How much cardio vs. strength

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RespectTheKitty
RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I do a lot of cardio. I do 45-60 minutes, 5-6 times a week on the elliptical or walking/jogging. I like doing a lot of cardio because I like a good calorie burn. But it has occurred to me that I might be doing too much cardio and not enough strength training. I only do what I could consider the bare minimum of strength training, mostly because I really don't like lifting. So I usually only do about 20-25 minutes twice a week for strength.

My trouble is, I only get a set amount of time for my workouts since I work out on my lunch hour. On the days I do strength, I'll cut my cardio minutes slightly to have more time for weights. My question is, what would your opinions be on the best way to split my time between cardio and strength? Would a shorter cardio session followed by a slightly longer strength session be better? How may times per week is best for doing strength? Keep in mind that I don't particularly like strength training, so I'd like to keep it short. What about 40 minutes cardio/15 minutes strength per day, focusing on different muscle groups each day?

I'm curious to hear what you all have to say. How do you split your cardio and strength?
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Replies

  • WilsonFilson
    WilsonFilson Posts: 83 Member
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    I guess if you do cardio because you like doing cardio, then keep on keeping on. But if you do that much cardio because you are trying to improve your physique, there are much more effective ways of doing that.

    Strength training should be the focus, and any cardio should be short sessions (30 mins max) of HIIT cardio. I do 2 total hours of cardio a week (4 thirty minute sessions), always HIIT. If it were me, I would say swap the length of cardio vs. strength training.

    When you say you don't like strength training, what is it that you don't like? Because its possible the type of strength training you're doing could be improved, and maybe you'd like that better. Also, maybe you'll like it better when you start seeing the results.

    Good luck!
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
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    I'll be honest... the reason I don't like strength training is because I feel like a dumba$$ when I lift. I feel like everyone is staring at me, whereas with cardio I can just put on my tunes and zone out.
  • Lathandria
    Lathandria Posts: 42 Member
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    Following because I am in a similar situation and I would like to see what others say about this!
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited April 2016
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    If you strength train hard enough you will get some cardio out if it.

    Weight training burns much more calories (for the time invested) than treadmills, ellipticals, and the like.
    Warm up/cool down by jumping rope, stretching, yoga, kettebells, swimming; something that is full-body. And lift heavy.
    Some research shows that stretching AFTER lifting is more beneficial than stretching before.

    A program like Starting Strength, StrongLifts 5x5 or Wendler's 5/3/1 might be good places to start.
    I am in and out of the gym in under 30 minutes and that includes warming up.

    If you are self-conscious about people starting at you, then that is a different issue.
    Maybe schedule some time with a trainer to build some confidence and learn to do basic lifts safety and correctly.

    For the record, I recommend free weights over machines, but do what works for you.
    Do not waste energy doing cardio BEFORE you lift either. If you want to jog, do that afterwards.

    Just My Opinion. Good luck with your training.
  • skysong85
    skysong85 Posts: 1 Member
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    If you feel like a goof when you lift, I'd definitely recommend getting one or two short sessions with a trainer to work on form and help you find a few lifting sets you don't hate and work for your body and your goals. Also - circuits! Way more interesting and a better workout than just lifting, and you get some cardio too.

    I'm lucky enough to have both a well equipped work gym and a trainer on staff, and a couple of 30 minute sessions left me feeling a lot more confident that I wasn't going to hurt myself and to use free weights instead of the silly machines. But I actually really enjoy doing a strength and cardio circuit type workout.
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
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    You don't say what your goals are, but generally speaking cardio, as the name implies, is for cardiovascular health. If you want to improve your physique and body composition, you need strength training.
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
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    Sorry, I should have specified -- I'm currently in the process of losing fat. I've lost 21 pounds so far by watching calories and doing cardio, and I have a ways to go still (about 40 more pounds). My main goal is to lose fat, but I don't want to neglect my muscle tone.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    RespectTheKitty wrote: »
    Sorry, I should have specified -- I'm currently in the process of losing fat. I've lost 21 pounds so far by watching calories and doing cardio, and I have a ways to go still (about 40 more pounds). My main goal is to lose fat, but I don't want to neglect my muscle tone.

    Then cut back a little on cardio, get on a structured lifting program, continue your deficit and eat sufficient protein. You still get your cardio, but you are making sure to have less muscle loss. End result will be better physique/body composition.
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
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    This is all great advice. So it looks like I definitely need to up my strength training. I may still have one free session with a trainer at my gym left -- gonna use it!
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
    edited April 2016
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    I'm 42, and I used to lift a lot. I have arthritis in my shoulder and some spinal degeneration, so every time I try to get back into lifting some sort of pain issue crops up again, which has really soured me on it of late. One thing that has never caused me pain is cardio. So, I focus on that - I currently get about 40-50 minutes of intensive cardio on a daily basis (plus walking 1-2 times per day as well). I can run a 10K in about 45 minutes currently, and am looking ahead to a half-marathon before the end of the year.

