Can cardio be strength training?
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Sorry, but distance running isn't going to make your legs bigger. They may be retaining water for repair post exercise, but they aren't "getting bigger".
If I had started out being relatively in shape before I started running I would be inclined to agree with you. However, you have to bear in mind that I lost nearly half of my weight in the process. The only thing my leg muscles were used for beforehand was moving my fat *kitten* around. My legs absolutely got bigger, and no, its not water retention. I wish I had some good before shots so I could show you but all the ones I have I am wearing sorta long shorts that cover my thighs and most of my calves.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
if you say it, it must be true...having done both, I beg to differ.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
if you say it, it must be true...having done both, I beg to differ.
Having done both as well, I would also beg to differ
Fun how that works.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
if you say it, it must be true...having done both, I beg to differ.
Having done both as well, I would also beg to differ
Fun how that works.
As have I .. RG would be correct.0 -
Sorry, but distance running isn't going to make your legs bigger. They may be retaining water for repair post exercise, but they aren't "getting bigger".
If I had started out being relatively in shape before I started running I would be inclined to agree with you. However, you have to bear in mind that I lost nearly half of my weight in the process. The only thing my leg muscles were used for beforehand was moving my fat *kitten* around. My legs absolutely got bigger, and no, its not water retention. I wish I had some good before shots so I could show you but all the ones I have I am wearing sorta long shorts that cover my thighs and most of my calves.
Special Snowflake I guess.... Since you were losing weight, I'm going out on a limb it was at a caloric deficit. Pretty impressive to build visual amounts of gains that way...especially only running.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
Run 10 miles and report back.0 -
Fat loss. While there's resistance, it's obviously a resistance you can handle for an hour. No lactic acid threshold so you're using a different muscle fiber (endurance).This might be a dumb question, but humor me...I do the elliptical for an hour a day. I put it at a level where I feel a lot of resistance. I also try to use my arms a lot. I feel like the muscles in my arms and legs are more defined. Is this just fat loss, or am I building muscle? By using a higher resistance on the elliptical, am I kind of doing weight training too? Thanks for your input!
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Any time you change the nature of a cardio exercise, or try a new cardio exercise, there is an adaptive change as your body adjusts to the particular demands of the new exercise. Especially if you are not very strong, you may notice an "increase" in strength--i.e. you may notice some carryover effect in other activities. However, that adaptation is transient, only applies to the unique demands of the cardio movement, and is not a substitute for resistance training.
The same goes for resistance training, except in reverse. If you lift heavy enough to get optimal strength benefits, there is little cardio effect--although someone who did little or no cardio would notice an increase in "aerobic fitness" via the same adaptive process I described above. And if you lower the resistance to increase the aerobic component (e.g. circuit training), then you don't get the full strength training benefits.
This is pretty much all you need to know.
Trying to mix the two will lead to results but they will be transient and dliuted.0 -
You're actually speaking of "muscular endurance" and not strength here.It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
Run 10 miles and report back.
I love when people don't bother to read the rest of the posts before they chime in.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
Run 10 miles and report back.
Um....Did you read any previous posts?0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
if you say it, it must be true...having done both, I beg to differ.
I've done both too.
I'm without a doubt sorer after leg day. After my last ten mile run, I had literally no muscle soreness other tight hip flexors. I was definitely tired - depleted glycogen - but that's true after a heavy leg day too.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
Run 10 miles and report back.
I love when people don't bother to read the rest of the posts before they chime in.
Pretty much.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
I concur.
There is more to strength than being able to life a certain amount of weight that is for sure.
People can also argue until they are blue in the face about who is the stronger, the weightlifter or the runner, the fact is, who cares, providing we are all doing the activity we choose to do and we are enjoying it, that is the only thing that matters.
and whoever said about if you are a male and if you can only squat 100lbs there is a problem, I suggest that person goes outdoors and runs 10 miles without stopping and then see if you feel the same.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
Run 10 miles and report back.
I love when people don't bother to read the rest of the posts before they chime in.
Pretty much.
OH REALLY????
Well get your butts outside, run those 10 miles, report back and stop with the bickering and sniping, because it really begins to wear a bit thin.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
Run 10 miles and report back.
I love when people don't bother to read the rest of the posts before they chime in.
Pretty much.
OH REALLY????
Well get your butts outside, run those 10 miles, report back and stop with the bickering and sniping, because it really begins to wear a bit thin.
If you read previously...I said I do.0 -
It depends on how you define strength. If you define strength as the ability to run for 10 miles, then yes, cardio will build strength. If you are talking about being able to lift a car, then no, cardio is not going to build strength.
Since I started running my legs have gotten quite large and very well defined. However, if you put me next to a body builder I would look like a stick. I can maybe squat 100 pounds but I can run for 10 miles without stopping. It depends on how you define strength. I decided a while back that marathon runners are stronger than body builders so that has been my focus but others will almost certainly disagree with me on that. Its all about perspective and personal opinion.
If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day.
Much better than the day after leg day.
Run 10 miles and report back.
Um....Did you read any previous posts?
Yes and I stand by what I just said.0 -
sigh...............................................0
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Depends on how one runs. A long distance runner doesn't build strength. A sprinter does.Great post. As you can tell by the responses, there is a lot of confusion about "strength". If you think running doesn't involve strength, run ten miles and tell me how you feel the next day. I do think that increasing the resistance on a machine, running hills etc, does build strength. Of course, for some folks if you aren't grunting over a barbell, it isn't strength training. I do both (running, weights), and see value in both.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Any time you change the nature of a cardio exercise, or try a new cardio exercise, there is an adaptive change as your body adjusts to the particular demands of the new exercise. Especially if you are not very strong, you may notice an "increase" in strength--i.e. you may notice some carryover effect in other activities. However, that adaptation is transient, only applies to the unique demands of the cardio movement, and is not a substitute for resistance training.
The same goes for resistance training, except in reverse. If you lift heavy enough to get optimal strength benefits, there is little cardio effect--although someone who did little or no cardio would notice an increase in "aerobic fitness" via the same adaptive process I described above. And if you lower the resistance to increase the aerobic component (e.g. circuit training), then you don't get the full strength training benefits.
^^ This
Resistance training only is equal to strength training when you are brand new to strength training. Cardio works the endurance of your muscles, which is different than your strength muscles.
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=6063771&page=10
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