Cardio vs Lifting

Grumbers

Hi All

Sorry, I guess this has been asked a thousand times here before, but I can't find exactly what I'm after so I'll start again...

I do quite a lot of cardio. Generally 5 times a week in the form of running, soccer, metafit, spinning. Also normal gym work (treadmill, bikes, elliptical etc etc). During the summer I do a hell of a lot of road cycling. Historically though, I've eaten like a horse so that's why I've always stayed overweight with good base fitness.

I don't really do any focused weight work. I do the odd 10 minutes of bicep curls, seated rows, but no real weight regime.

I see a lot on here where people mention they lift rather than do cardio (or do a small amount of cardio). Can I ask why?

I understand that weights allow body sculpting, but my logic tells me that cardio is better for flat out weight loss? Am I wrong?

I've got about 3 stone to lose, so would it make sense to start with more cardio? Then as I get nearer target focus more on weights?

Would really like to know your thoughts/tips?

Thanks

rie_q

I don't do weights. I have limited space and equipment, existing medium-to-long-term injuries that must be taken into account, and I get bored :laugh: . If and when I find a way to make it interesting, I'll pick up my weights, but until then I'll stick to my zombie chases. :laugh:

JustineV88

Great Question, Grumbers!

The best way to exercise for health and weight loss is to combine the two- do a mix of cardio and weights. You're partly right when you say 'cardio is good for flat-out weight loss' because cardio does burn a lot more calories minute for minute than weight training BUT you are also partly wrong because weight training, although not a direct form of losing weight, helps you to maintain (or preferably increase) your muscle mass. This is important because your muscle mass directly affects your metabolism because it needs energy to maintain itself where fat doesn't require much at all. For example, an 80kg man with 15% body fat: 85% lean mass will have a higher resting metabolism (burn more calories at rest) then another 80kg man with 30% body fat: 70% lean mass.

Keep up your cardio but swap a session or two for resistance training every week!

Hope this makes sense!

tigersword

Strength training and lifting helps retain muscle while in calorie deficit. Doing that much cardio while eating at a calorie deficit will lead to a lot of muscle loss.

Cardio is not better for weight loss. Strength training is not better for weight loss. Quite frankly, eating at a calorie deficit is better for weight loss. Exercise is for fitness and body composition, weight loss is all about how much you eat.

Grumbers

Thanks Justine. Great reply.

So I suppose the next question I'd have then is how intensely you do the weight work? Does this come back to the old question of "body image" that you're after? So small reps/big weight for large muscle or bigger reps/lighter weight for tone.

As someone who like to do a lots of sport, performance will be more important that looking bulked, so I guess I'd always go for tone. I find it daft the amount of guys I know who look huge and walk with their arms out at horizontals, but actually put them on a football pitch or bike and they've got no level of fitness.

However if doing tone lifting is less beneficial than heavier weights, it's something I'd have to consider.

tigersword

Low reps, heavy weights for strength. In the 3-5 rep range.

JustineV88

It depends on your current fitness really... I would start you off with a full body program 2-3 times a week doing 2-3sets (depending on your capability) of 15 reps. The weight you use should be light enough that you can complete the 15 reps but heavy enough that the 14th and 15th rep are tough to complete. Either complete in circuit format (better use of time) or do each set back to back with 30 secs rest in between sets.

Once this phase is complete you'll be ready to move on to a slightly different type of training where we do slightly less reps but heavier weight. eventually you will get to a point where you mix up your weights programs so 1 week/month you work on muscle endurance (as recommended to start with above), then strength endurance, hypertrophy, strength etc. I can talk you through these when you are ready to move on (probablyy 4 weeks or so after starting the above program).

JustineV88

Low reps, heavy weights for strength. In the 3-5 rep range.

This is great if you are a seasoned weight lifter. If not then going straight to this is putting you at risk of injury because you may have incorrect form and/or you'll be lifting a weight that will strain an untrained muscle. This is something to move onto after a couple of months.

meshashesha2012

I see a lot on here where people mention they lift rather than do cardio (or do a small amount of cardio). Can I ask why?

cardio bores me. i have a short attention span and like instant gratification in the gym. it takes can do a set of deadlifts in 1-2 minutes and be like BAM, that's more than i lifted last week.

this is also why i was a sprinter and played rugby. i really don't like doing the same thing over and over and then realizing 15 minutes later that i'm STILL doing it

I understand that weights allow body sculpting, but my logic tells me that cardio is better for flat out weight loss? Am I wrong?

yes you're wrong. a calorie deficit is better flat out for weight loss

I've got about 3 stone to lose, so would it make sense to start with more cardio? Then as I get nearer target focus more on weights?

this doesnt make sense to me. why do double the work? you could just lose the weight with cardio alone, then once you reach your goal lift to make up for all the lean body mass you lost. which would require a bulk where you would have to eat over your calories gain a little more fat in the process and then have to go into a cut. OR you could just do the weights as well as cardio from the beginning and kill 2 birds at the same time

livingleanlivingclean

Thanks Justine. Great reply.

