Why do people cut cardio when lifting weights?

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Replies

  • liamlah
    liamlah Posts: 1 Member
    If it hasn't already been posted. There is a pretty in depth article on why mixing the too is detrimental to both.

    http://www.humanengine.com/index.php/articles/training/item/the-cardio-comedown?category_id=2

    "This robust finding is called the concurrent training effect or the interference effect, because the negative interaction between cardio and strength training is a result of trying to make the body adapt in two opposite directions. When you put stress on your body, it adapts and this adaptation is specific to the demands placed on it. The demands you place on your body with cardio and strength training are mutually exclusive. These adaptations include local changes in muscle fiber type composition and speed of muscle activation, but also central changes in cellular pathway signaling, gene activation and enzyme concentrations7,8,9. For example, protein kinase B/Akt (PKB) decreases protein breakdown and activates protein synthesis, making its presence very desirable for muscle gains. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) increases mitochondrial protein, glucose transport, and a number of other factors that result in increased endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness. The problem is, AMPK and PKB block each other's downstream signaling10. That's why doing cardio limits hypertrophy and strength gains not just in the legs or whatever body parts you use for your cardio, but in the whole body. The intuition behind the interference effect is simple. You can't be the world's best sprinter and marathon runner at the same time. If you want your body to be exceptional at something, you will have to specialize in it."
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    I've just read through the full text of "Interference of Strength Development by Simultaneously Training for Strength and Endurance", which is here:
    http://sriechman.tamu.edu/629/2012/hickson interferance 1980.pdf

    Unfortunately I see NO mention of calories. I also see that the S and E combined group had a not very significant LOSS of weight.
    Which would suggest that they were likely under-eating for strength gains, so that could also be related as opposed to cardio interfering. Further, they did their two workouts fairly close to each other (within two hours).
    It doesn't mention which is done first either.
  • mamacoates
    mamacoates Posts: 430 Member
    Bump to read later.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    I am so jealous of people who can cut cardio!! I really wish I could, too, but when you only have 1200 calories a day to work with, getting a couple hundred extra to eat thanks to cardio counts for a lot :(

    Working out to eat more is a fast way to have an unhealthy relationship with food.
    Such a strong statement... as with anything there is a grey area.

    "I like my athletes to eat a little more, so most do a little more cardio" -Alberto Nunez

    /end of your statement
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    I cut cardio because lifting is freaking exhausting, and I found I didn't need it to lose weight.

    Yup. Cardio is also very time-consuming, and I prefer to just get in the gym, throw some heavy stuff around as fast as I can and get the hell outta dodge so I can get my day started.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Cause they're lazy
    Beeeep. Wrong. :wink:
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    I am so jealous of people who can cut cardio!! I really wish I could, too, but when you only have 1200 calories a day to work with, getting a couple hundred extra to eat thanks to cardio counts for a lot :(

    Working out to eat more is a fast way to have an unhealthy relationship with food.

    NO!! Last week I wanted a hot chocolate so I went for a walk first.

    Exactly. :flowerforyou:

    If I want hot chocolate, I probably have to say I like the Cowboys...wait for it...wait for it........
  • codycsweet
    codycsweet Posts: 1,019 Member
    I found that as I have added weights I'm tired and now only do 2-3 classes a week on Zumba. I also make sure I hit 10k steps a day which is easy if I'm at work or playing with my kids

    I'm finding I don't need to be a cardio queen to get fit and healthy. I do cardio for some heart health through Zumba or some HITT.
  • Mrsallypants
    Mrsallypants Posts: 887 Member
    I like cardio and weight lifting on a diet, they seem to complement one another. Better cardiovascular fitness reduces my blood pressure, burns calories, gives me a runner's high, and seems to give me more stamina when it comes to weight lifting. Cardio also helps me break weight loss plateaus.

    I tend to feel sluggish when I just weight lift. Of course i don't overdo cardio to the point of overtraining, I still monitor my calories so I don't have to do hours of cardio just to create a calorie deficit from a poor diet.

    Cardio is an important tool for pre-contest bodybuilders who want to achieve low levels of bodyfat.

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