Days off from cardio!?!

Angall08
Angall08 Posts: 148 Member
edited November 18 in Fitness and Exercise
All I do is cardio during the week. I don't do any kind of strength training. I know that one or two days of rest are suggested from hardcore workouts. Even on those rest days people still do light cardio.

My question is since I just do cardio should I still take the one to two rest days or just keep it up all week long?

Replies

  • TashaaaKayeee
    TashaaaKayeee Posts: 114 Member
    So does that mean Monday - Friday you do all cardio then Saturday & Sunday do some stength training? Lol.
    Either way "rest days" doesn't necessarily mean not do anything but your body does need to rest or you will over do it.
  • Angall08
    Angall08 Posts: 148 Member
    pacsungurl47 wrote: »
    So does that mean Monday - Friday you do all cardio then Saturday & Sunday do some stength training? Lol.
    Either way "rest days" doesn't necessarily mean not do anything but your body does need to rest or you will over do it.

    No no. I don't do any strength training at all. Just cardio and take Wednesday and Saturday off every week.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    So you train five days total per week - three consecutive days and two consecutive days? Depending on the duration and intensity of your training, that sounds fine. Six consecutive days of cardio is pushing it, and seven is definitely overdoing it.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    What's the goal of the cardio and what is making you think about changing it up?
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Drop cardio to 3 days and add 2 days of strength training.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited May 2017
    What kind of cardio? Walking, running, hiit, zumba?
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2017
    The amount of exercise, type of exercise seems fine with two days rest during the week.
  • Angall08
    Angall08 Posts: 148 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    What kind of cardio? Walking, running, hiit, zumba?

    I mainly do 90 minutes of stationary bike. Go for a walk or jog if the weather ain't bad. I throw in some aerobics like jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers ect. All together it's about 2 hours a day.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Angall08 wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    What kind of cardio? Walking, running, hiit, zumba?

    I mainly do 90 minutes of stationary bike. Go for a walk or jog if the weather ain't bad. I throw in some aerobics like jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers ect. All together it's about 2 hours a day.

    Sounds ok. I powerwalk for 2-3 hours a day (not all at once), averaging around 12kms everyday. I do this 7 days a week.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,745 Member
    The point is to not stress the same muscles every single day. If you are mixing up your exercises and having some days be either light activity or rest, you should be fine. FWIW, I walk 2-3 miles every day and run 5-6. I don't consider the light walking to be especially stressful.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    How about just cutting 15 mins of cardio and adding a body weight or kettlebell workout? Push ups, squats, planks lunges perhaps.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    @Angall08 Are you doing cardio for calories or for fitness?
  • Angall08
    Angall08 Posts: 148 Member
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    @Angall08 Are you doing cardio for calories or for fitness?

    Mainly calories. I will work on my fitness when I get rid of this flubber on me haha.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    edited May 2017
    rybo wrote: »
    Angall08 wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    @Angall08 Are you doing cardio for calories or for fitness?

    Mainly calories. I will work on my fitness when I get rid of this flubber on me haha.

    You would be better off in the long run to worry about fitness from the start. Which includes incorporating strength training sooner rather than later.

    Agreed.

    In fact, you will probably get rid of the flubber a lot faster if you worry about fitness and incorporate resistance training as it supports muscle retention which corresponds to faster reductions in body fat mass. From my time here, I have seen a lot more people complain that they waited too long to incorporate strength training. But I have yet to see it the other way around.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Angall08 wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    @Angall08 Are you doing cardio for calories or for fitness?

    Mainly calories. I will work on my fitness when I get rid of this flubber on me haha.

    Ok that makes it an easier question. How many calories do you eat in a day? How many does cardio buy you? Would it be tough to go without those cardio calories, and would it be worth it to take a day off?
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    Speaking very generally... if you feel good and are able to give good (whatever that means to you) effort during your workouts, then you probably don't need a rest day.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    rybo wrote: »
    Angall08 wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    @Angall08 Are you doing cardio for calories or for fitness?

    Mainly calories. I will work on my fitness when I get rid of this flubber on me haha.

    You would be better off in the long run to worry about fitness from the start. Which includes incorporating strength training sooner rather than later.

    Agreed.

    In fact, you will probably get rid of the flubber a lot faster if you worry about fitness and incorporate resistance training as it supports muscle retention which corresponds to faster reductions in body fat mass. From my time here, I have seen a lot more people complain that they waited too long to incorporate strength training. But I have yet to see it the other way around.

    This. ^^ Fitness will help you feel better, which helps you stick to your nutrition plan. Starting NOW will help you look better when you reach goal weight.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Angall08 wrote: »
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    What kind of cardio? Walking, running, hiit, zumba?

    I mainly do 90 minutes of stationary bike. Go for a walk or jog if the weather ain't bad. I throw in some aerobics like jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers ect. All together it's about 2 hours a day.

    If you are doing burpees and mountain climbers you are doing some strength training along with the cardio. Your plan sounds fine. Is your question whether it would be okay to not rest on Wed and Sun? I'd say judge it by how you feel.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Angall08 wrote: »
    NorthCascades wrote: »
    @Angall08 Are you doing cardio for calories or for fitness?

    Mainly calories. I will work on my fitness when I get rid of this flubber on me haha.

    you should not do this.

    you should do dedicated strength training WHILE you're dropping weight- you'll be very disappointed when you get to goal weight if you don't do something to maintain your muscle mass.

    I'd drop 2 days of cardio- and incorporate body weight strength training (or go to the gym if you have one and do Starting Strength/Stronglifts or some such)


    IMHO- rest on rest days means resting. not "light cardio" it means rest- but I work 5 jobs and I am a professional dancer and I train in the gym- so for me- days off are legit days off. I take them 100% and do nothing.
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