So I suppose the next question I'd have then is how intensely you do the weight work? Does this come back to the old question of "body image" that you're after? So small reps/big weight for large muscle or bigger reps/lighter weight for tone.

As someone who like to do a lots of sport, performance will be more important that looking bulked, so I guess I'd always go for tone. I find it daft the amount of guys I know who look huge and walk with their arms out at horizontals, but actually put them on a football pitch or bike and they've got no level of fitness.

However if doing tone lifting is less beneficial than heavier weights, it's something I'd have to consider.

I think "tone" is the most ridiculous word ever - not having a dig at you, just that the word is used!! Looking toned is simply losing enough fat to have your muscles more visible, or more "defined". Lifting heavy will change your shape, diet will get rid of the fat

Oh...and I do as little cardio as possible. Lifting weights makes you fitter - I could never run very far, but after just doing weights for months my fitness level had increased a lot!

Grumbers

Again, great reply. My current fitness, I run 10kms, can road ride for 4-5hrs covering 70 ish miles, play soccer for hour. So my base fitness is ok. My core strength is my weakness. I can run a sub 50min 10km, but struggle to do more than 5 push ups. Nightmare!

Obviously like everyone there are weight exercises I prefer more than others. We all love to do bicep curls!

I believe you work different muscle groups at different times. How would you advise to split? I guess you'd do back and core on different days. So hypothetically would you do something like this...

Day 1 - Arms/Core
Day 2 - Back/Pecs

Also I know it sounds like I need to commit more, but I struggle to do more than 30 minutes of muscle work per session. Just don't find it that fun. I guess I should be able to do what I need in 30 minutes?

livingleanlivingclean

You forgot legs.....friends don't let friends miss leg day! Haha

Grumbers

I understand that weights allow body sculpting, but my logic tells me that cardio is better for flat out weight loss? Am I wrong?

yes you're wrong. a calorie deficit is better flat out for weight loss

Yes I understand that in simple terms. My point I suppose was that doesn't cardio aid building a calorie deficit quicker than weight lifting? Aka "x" amount of calories per minute. Obviously I appreciate there a many variants in this. I'm talking very generally here.

meshashesha2012

Low reps, heavy weights for strength. In the 3-5 rep range.

This is great if you are a seasoned weight lifter. If not then going straight to this is putting you at risk of injury because you may have incorrect form and/or you'll be lifting a weight that will strain an untrained muscle. This is something to move onto after a couple of months.

this is incorrect, you dont have to be a seasoned weight lifter to train for strength :huh: . just like beginning runners dont start off running marathons why assume that beginning lifters are starting off trying to squat 200 pounds? :laugh: and you get good form by practicing with no weight and then once you have the form correct you gradually start progressively increasing the weight.


also exercises performed in strength training are compound movements that your muscles are "trained" to do naturally. how do you sit on the toilet? how do you lift something from the floor? how do you put something over your head? well that's your muscles trained to squat, deadlift, row and overhead press right there.

Grumbers

You forgot legs.....friends don't let friends miss leg day! Haha

Haha, I have sprint cyclists legs. Years of bushing 18st around on a bike. No problem there!!! But I'm aware it's something I need to monitor in the future!

meshashesha2012

I understand that weights allow body sculpting, but my logic tells me that cardio is better for flat out weight loss? Am I wrong?

yes you're wrong. a calorie deficit is better flat out for weight loss

Yes I understand that in simple terms. My point I suppose was that doesn't cardio aid building a calorie deficit quicker than weight lifting? Aka "x" amount of calories per minute. Obviously I appreciate there a many variants in this. I'm talking very generally here.

both are trumped by eating less.

trying to get your calorie deficit via exercise without getting a handle on your eating is a sure fire way to not reach your goals OR to risk gaining all your weight back. after all, what happens when "life" happens and you can no longer workout hours a day several days a week?

