Cardio and Strength Training for Success

randolphshuntiya

Hello Everyone,

I am starting my workouts this week. I weigh over 350lbs and I wanted to know what is the best cardio to strength training weekly workouts. How long should you do cardio and strength training for weight loss? how many days a week for both?

You get so many different answers from different outlets it is hard to know what really works.

steveko89

You'll have far more success creating at least the majority of your calorie deficit with manipulating your diet than trying to do so with exercise. When it really comes down to it, the best workout program (as with diet/way-of-eating) is the one with which you'll be most consistent.

If you're a beginner and/or haven't been strength training in a while, the general advice is to follow a full-body program, which usually are three days per week. Starting Strength/Stronglifts 5x5 are very commonly recommended as the be-all-end-all starter routine, but there are others out there. The fitness subreddit (r/fitness) has a good concise list of recommended programs in the wiki, as long as a good no-nonsense write-up about nutrition. Lifting 3 days/week leaves 2-3 to do some cardio of some form if you so choose. Given your weight, swimming, biking, or using a rowing machine may be more palatable than running for wear/tear on your joints.

mmapags

If you are totally untrained, start with walking and some basic body weight exercises. Pushups, planks etc.

Your primary focus should be on diet and calorie deficit while using walking and body weight exercise to begin to build a base of fitness. I think it would be a mistake to jump into heavier cardio and weight training for a bit till you've built a little base.

randolphshuntiya

Thanks for the information steveko89 and mmapags. I have been on a high protein/low carb eating plan for about 2 months consistently and I have lost 12 pounds so far. I will take this advice and "run" with it.

tirowow12385

mmapags wrote: »

If you are totally untrained, start with walking and some basic body weight exercises. Pushups, planks etc.

Your primary focus should be on diet and calorie deficit while using walking and body weight exercise to begin to build a base of fitness. I think it would be a mistake to jump into heavier cardio and weight training for a bit till you've built a little base.

Have you ever push up on a scale just to see how much weight is straining your joints? I have and it's approximately 60-70% of my bodyweight, someone like a 350 pound person will be pushing up around 150+ pounds worth of weight, would you recommend someone to start bench presing at 150 with no bass of fitness? It would strain the joints.


He can lift light, and progressively overload while he loses weight and at some point work bodyweight into his routine.

steveko89

tirowow12385 wrote: »

mmapags wrote: »

If you are totally untrained, start with walking and some basic body weight exercises. Pushups, planks etc.

Your primary focus should be on diet and calorie deficit while using walking and body weight exercise to begin to build a base of fitness. I think it would be a mistake to jump into heavier cardio and weight training for a bit till you've built a little base.

Have you ever push up on a scale just to see how much weight is straining your joints? I have and it's approximately 60-70% of my bodyweight, someone like a 350 pound person will be pushing up around 150+ pounds worth of weight, would you recommend someone to start bench presing at 150 with no bass of fitness? It would strain the joints.


He can lift light, and progressively overload while he loses weight and at some point work bodyweight into his routine.

Correlating a scale plank/push up directly to bench press is an oversimplification because of the lever arm involved in a push up. Physics particulars aside, you're making an assumption the OP is coming from ground zero in terms of fitness and forgetting that his/her body is used to moving it's own weight around to some degree. Yes, it's possible OP may not be able to perform certain body weight exercises or for not that many reps but to state unequivocally that doing so will cause injury is an overstatement. Starting with body weight movement and moving to weighted exercise is the commonly recommended progression, not the other way around as you suggested.

mmapags

steveko89 wrote: »

tirowow12385 wrote: »

mmapags wrote: »

If you are totally untrained, start with walking and some basic body weight exercises. Pushups, planks etc.

Your primary focus should be on diet and calorie deficit while using walking and body weight exercise to begin to build a base of fitness. I think it would be a mistake to jump into heavier cardio and weight training for a bit till you've built a little base.

Have you ever push up on a scale just to see how much weight is straining your joints? I have and it's approximately 60-70% of my bodyweight, someone like a 350 pound person will be pushing up around 150+ pounds worth of weight, would you recommend someone to start bench presing at 150 with no bass of fitness? It would strain the joints.


He can lift light, and progressively overload while he loses weight and at some point work bodyweight into his routine.

Correlating a scale plank/push up directly to bench press is an oversimplification because of the lever arm involved in a push up. Physics particulars aside, you're making an assumption the OP is coming from ground zero in terms of fitness and forgetting that his/her body is used to moving it's own weight around to some degree. Yes, it's possible OP may not be able to perform certain body weight exercises or for not that many reps but to state unequivocally that doing so will cause injury is an overstatement. Starting with body weight movement and moving to weighted exercise is the commonly recommended progression, not the other way around as you suggested.

Yes. Exactly. The first question that went through my mind is why can I do a set of 30 pushups but can only do a set of 6 to 8 bench press at 150 lbs. Also, a newbie can start with knee pushups and reduce the strain if they are not fit enough for regular pushups.