Strength Training vs. Cardio - Preference or Body Type?

Mom2ATeam

I'm noticing since I've started exercising routinely that cardio, whether it's a brisk walk with running intervals (a la C25K) or biking or whatever totally runs me down. I literally just want to go to sleep when I'm done. However, I can do an hour of bodyweight training - squats, push ups, sit ups, etc. - and I'm sore all over but totally energized and ready to tackle whatever the day throws at me. I remember being the same way in high school when I had to do the football workouts as a cheerleader...give me the weight room any day over the running and plyometrics! My BF, however, is the opposite. He hates strength training and would much rather go for a run or a bike ride. We were talking about it yesterday and wondering if it has to do with body type (he's very leanly built and I'm more muscular - or will be after the fat is burned off LOL!) or if it's just a matter of preference. What's been your experience?

LKArgh

Sounds like you need to work on your endurance, while your bf needs to work on his strength.

TiberiusClaudis

Growing up, I was always a "fast twitch" guy. Speed (as in dashes) and weight lifting. Hated jogging...and while I like to swim, I'd get winded quickly compared to my skinnier friends.

Took 15 adult years "off" and came back to getting fit. Lost 60 lbs in 4 months...mainly due to walking the first couple and then working up to jogging. Now a couple years into being reborn, I can literally run for 90 mins will little or no rest. But for my training, I usually don't do steady state cardio. The point is, it took me a while to build up my endurance. But I did it...I wasn't "hooked" into just being one type of body type. You can get your body to do what ever you want it to do..you are in control..the hard part (and kind of fun too) is figuring how what that is that you want...then researching the type of exercise and diet that will get you there.

Bottomline: Figure out what you want ot become and don't take any crap from your body when it says can't...kick her into shape and say CAN! :happy:

MeanderingMammal

We were talking about it yesterday and wondering if it has to do with body type (he's very leanly built and I'm more muscular - or will be after the fat is burned off LOL!) or if it's just a matter of preference. What's been your experience?

It's fairly clear that different people respond to adaptation differently, so there is a physiological preference, but eqully that's not a reason to do one thing over another.

Personally I find resistance training to be incredibly boring, but when I do it I get results. I'd get more results if I did more of it, but what I do serves my purpose; injury prevention and improving my running and cycling performance.

All that said, if you're finding that a short walk/ run session tires you out to that extent then you probably need to spend some time working on your endurance. Personaly I'd benefit from a nap after a 20K run but it's not something I feel I need. CV work and resistance work is complementary, with CV improving endurance, exercise efficiency and VO2Max with resistance training optimising body composition and strength that's not trained through CV.

What I find amusing on here is the number of lifing advocates who explicitly recommend not doing any CV work, whereas most who focus on CV will advocate some resistance training; recognising the value.

SingingSingleTracker

I'm noticing since I've started exercising routinely that cardio, whether it's a brisk walk with running intervals (a la C25K) or biking or whatever totally runs me down. I literally just want to go to sleep when I'm done. However, I can do an hour of bodyweight training - squats, push ups, sit ups, etc. - and I'm sore all over but totally energized and ready to tackle whatever the day throws at me.

Way too much information lacking regarding your current weight loss/calorie defeciit, nutrition, timing of eathing before and after your cardio workout, and what kind of base you have built for doing cardio. In addition, there are training zones for cardio and knowing which zones you target, and how your week is structured with those zones (including nutrition to fuel those workouts) it's hard to make a comment.

Link to cardio training zones...

http://home.trainingpeaks.com/blog/article/power-training-levels

Recovery = Old lady pace
Endurance = Chatty pace
Tempo = Feel good hard
Lactate Threshold = Feel bad hard
V02 Max = I am going to die
Anaerobic Capacity = Flat out
Neuromuscular Power = Very short, very intense and can only maintain for a few seconds

Your body's response and the nutrition requirements will be different for all of those. Sounds to me, without knowing more, that if you want to fall asleep after doing them, something is either wrong with your nutrition or your timing of workout sessions. I, on the other hand, feel pretty energized and "alive" for the rest of the day after spending some duration in the Lactate Threshold and V02 Max zones.

It would be interesting to know what zones you are actually training in during your cardio...

JoRocka

We were talking about it yesterday and wondering if it has to do with body type (he's very leanly built and I'm more muscular - or will be after the fat is burned off LOL!) or if it's just a matter of preference. What's been your experience?

It's fairly clear that different people respond to adaptation differently, so there is a physiological preference, but eqully that's not a reason to do one thing over another.

Personally I find resistance training to be incredibly boring, but when I do it I get results. I'd get more results if I did more of it, but what I do serves my purpose; injury prevention and improving my running and cycling performance.

All that said, if you're finding that a short walk/ run session tires you out to that extent then you probably need to spend some time working on your endurance. Personaly I'd benefit from a nap after a 20K run but it's not something I feel I need. CV work and resistance work is complementary, with CV improving endurance, exercise efficiency and VO2Max with resistance training optimising body composition and strength that's not trained through CV.

What I find amusing on here is the number of lifing advocates who explicitly recommend not doing any CV work, whereas most who focus on CV will advocate some resistance training; recognising the value.

I only do it because I must- not because I love it LOL-verses- weights- I LOVE being in the gym, but I don't typically say cardio work is a MUST-in terms of "you must do 30 minutes of cardio like running/walking a day"- people often think cardio as a specific grouping of activities- not just getting your heart working and elevated which means you can get CV work in through weight training- so it's not like you HAVE to go for a run.... so I would only slightly (slightly- very very slightly) contest your last line- but I do realize that you are pretty true on the way the wind swings on that. power lifters only cardio when they must LOL

But the rest of this post is great advice/insight.

MeanderingMammal

I only do it because I must- not because I love it

Resistance training of some kind is beneficial to the running. Leg work helps mitigate for injury risk, core work helps reduce fatigue in the long runs and also helps avoid back pain, which can be an issue in the 15km plus range. Arm strength isn't so much of an issue, but for higher speeds it certainly helps with stability and driving forward. Leg work also helps with acceleration, particularly when fatigued.

which means you can get CV work in through weight training

I'm sceptical that you're going to get the same effect on exercise efficiency throwing weights around as you would do on a 25-30 minute threshold run. You certainly get your HR up with high rep, light weight work, but I wouldn't see the same range of effect. Equally a sprint session will develop the legs but the results aren't going to be as rapid as if one does a leg focussed resistance session. Hence sprinters tending to do resistance sessions emphasising increasing the size and explosive power of the legs whilst distance runners will do resistance sessions emphasising power and endurance without the bulk.