ETA: you should look into a program like strong lifts or starting strength. both are simple strength training programs in that they focus on 3-4 compound movements per workout. since you have a good level of cardio endurance, you can probably get away with doing your cardio on the non-lifting days.

you could also keep doing cardio on lifting days when you're just starting getting the form down. but once you start reaching weights where the 5 sets of 5 reps will be hard, then you probably wont have the energy t do a lot of cardio that day, especially if you're eating at a deficit

davert123

Also the big question is what do you enjoy :-) At the end of the day this is a lifestyle question as much as anything. Are you going to do something for the rest of your life that you don't enjoy :-)

Personally I do a bit of both but I mainly do Cardio - I do this because I enjoy it. I love getting out and about and I love swimming :-) I look at the exercise as my hobby now. Resistance training doesn't really float my boat but I do it all my the same because I can see the benefits to my main hobby. Perhaps things will change in the future though. There are a lot of great benefits in Cardio work. It burns fat, is very good for your heart , lungs and circulation. Its a good stress reliever as well. Your body will adapt and build stronger tougher muscles (which can be supplemented with weight training)

nikamar

Strength training and lifting helps retain muscle while in calorie deficit. Doing that much cardio while eating at a calorie deficit will lead to a lot of muscle loss.

Cardio is not better for weight loss. Strength training is not better for weight loss. Quite frankly, eating at a calorie deficit is better for weight loss. Exercise is for fitness and body composition, weight loss is all about how much you eat.

This is the best reply on the topic.

Caloric deficit will result in weight loss, and your type of activity will determine how will your body compose whilst losing fat (and how much muscle will it lose along with that fat).
If you're just trying to lose weight, it doesn't really matter what you do as long as you're in deficit, but if you're trying to recompose and look the best you can it does matter.

Just seeing how my body looked when I ate at maintenance/small surplus and running 30-40 miles/week, and how it started to look when I begun eating at small deficit and (compound) strength training (and doing different type of cardio)- tells me volumes about what's better for me.

Grumbers

I understand that weights allow body sculpting, but my logic tells me that cardio is better for flat out weight loss? Am I wrong?

yes you're wrong. a calorie deficit is better flat out for weight loss

Yes I understand that in simple terms. My point I suppose was that doesn't cardio aid building a calorie deficit quicker than weight lifting? Aka "x" amount of calories per minute. Obviously I appreciate there a many variants in this. I'm talking very generally here.

both are trumped by eating less.

trying to get your calorie deficit via exercise without getting a handle on your eating is a sure fire way to not reach your goals OR to risk gaining all your weight back. after all, what happens when "life" happens and you can no longer workout hours a day several days a week?

Yeah, I have no problem with the food side of things. I'm hitting my target daily quite comfortably if I exercise or not. I naturally eat pretty well (5 a day) but historically have just eaten too much.

But let's be honest, If I can allow myself an extra 500 calories a day from exercise then great. That makes it even easier.

I'm also acutely aware that I don't want to be massively under my daily target. Working on a daily deficit of 1000 calories, I don't really want to risk going much less than that.

MickeS

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

This^^
Also join me in doing stronglifts for 2 month and then decide on where you want to go from there!

sijomial

As you have already had some good answers I'll take a different perspective...
You can fit in both weight/strength training & cardio easily, my normal routine is 3 of each every week alternating.

It didn't hurt my cycling/cardio at all and I still made really good strength gains while improving VO2 max.

I much prefer to concentrate on cardio or strength in one session rather than try to do both on the same day otherwise whatever you do second is compromised by the first.

As for your comment "we all like doing bicep curls" - um, no. Never do them - much better to concentrate on compound exercises.

You seem to like variety in your cardio and you can do the same for strength: barbell, dumbbell, cable, machines, body weight all feature is my routine from time to time - keeps it fresh. Although a beginner’s full body compound routine is undoubtedly the most efficient it would bore the tits off me!!

gr34t

Also the big question is what do you enjoy :-) At the end of the day this is a lifestyle question as much as anything. Are you going to do something for the rest of your life that you don't enjoy :-)

Personally I do a bit of both but I mainly do Cardio - I do this because I enjoy it. I love getting out and about and I love swimming :-) I look at the exercise as my hobby now. Resistance training doesn't really float my boat but I do it all my the same because I can see the benefits to my main hobby. Perhaps things will change in the future though. There are a lot of great benefits in Cardio work. It burns fat, is very good for your heart , lungs and circulation. Its a good stress reliever as well. Your body will adapt and build stronger tougher muscles (which can be supplemented with weight training)

I fully agree with your first paragraph: working out, especially in the long-term, is about what you enjoy doing and where you have sufficient incentives to do the (hard) work - like, e.g. having fun doing so!

