Gym + Running = Overtraining?

JoRocka

Secondly- why WHY so much cardio? You're already running 2 x a week- why are you going to the gym to do more cardio???

Because i enjoy it and I wasn't really thinking about anything other than getting a bit more active and enjoying exercise, plus encouraging my other half to go to the gym with me.

I'm surprised though that you think Its a lot of cardio based on the fact that you do Dance class 3 times a week for 2-4 hours

my total cardio time per week is about 140 minutes so less than three hours total?

Well- I'm in training- it's not dance fitness. I'm a dancer- while I hold down a full time job- I'm also a professional dancer. It's kind of a requirement. sometimes it's very technical. Sometimes it's choreography.
Sometimes it's musical. Sometimes it's basics classes- and posture- sometimes it's boot camp. But it's not 2-4 hours of zumba a week if that makes sense- it varies greatly.

But running 2 times a week and then going to the gym and going 2-3 more sessions of cardio just seems redundant unless you a.) really love it and b.) are training for something.

It is not wrong- it is not right. It should be goal driven.

But if general fitness is your goal - you'd get more bang for your buck with your 2 cardio sessions and then 2-3 sessions of actual weight training. 2 twenty minute sessions just doesn't seem like enough for over all fitness. you could probably get in there and do 2 45 minute whole body lifts and skip the cardio on gym days you'd get a lot of return for your workouts.

as for diet- I can understand wanting to protect yourself from the various onslaught of on line critque- so put this in your back pocket for future use (and this will depend on goals and what not)

this game of what you look like and your appearance- body fat and weight- is 80% diet and 20% fitness.

that being said- since you've upped your exercise- you may actually need to eat more

sati18

^^^ Thank you, yes i can totally see your point about you having to do it for a job and my not needing to :P

And thanks for being nice about what i said about my food being personal. TBH i was expecting to get flamed for that cos i've seen that happen to other people when they havent wanted to share and people got impatient with them. I'll bear your advice in mind

missdibs1

I find lifting to be beneficial prior to running I know you said you run twice a week, and run twice a week, are the other days rest days?

I personally feel loose after lifting and love a run after I always do a five min walk in between and keep my pace in check aka perhaps you are going too hard too often???

missdibs1

sorry * and lift twice per week

pyrowill

I'd say cardio is featuring too high on your weights days since you also run. Reduce the cardio to a warm up on the gym days. If that doesn't help consider having some energy supplies to hand for the running, like gels, bananas etc.

Sarah4fitness

Why would you do cardio in the gym in addition to your weekly running schedule? Why not just lift weights when at the gym?

sati18

@missdibs - yes the other days are pretty much rest days, i do walk during the day (around my office etc) but thats about it... funnily enough the one time i did run directly after the gym the next morning i did find it ok, so you have a point there.

to the others that asked why do so much cardio at the gym - because i never really knew not to :)i've only been going to the gym for a few weeks, and when they did my induction they suggested doing the cardio machines and then the weights ones. Plus as i said before i do genuinely enjoy it.

but essentially thats why all the points in this thread have been so helpful, because i have never really been a gym goer and i would probably never have thought that there was such a thing as too much cardio