Cardio and weight training.

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healthy491
healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I finally reached my goal and found a good nutrition plan to maintain weight. I am not sure if my workouts are any good tho
I use the elliptical for cardio AND strength training. When doing cardio I focus on speed and when doing resistance to gain muscle , I increase the resistance and do intervals.
My question is , is this a good workout ? For muscle and maintaining weight.
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Replies

  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
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    IMHO the elliptical is not good for strength training. Is this the only piece of kit that you have access to?

    To increase muscle you need progressive overload (that just means something that is a challenge and then when you get used to that you increase the intensity so it remains a challenge) and sufficient calories to build new muscle. These can be achieved on the elliptical but I would recommend that you look into specific strength training (either weights or body weight exercises) and retain the elliptical work for cardiovascular health.
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
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    StealthHealth wrote: »
    IMHO the elliptical is not good for strength training. Is this the only piece of kit that you have access to?

    To increase muscle you need progressive overload (that just means something that is a challenge and then when you get used to that you increase the intensity so it remains a challenge) and sufficient calories to build new muscle. These can be achieved on the elliptical but I would recommend that you look into specific strength training (either weights or body weight exercises) and retain the elliptical work for cardiovascular health.

    Its not that , its just that I hate lifting and I find it really difficult. I never did lifting and lost weight by jusy doing cardio. the only reason I want to build muscle is to maintain my current weight and shape and not slow down my metabolism.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    healthy491 wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    IMHO the elliptical is not good for strength training. Is this the only piece of kit that you have access to?

    To increase muscle you need progressive overload (that just means something that is a challenge and then when you get used to that you increase the intensity so it remains a challenge) and sufficient calories to build new muscle. These can be achieved on the elliptical but I would recommend that you look into specific strength training (either weights or body weight exercises) and retain the elliptical work for cardiovascular health.

    Its not that , its just that I hate lifting and I find it really difficult. I never did lifting and lost weight by jusy doing cardio. the only reason I want to build muscle is to maintain my current weight and shape and not slow down my metabolism.

    Building muscle would be changing your shape not maintaining your shape.

    Why do you think your metabolism will slow when eating at maintenance levels?
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
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    I'm confused then - do you want to build muscle or maintain muscle, gain weight or maintain weight?
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    healthy491 wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    IMHO the elliptical is not good for strength training. Is this the only piece of kit that you have access to?

    To increase muscle you need progressive overload (that just means something that is a challenge and then when you get used to that you increase the intensity so it remains a challenge) and sufficient calories to build new muscle. These can be achieved on the elliptical but I would recommend that you look into specific strength training (either weights or body weight exercises) and retain the elliptical work for cardiovascular health.

    Its not that , its just that I hate lifting and I find it really difficult. I never did lifting and lost weight by jusy doing cardio. the only reason I want to build muscle is to maintain my current weight and shape and not slow down my metabolism.

    Building muscle would be changing your shape not maintaining your shape.

    Why do you think your metabolism will slow when eating at maintenance levels?

    A professional on a TV programme stated that if you won't strength train , you will decrease muscle mass and metabolism slows down.
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
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    StealthHealth wrote: »
    I'm confused then - do you want to build muscle or maintain muscle, gain weight or maintain weight?

    Sorry for the confusion :(
    I just want to maintain my muscle and boost my metabolism
  • xWondertje
    xWondertje Posts: 65 Member
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    Professionals don't go to TV shows, it's as simple as that. If you do what you've always done, you won't lose any muscle mass since you already built it that way. Your body won't change if you don't change what you do with it.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
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    healthy491 wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    I'm confused then - do you want to build muscle or maintain muscle, gain weight or maintain weight?

    Sorry for the confusion :(
    I just want to maintain my muscle and boost my metabolism

    Your metabolism is related to your muscle mass. More muscle = higher metabolism. Same muscle = same metabolism*

    So, if you want to boost metabolism you will need to build muscle. If you want to maintain metabolism, then you don't need to worry about gaining muscle.


    *This is a little bit of a simplification. There are many other factors that affect metabolism but with respect to what you are asking I think the simplification is valid.
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
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    StealthHealth wrote: »
    healthy491 wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    I'm confused then - do you want to build muscle or maintain muscle, gain weight or maintain weight?

    Sorry for the confusion :(
    I just want to maintain my muscle and boost my metabolism

    Your metabolism is related to your muscle mass. More muscle = higher metabolism. Same muscle = same metabolism*

    So, if you want to boost metabolism you will need to build muscle. If you want to maintain metabolism, then you don't need to worry about gaining muscle.


    *This is a little bit of a simplification. There are many other factors that affect metabolism but with respect to what you are asking I think the simplification is valid.

    Thank you so much for yout help :) do you have to be in a calorie deficit to build muscle ?
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
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    healthy491 wrote: »
    Thank you so much for yout help :) do you have to be in a calorie deficit to build muscle ?