    A lot of people here poo-poo people who do cardio-only exercise programs. If you're into getting that aesthetically sculpted physique, sure, weight training along with fat loss is awesome. Also, if you're an older adult, there's something to be said for progressive resistance training, as it tends to prevent injuries due to falls.

    Aside from all of that, to my mind, the real issue is finding a kind of exercise you like and getting really good at it. I'm really good at running (I also have an exercise bike as well which I also use), so I do it a lot. I get the benefit of significant calorie burns (so I get to eat more.... wheee!) and I also have a resting heart rate that's trending into the high 40s at this point. I'm extremely fit right now - more so than I've ever been (current stats - six-foot two, 185 pound male. Notoriously inaccurate FitBit Aria has my body fat % bouncing around a 10% range).

    I may try and take up weight training again in the future (probably with the help of a personal trainer who could help to work around my musculoskeletal issues). But I have zero issues with anyone who chooses a cardio-only program for whatever reason. In fact, my personal physician (who is also a pulmonologist) says that he thinks cardio should be the main priority of anyone doing exercise programs - as having a fit cardiovascular system is much more predictive of health and longevity than simply having muscle mass, which, aside from the value it has for looking pretty in a swimsuit and the above issue of how it may benefit older adults, really doesn't add that much to health or longevity.

    At least, that's his opinion. Sounds good to me.
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
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    DrEnalg wrote: »
    and I also have a resting heart rate that's trending into the high 40s at this point .

    !!!!!!!
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
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    If you're trying to lose weight, I'd cut back on the cardio. By A LOT, actually. Like @arditarose said, get on an actual strength program (Starting Strength and Stronglifts 5x5 are popular beginner choices), eat your protein and continue with your calorie deficit. Then if your weight loss stalls, grafually add a little bit of cardio.

    Jeff Nippard had a podcast a few weeks ago with Lyle McDonald and they went deep into the details of weight loss and exercise for women specifically, and why cardio should be your last priority. It's on youtube, if you care to look it up.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    fatfudgery wrote: »
    If you're trying to lose weight, I'd cut back on the cardio. By A LOT, actually. Like @arditarose said, get on an actual strength program (Starting Strength and Stronglifts 5x5 are popular beginner choices), eat your protein and continue with your calorie deficit. Then if your weight loss stalls, grafually add a little bit of cardio.

    Jeff Nippard had a podcast a few weeks ago with Lyle McDonald and they went deep into the details of weight loss and exercise for women specifically, and why cardio should be your last priority. It's on youtube, if you care to look it up.

    Yeah, my advice would be to cut back a lot too but, I know some people like it...........

    And that podcast is amazing. I listened twice lol.
  • RespectTheKitty
    RespectTheKitty Posts: 1,667 Member
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    I'll definitely look that podcast up.
  • ElJefeChief
    ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
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    crazyravr wrote: »
    DrEnalg wrote: »
    I'm extremely fit right now - more so than I've ever been (current stats - six-foot two, 185 pound male. Notoriously inaccurate FitBit Aria has my body fat % bouncing around a 10% range).

    Wonder what that thing would estimate me then at 155lbs 6'3" :)

    Dude, you're a rail!!!!!
  • chunky_pinup
    chunky_pinup Posts: 758 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Then cut back a little on cardio, get on a structured lifting program, continue your deficit and eat sufficient protein. You still get your cardio, but you are making sure to have less muscle loss. End result will be better physique/body composition.

    I second this. I have been doing this...20-30 minutes of cardio 2x/week, following a lifting program 45-60 minutes 5x/week and have lost 35 pounds doing so and more inches than I EVER have when trying to lose in the past.

  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
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    I love strength training and it's what most of my workouts consist of now, but when I started out, I also did a lot of cardio just because I had no idea what I was doing in the weight room. I got started by scoping out what people were doing while I was on the elliptical. Then I started using the machines. Then I started checking out group fitness classes where I could learn the basic movements. Then I found a class instructor I really liked and asked her to show me around the weight room and give me some ideas on what to do, including starting weights and making sure my form was good. Now I have a decent foundation, but sometimes go to YouTube or Pinterest for ideas of other exercises to try.
  • filovirus76
    filovirus76 Posts: 156 Member
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    What is your goal? I think that would be the deciding factor of how much to do cardio vs strength.

    For instance, winter months I am in the gym 4 days a week lifting heavy and only two days a week of cardio. Summer months it's the opposite. 4 days a week of cardio and full core workouts 2 days a week. Spring months is for cutting, so half cardio half strength. Fall is to gain speed, half cardio half strength, but focusing on HIIT and and complexes.

    If you only want to look good in a swimsuit, maybe a little more strength training than cardio, but don't drop cardio altogether.

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