simply you're most probably just achieving a greater level of muscle activation through increased physical fitness and central nervous system adaptation. So you've had a significant strength increase, but little in the way of growth. For people at a deficit, you've saved what you have built up in the past.
Essentially, you'll be gaining a greater ability to use what you already have. Personal example, I've been training hard since summer, little muscle growth, and I've stayed around maintenance since then, but my deadlift increased from 300 to 505. No Minimal new muscle, just "learning" how to use what I have better.
Make sense?
Yes, thank you. Per some unholy alliance of Quora and HuffPost, I found this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/quora/strength-building_b_3901446.html
It discusses how using the muscles (especially in 'explosive' movements) triggers the brain to develop more - like more in general and more efficient and more coordinated all at the same time - activation of the motor units that effect muscular contraction.
I find that really interesting because when I started working out, even when I could complete moves I still had a really hard time keeping up with the instructor and that's getting easier now. Very cool.0
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