Is Cardio Necessary?

hooah_mj

You heart rate doesn't increase when you lift weights?

When you lift heavy, it does have a cardio effect depending on type of weight lifting moves you're doing. :bigsmile:
I started wearing my HRM when I do my lifting sessions 2X a week at the gym. I generally do a lot of super sets.
I find that I sweat as much as I do lifting weights when I just do my regular cardio workouts :laugh:

Actually, the heavier you lift, the less of an aerobic effect it has. When your heart rate increases during heavy weight lifting, it does so by a different physiologic mechanism than it does during cardio. So there is no increased caloric burn with the increased heart rate. It's an easy mistake to make because people have become conditioned to using HRMs without understanding how HRMs work. In the case of weight lifting, HRMs are useless for estimating calories.

The truth is that, from an aerobic standpoint, doing heavy squats (e.g. 2-4 RM) has the aerobic effect of a casual stroll.

very true...but the benies...I find...are much greater! and so is the burn!

UpEarly

All I know is that when the zombie apocalypse comes... the fact that I do lots of cardio is going to pay off when I outrun all you strength-only folks. Didn't anyone ever see 'Zombieland' - Cardio is Rule #1 for survival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmLaDn7Obl4

LOL - just saying...

In all seriousness, of course people can reach their weight goal without cardio. You can also reach a weight goal without lifting weights. In fact, you can reach a weight goal sitting on your butt on the coach. Weight goals are reached by implementing a calorie deficit.

Personally - I use all the tools out there for reaching my weight goal - cardio, lifting, interval training and a calorie deficit. Just my choice in how to go about it. :-)

Azdak

Academically, yes--You can lose weight with, say, diet and resistance training alone. Actually, you can lose weight through diet alone. For most people, it's just not as practical or effective to take that approach. Many people are unwilling or incapable of doing the volume and intensity of strength training necessary (and, like running marathons, there is no practical or health reason to do so).

UponThisRock

You heart rate doesn't increase when you lift weights?

When you lift heavy, it does have a cardio effect depending on type of weight lifting moves you're doing. :bigsmile:
I started wearing my HRM when I do my lifting sessions 2X a week at the gym. I generally do a lot of super sets.
I find that I sweat as much as I do lifting weights when I just do my regular cardio workouts :laugh:

Actually, the heavier you lift, the less of an aerobic effect it has. When your heart rate increases during heavy weight lifting, it does so by a different physiologic mechanism than it does during cardio. So there is no increased caloric burn with the increased heart rate. It's an easy mistake to make because people have become conditioned to using HRMs without understanding how HRMs work. In the case of weight lifting, HRMs are useless for estimating calories.

The truth is that, from an aerobic standpoint, doing heavy squats (e.g. 2-4 RM) has the aerobic effect of a casual stroll.

However, daily calorie balance is what will determine weight loss. I could just as easily "not eat" whatever extra calorie burn I would have gotten by doing cardio.

Azdak

All I know is that when the zombie apocalypse comes... the fact that I do lots of cardio is going to pay off when I outrun all you strength-only folks. Didn't anyone ever see 'Zombieland' - Cardio is Rule #1 for survival: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmLaDn7Obl4

LOL - just saying...

In all seriousness, of course people can reach their weight goal without cardio. You can also reach a weight goal without lifting weights. In fact, you can reach a weight goal sitting on your butt on the coach. Weight goals are reached by implementing a calorie deficit.

Personally - I use all the tools out there for reaching my weight goals - cardio, lifting, interval training and a calorie deficit. Just my choice in how to go about it. :-)

My first impression was that your avatar looked like a "kettlebell cupcake" (or "cupcake kettlebell", which ever you prefer).

Either way, I liked the idea!!

micahcsmith

Cardio is a huge reducer of heart problems. You can lose weight from just diet and not working out at all. The real question is what is healthy. Cardio helps blood circulation, lung capacity, endurance ect. Weight and resistance training strength, muscle, tone. To be healthy and loose weight you should do both. Cardio burns calories faster the resistance training as well. As far as weight that is just a number. You can do just resistance training and diet gain muscle and not loose any weight at all actually gain weight because I'm sure everyone has heard muscle weighs more then fat.

Resistance training is also a huge reducer of heart problems, and it has outperformed cardio in reducing the risk of type-2 diabetes.

Yeah I was meaning more like it works the cardiovascular system which involves the heart, lungs, and blood flow. I'm not a fitness guru. If I was then I wouldn't be trying to loose weight. I do know that Cardo training is a staple for a healthy life style.

TrophyWifeSass

I do cardio so I can drink wine, I strength train so I can look amazing drinking wine! Just saying...

rybo

For me, when I lifted weights very hard and very regularly, I didn't do an ounce of cardio and was still able to keep a low body fat %.

bcattoes

Or could you achieve your weight loss goals with resistance training and diet?

I think I theoretically could have achieved my goal without cardio, but I'm not sure I would have. I enjoy aerobic exercise and still have a hard time sticking to it because my schedule is so tight. I doubt I would have stuck with the amount of resistance training needed long enough to lose it. Giving up my precious free time for something I enjoy it hard enough.

bcattoes

NOTE: Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. It's denser. Pound for pound it weighs the same.

But inch for inch it does not. And aren't inches really more important?

HealthyBodySickMind

(Is cardio necessary?) Or could you achieve your weight loss goals with resistance training and diet?

Personally, in my daily life, low level cardio would be darned near impossible to avoid entirely. It's rather built into my day. Higher intensity cardio I have to think more about and try to get in, like occasionally running with my dog (who stays nicely at heel, no pulling) instead of (or intermittently during) long walks.

So is it necessary for my (insert maintenance instead of weight loss) goals? In other words, would I end up putting on weight if I wasn't moving all the time? It's rather hard to tell when I do it every day. Also, I would probably have bruises from my puppy-love nudging me for a walk if I tried it ...and I do not bruise easily, ask the other kids in the mosh pit.

I'll put what's becoming my usual disclaimer on all "weight loss" related posts: I'm not trying to lose weight; I've never "dieted" or tried to lose weight. I've never had to lose weight. All of my posts are from a maintenance perspective.

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

I think this could work if you're already at your goal weight. But if you're overweight or obese, I think cardio is necessary. Thats just my opinion, though.

LeanMeanFitnessMachine

Cardio is important for prolonged heart health, though! So I would still reccommend doing it.

HealthyBodySickMind

NOTE: Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. It's denser. Pound for pound it weighs the same.

But inch for inch it does not. And aren't inches really more important?

True story. It's like the old riddle: which weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of bricks. Silly, a pound always weighs a pound, but an inch doesn't weigh a pound unless it's a cubic inch of platinum. (J/k, that's still only 0.77 lbs)

tiabirdie56

Cardio makes your heart (muscle) stronger, lungs more efficient. Cardio and strength are necessary to improve stamina and endurance. Proper diet, cardio and strength are sort of the golden triangle to fitness. My personal observations of self improvement over the past 30 years. In my opinion, I do not think it's necessary to do more than 20 minutes of cardio daily if it's high intensity interval training.

NOTE: Muscle doesn't weigh more than fat. It's denser. Pound for pound it weighs the same.

20 minutes of HIIT daily is a minimum???? Holy Crap.

Haha. Holy crap is right. I don't do HIIT everyday. I perform HIIT 3 days a week. Typing faster than thinking.