Is strenght training necessary for recomp ?

BaguetteChaude

Hey so everything is in the title...
Lost 30 lbs and i am quite happy with my new figure but i'd like to lower a bit my body fat. I tried to make myself like strenght training but i hate it. So instead I run 2 to 3 times a week for an hour.

Could i achieve a recomp with watching closely my macros and continuing running ? Or is any kind of strenght training necessary ?

sijomial

Optimal/quickest not necessary/compulsory.
There's loads of athletes with "good bodies" from many different disciplines/sports. But the caveat is that a lot of those disciplines/sports will use some form of strength or resistance work as cross training to improve their main activity and also help prevent injury.

What you do need to do is to challenge your body beyond its current capabilities if you want to add muscle.
Distance running alone isn't going to be enough if your goal is to add significant amounts of muscle/lose fat while maintaining your weight.

For me the difference between exercise and training is that exercise can just be for fun but training is for a defined purpose (and isn't always going to be fun!). Only you can answer how much you want to achieve your goal....

BaguetteChaude

I appreciate your answer. I actually never really considered the difference between exercising and training, i get it now and will work in that direction

sijomial

If you detest strength/weight training (which doesn't have to be in a gym or involve lumps of iron...) then cardio with a strong resistance element (swimming or rowing as examples) are an alternative.

Really depends on your goal physique what tools you need to apply.

liz0269

Strength training is so important for other health benefits too.
There are minimalist programs that you can do in as little as a half hour twice a week.
I used to do a barbell routine that was just squats, bench press, bent over row, shoulder press, and pull ups.

JennyRATL

What kind of strength training did you try? And what areas do you want to tone/firm up?

Maybe you just haven't found the right way for you. I don't care for certain exercises/methods, but don't mind others. Some folks like going to the gym and pumping iron, some like crossfit, some like doing only body resistance stuff at home...it may be that you could try finding ways to get it in that don't feel like chores.
I like going to the gym and using the machines, cables and weights, but also like doing DVDs that mix cardio with strength to keep it interesting, like 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels. I found that particular one resulted in some changes pretty quickly for me.

psuLemon

There are tons of different styles of resistance training and programs that you could try, even ones that can be done. Like @sijomial stated, you just need some kind of progressive resistance to drive damage to your muscle fibers so they can rebuild stronger. You can use body weight programs or even things like swimming. Keep in mind that the barbell just makes it easier and will be the fastest solution because it's the easiest method for progressive overload (the keep component). At some point, there are limitations to other methods.

jjpptt2

Just to be clear - is a recomp what you want to do? Do you know what a recomp is?

If you want to lose fat, no... you don't have to strength train.
If you want to recomp, yes... you need to strength train (though that doesn't mean it has to be traditional weight lifting).

Silentpadna

BaguetteChaude wrote: »

Hey so everything is in the title...
Lost 30 lbs and i am quite happy with my new figure but i'd like to lower a bit my body fat. I tried to make myself like strenght training but i hate it. So instead I run 2 to 3 times a week for an hour.

Could i achieve a recomp with watching closely my macros and continuing running ? Or is any kind of strenght training necessary ?

A lot of great answers in this thread. I try to keep it simple.

1. Nutrition/Calories for weight management
2. Cardio for work capacity/fitness - and perhaps the ability to add some calories to your intake.
3. Strength training for shape.

Most people, when they talk about losing weight, really mean they want to change their shape. Recomp is a means of changing shape while eating at or near maintenance. I can think of almost no way to do that without strength training in some capacity. What is it about strength training that you hate? What kind of programming have you tried? If you done it randomly, my guess is you may get really sore. If you pick a type that progresses slowly, soreness is negligible and progress is addicting.

sarabushby

Reinforcing the swimming recommendations, check out Gethin Jones’ body transformation from 6wks swimming: https://www.coachmag.co.uk/fitness/4440/gethin-jones-6-week-swim-transformation

slbbw

What other activities do you like to do. I was a runner first and I took up triathlon. I gained good muscle and found myself running faster by engaging in different sport. likewise when I add yoga into my running routine I see different muscle development. But what type of strength exercise do you like. Are pushups ok, what about planks? Adding in a few strength moves into your regular routine will help build and maintain muscle and shape.

My husband used to walk and bike a lot and then slowly stopped. Now he play racquette ball once a week a does daily pushups. He has not changed weight much at all, but he lost calf and thigh size when he stopped cycling.

In short pick a complimentary exercise that will work different muscles. Add in a simple strength move to build muscle as well.