    You have to have a calorie surplus to build muscle
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    healthy491 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    healthy491 wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    IMHO the elliptical is not good for strength training. Is this the only piece of kit that you have access to?

    To increase muscle you need progressive overload (that just means something that is a challenge and then when you get used to that you increase the intensity so it remains a challenge) and sufficient calories to build new muscle. These can be achieved on the elliptical but I would recommend that you look into specific strength training (either weights or body weight exercises) and retain the elliptical work for cardiovascular health.

    Its not that , its just that I hate lifting and I find it really difficult. I never did lifting and lost weight by jusy doing cardio. the only reason I want to build muscle is to maintain my current weight and shape and not slow down my metabolism.

    Building muscle would be changing your shape not maintaining your shape.

    Why do you think your metabolism will slow when eating at maintenance levels?

    A professional on a TV programme stated that if you won't strength train , you will decrease muscle mass and metabolism slows down.

    Would love to know the context but the snippet you give is plainly wrong. You won't build extra new muscle without extra stimulus over and above what you normally do (and strength training is the most efficient way) but your existing muscle won't atrophy while you are using them. Inactivity causes muscle loss.

    Resistance based cardio can build muscle - think swimming, cycling, rowing for example but clearly is not the fastest way and will have limits. So you can certainly maintain the leg muscle you have using an elliptical.

    I have knee and back injuries that mean I'm limited on leg strength exercises with weights so very rarely do any leg strength work in the gym. But I cycle in hilly countryside a lot and do high resistance training on stationary bikes in the gym so have reasonable muscle mass (for an old fart!).

    69tifyv2vp8i.jpg
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited July 2016
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    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    healthy491 wrote: »
    Thank you so much for yout help :) do you have to be in a calorie deficit to build muscle ?

    You have to have a calorie surplus to build muscle

    No you don't have to be in a surplus, it's (probably) the fastest way, but not compulsory.
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Exactly. I just don't see the sense in trying to balance 2 opposing goals at the same time. Pick one and go all out!

    BTW..nice quads
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    healthy491 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    healthy491 wrote: »
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    IMHO the elliptical is not good for strength training. Is this the only piece of kit that you have access to?

    To increase muscle you need progressive overload (that just means something that is a challenge and then when you get used to that you increase the intensity so it remains a challenge) and sufficient calories to build new muscle. These can be achieved on the elliptical but I would recommend that you look into specific strength training (either weights or body weight exercises) and retain the elliptical work for cardiovascular health.

    Its not that , its just that I hate lifting and I find it really difficult. I never did lifting and lost weight by jusy doing cardio. the only reason I want to build muscle is to maintain my current weight and shape and not slow down my metabolism.

    Building muscle would be changing your shape not maintaining your shape.

    Why do you think your metabolism will slow when eating at maintenance levels?

    A professional on a TV programme stated that if you won't strength train , you will decrease muscle mass and metabolism slows down.

    Would love to know the context but the snippet you give is plainly wrong. You won't build extra new muscle without extra stimulus over and above what you normally do (and strength training is the most efficient way) but your existing muscle won't atrophy while you are using them. Inactivity causes muscle loss.

    Resistance based cardio can build muscle - think swimming, cycling, rowing for example but clearly is not the fastest way and will have limits. So you can certainly maintain the leg muscle you have using an elliptical.

    I have knee and back injuries that mean I'm limited on leg strength exercises with weights so very rarely do any leg strength work in the gym. But I cycle in hilly countryside a lot and do high resistance training on stationary bikes in the gym so have reasonable muscle mass (for an old fart!).

    69tifyv2vp8i.jpg

    wow thats awesome ! good work and keep it up :) i also have reasonable muscle mass for my age but never managed to strength train .
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
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    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    Exactly. I just don't see the sense in trying to balance 2 opposing goals at the same time. Pick one and go all out!

    BTW..nice quads

    what opposing goals ?
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
    edited July 2016
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    Sorry, please disregard, I had a different thread/topic still on my mind when I posted that..my bad

  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
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    If you dont like lifting you might want to look into some calisthenics to at least condition/target other muscle groups that you aren't reaching by using the elliptical.
  • healthy491
    healthy491 Posts: 384 Member
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    DresdenSinn wrote: »

    Sorry, please disregard, I had a different thread/topic still on my mind when I posted that..my bad

    Oh, no problem :)
  • cecsav1
    cecsav1 Posts: 714 Member
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    I'm going to add that if you're concerned about your "pear shape," you'll be more successful doing upper body lifts than lower body for cardio AND strength. Start with bodyweight exercises if you're not comfortable with weights, but do some push-ups, some dips, ropes, maybe some TRX exercises. It's all about balance.

    Otherwise, consider your priorities and make sure your goals are reasonable. Sometimes we have to do things we don't like in order to get where we want to go. Whether it's doing cardio to increase heart health (that's me... I hate cardio) or working overtime to pay for a vacation, if the end result isn't worth putting in the extra time and effort, the goal itself may need to change.

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