The second paragraph, however, sounds to me like you're glorifying cardio exercise a little too much. Don't get me wrong, any exercise is better than none, and there are certainly significant health benefits to doing cardio. Don't underestimate the influence of the running lobby in the public discussion, though. As far as I'm aware, there's very little scientific evidence that the classic cardio exercises keep you any healthier than other forms of working out (like weight lifting). What matters is that you're active, stress your system and build a fitter foundation. How you do that - this depends on your preferences.

There's quite a few stronglift etc. sectarians on here and I'm not one of them by any means. However, I do share three key assumptions with them:
a) "holistic" exercises which involve your whole body are superior to ones which focus on individual body parts (e.g. squats vs biceps curls -- but also running or swimming!).
b) getting "stronger" (in comparison to getting "bulkier") is a good thing, no matter your goal (weight loss, weight gain, health or looks).
c) to get stronger, you have to keep coming up with real challenges. Whether that's constantly beating your own records when running (don't forget to mix up speed, intervals, length and tracks to keep your muscles from developing a routine) or increasing weights when lifting. The latter is easier to accomplish because you'll be instantly aware of your accomplishments (or the need to mix things up).

One last piece of advice: Don't try mixing up cardio and weight exercises too much if you're looking to improve in lifting quickly. As was mentioned above, doing one or the other each week is preferable. An even/odd day pattern is not likely to show great results as your muscles do need plenty of rest when taking lifting seriously. If lifting is supposed to just supplement cardio, doing it one or twice a week is fine - either directly before/after cardio, or with a rest day afterwards while doing only lighter cardio the day before (your muscles need to realise that growth is needed instead of maintenance).

jimmmer

Yes, you're wrong.

Diet determines weightloss.

Cardio is for heart/lung health and muscular endurance

Progressive resistance training is for getting stronger/increasing lbm/retaining lbm - depending on how you do it and what your calorie deficit/surplus is like

theycallyoumister

I find that I balance them out...and it depends on areas of improvement I'm focusing on. I really like the way that weights tone and shape my body and with proper nutrition and diet, the burning of calories isn't too concerning. I do enjoy the benefits of cardio now though and it certainly helps when I resumed participating in different sports

Huffdogg

I see a lot on here where people mention they lift rather than do cardio (or do a small amount of cardio). Can I ask why?

I understand that weights allow body sculpting, but my logic tells me that cardio is better for flat out weight loss? Am I wrong?

You are, in fact wrong.

The only thing that makes you burn fat is a calorie deficit. How you come about that deficit is irrelevant.

Cardio is good for heart and lung health, but generally speaking is catabolic (contributes to muscle loss rather than muscle gain).

Lean muscle is what makes you look good when you lose weight.

Lifting high intensity (heavy) weight signals your body to retain lean muscle when you are in a deficit.

A mixture of both is fine if you are after overall total fitness and have the time/energy/inclination to do cardio.

If you just want to lose fat and look better, cardio is completely unnecessary, but I would argue that strength training is not.

Huffdogg

Again, great reply. My current fitness, I run 10kms, can road ride for 4-5hrs covering 70 ish miles, play soccer for hour. So my base fitness is ok. My core strength is my weakness. I can run a sub 50min 10km, but struggle to do more than 5 push ups. Nightmare!

Obviously like everyone there are weight exercises I prefer more than others. We all love to do bicep curls!

I believe you work different muscle groups at different times. How would you advise to split? I guess you'd do back and core on different days. So hypothetically would you do something like this...

Day 1 - Arms/Core
Day 2 - Back/Pecs

Also I know it sounds like I need to commit more, but I struggle to do more than 30 minutes of muscle work per session. Just don't find it that fun. I guess I should be able to do what I need in 30 minutes?

Bicep curls...*shudder*

Focus on compounds. They all help build a stronger core. You could do Starting Strength and be in and out of the gym in 30 minutes for probably the first 2 weeks. By then you'll have decided if it something you will warm to or not.