Quesion on cardio vs lifting

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  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    I think they both build muscle but not at the same rate. cardio will build muscle because you caring your body weight but the motion stop after you stop running vs weight training for 24 hours. I feel the same way about running and bicycling. they say you burn more calories when running but I feel like i workout more when bicycling.

    Thank you for writing this, you just made my day with this completely nonsensical post.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    Well.

    Perhaps we should change this and swing it around since we are just back pedalling. and no one is getting the answers they want.

    What are your goals? Be specific.

    Because if it's lose weight- the answer is
    DIET.

    DIET.
    DIET.

    it is 90% diet.

    If it's to get moderately fit- the answer will be- well depends on what is your definition of fit.

    If you just want to live your life more comfortably by being able have better lung capacity - then you can get some of that out of the elliptical.

    If you want to be a little stronger AND have better lung capacity and be more fit for day to day life- get off the elliptical.

    1.) the elliptical is one of the most ineffective pieces of equipment in a gym - even for cardio.
    2.) The only time anyone gains muscle off of it is when they are brand new to fitness- otherwise there are no strength gains.
    3.) You do not NEED cardio to lose weight
    4.) getting all muscley and bulky are different than having muscle definition and being lean and trim.
    5.) STRENGTH gains are no the same as MUSCLE gains.
    6.) You could absolutely look lean and ripped without being huge. That is primarily a function of body fat- not large muscles.

    So if you are doing MODERATE weight lifting (if you are doing KB squats- sounds a like you are) and you drop body fat- you will be lean and "ripped" or "toned"

    Getting BIG requires a lot of progressive lifting- getting ripped requires lifting but MORE attention to detail on body fat stuff.
    THIS. Why would the body adapt to cardio by making more metabolically expensive tissue and by adding bodyweight ?
  • ronbo62098
    ronbo62098 Posts: 59 Member
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    JoRocka - just a couple final notes...
    Perhaps we should change this and swing it around since we are just back pedalling. and no one is getting the answers they want.
    I'm satisfied with the answers I got. I have always read that you can't build muscle doing cardio, my question was "why, biologically, is this so?" That was answered. It wasn't a question about goals - it was about expectations. This is what I'm doing (elliptical, very light lifting), what can I expect, and what are the differences in gains for each? Again, got answers to that. I'm good.

    2.) The only time anyone gains muscle off of it is when they are brand new to fitness- otherwise there are no strength gains.
    This is exactly what prompted my question. When I first started, I could barely do 30 min. I can now do twice that. I haven't fully outgrown the elliptical because I'm still only "pushing" 1/2 the time (two min fast/slow intervals). I expect I will certainly max out any "gains" on the elliptical soon, but I have seen gains in my ability - thus prompting the question: how do those gains compare to lifting gains. Again, answered and done.

    My thanks to all those who provided details of not just "what" but "why".

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