Comments about my new workout routine

djspacecaptain

Since this is my second go around at losing weight i have been approaching it a different way. My approach the first time was guns blazing, get the job done. I ran a lot and lifted heavy weights. I gained quite a bit of muscle during the process so my approach this time is still running but also cardio weights.

Cardio weights to me is lifting light weights while doing cardio. I don't really want much more muscle but rather tone what i already have. Here is what my cardio weight session look like: I use the stationary bike with some resistance and 10 lb dumbbells. I do one mile without the weights followed by one mile with weight lifting (bicep curls and hammer curls). A 9 mile session takes about 33 minutes and i get 192 curls each arm.

I do this 3 days in a row then rest the 4th. During the 3 days i would do 576 10 lb curls each arm and 27 miles on the bike. In one week that is 1,150 curls per arm and 54 miles on the bike.

As you can see that is a lot of reps! What do you guys think? Oh and after doing this for 6 weeks or so I am now going to up the dumbbell weights to 15lbs.

AnvilHead

I think you're doing cardio with light weights in your hands. It will probably increase your calorie burn slightly, but won't do anything for maintaining lean body mass. About the only benefit I can see is that it will make you more efficient at doing a lot of light curls while pedaling a stationary bike.

Read this article about "toning" - it explains what it really is and how to do it.

djspacecaptain

Ya i am doing it for the extra calorie burned. Its got to add an additional 1000 calories burned a week. Its only one exercises i am doing, i am also running, doing abs and more light weight high rep lifts.

sk1982

how about instead of a million curls you just up the resistance and RPM on the bike...easier and you will get more cardio benefit.

If you want biceps start lifting some decent weight for low reps...it will help build muscle.

LivingtheLeanDream

up those weights and do less reps.... ideally they should be heavy enough that its hard to knock out more than 5 to 10 reps. That way you are being efficient with your lifting...

jemhh

Run the calories for that workout using just your body weight. Then run them using 30 pounds added to your weight. Does it come to 1000 additional calories per week?

singingflutelady

Hello tendonitis

slideaway1

It sounds like your trying to accomplish to many things at once. Cardio and diet will be great for burning fat and you could incorporate weights on separate days or before cardio. The best way to maintain the muscle you already have and loose fat is to lift heavy (compound movements with good form. Not while your riding a bike!), eat in a deficit (with cardio to assist this) and keep your protein high (to minimise muscle loss from the deficit and cardio).

Muscleflex79

how do you figure you are burning 1000 extra calories per week doing these 192 reps three days per week??

rybo

I don't think that's a very good idea at all. It is possible to "tone" while lifting heavy and not bulk. A proper heavy strength program, some conditioning and eating correctly I feel is the best way to "tone".

ninerbuff

Based on your photos, you didn't "gain" muscle. Overweight people already have it and losing fat revealed it. If you're just looking to "tone up" what muscle you have, being more cardio fit and having good bicep muscular endurance isn't the way to do it.
Stick to the basics: full body workout and just make sure your eating is on point.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Michael190lbs

Read a book on nutrition and lifting please..

DizzyMissIzzy

I am not a professional, nor am I completely knowledgeable on the ins and outs of this, but my trainer is having me lift heavy with little break (lots of supersets and dropsets) in order to blast fat while gaining muscle. It makes it more high intensity which is going to increase your heart rate and be a form of cardio while lifting. I still do "proper" cardio 3x a week (and lift 4x).

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong, I'm looking to learn as much as possible as well!

wilsoncl6

DizzyMissIzzy wrote: »

I am not a professional, nor am I completely knowledgeable on the ins and outs of this, but my trainer is having me lift heavy with little break (lots of supersets and dropsets) in order to blast fat while gaining muscle. It makes it more high intensity which is going to increase your heart rate and be a form of cardio while lifting. I still do "proper" cardio 3x a week (and lift 4x).

Please someone correct me if I'm wrong, I'm looking to learn as much as possible as well!

This. If you're looking to burn some extra calories, just shorten the rest times between your sets, do drop sets, super sets and the like. Go lighter with higher rep counts for more sets if you're just looking to tone. I've seen guys do what you're doing at the gym and it looks kind of ridiculous to me. I've always been told that you shouldn't add weight training to your cardio but you can always add cardio to your weight training but using the techniques outlined above.

djspacecaptain

My bad for not being thorough. Here is what my workouts look like:

Monday- Wednesday
33 minutes bike w/resistance (16mins including curls)
Ref basketball (1 game = 50 mins running, 2 games = 100 mins)
Gym- 333 crunches, 30-45 mins light weight high rep lifting (multiple muscle targets) and stretching

Thursday
Same but minus the bike and curls

Fri-Sat
Same as mon-weds

Sun
Everything but reffing basketball


I only do the crunches like every other day as of right now but am aiming for them every workout day. The days i do not ref i substitute it with 50 minutes on the treadmill, uphill at a brisk pace as well as up the bike and curl time to 50 mins as well.

And yes i am guessing the curls add at least 1,000 calories because its 6x a week not 3x. And its 192 curls each arm a 33 min session which is 1,150 curls each arm a week.

Iv'e lost 30lbs in 4.5 months but like 10 of which was in the 6 weeks or so weeks of doing the workout above.