The magic strength training vs cardio balance

BAMFMeredith

I need to know a good balance.

Currently, I strength train about 4x a week and do cardio about 5-6x a week, and add yoga in there once or twice a week, depending on my schedule.

I am currently 5'3", 158 lbs, 33% body fat, my goal is to get down to 18% body fat and I don't really care too much about the # on the scale, but 130 lbs was my original goal weight.

How often should I be strength training vs cardio, and how often should I train each muscle group (upper body, core, lower body)??

I have a good knowledge of what kind of lifting and what kind of cardio to do, I'm really just needing some helpplanning out my week better so I'm getting the maximum benefit of each. Thanks!

lizard053

There is no "magic" number that works for everyone. You have to find out for yourself. Taking measurements might be the best way for you to track your goal. And of course, how you look. More muscle will look better and be smaller, but you need to keep removing the body fat too.

IpuffyheartHeelsinthegym

sounds pretty good. There should be cardio daily and strength every other day and one day of rest a week. And, that sounds about what you have going on. Remember, eating is 80% of it.

UponThisRock

If you're doing a proper strength training routine, 2-3x per week cardio is plenty, IMO.

MrsLVF

I need to know a good balance.

Currently, I strength train about 4x a week and do cardio about 5-6x a week, and add yoga in there once or twice a week, depending on my schedule.

I am currently 5'3", 158 lbs, 33% body fat, my goal is to get down to 18% body fat and I don't really care too much about the # on the scale, but 130 lbs was my original goal weight.

How often should I be strength training vs cardio, and how often should I train each muscle group (upper body, core, lower body)??

I have a good knowledge of what kind of lifting and what kind of cardio to do, I'm really just needing some helpplanning out my week better so I'm getting the maximum benefit of each. Thanks!

wow, i have the same goals, same weight, 1/2 " shorter & am doing the same things. I'm looking forward to everyone's answers.

myak623

I would think that lifting heavy 3-4x/wk and cardio 2x/wk would be plenty. With an emphasis on lifting heavy.

clickmaster

A good rule is to strength train optimally until you have reached your genetic potential and then ever after to keep the muscle. You can't train anaerobically (for strength) more than a few hours per week (not including resting and other unproductive time) without defeating your objective by over-training. Adding muscle is the best way to fitness because it offers advantages aerobics cannot such as elevating the basal metabolic rate so you'll burn 50 more calories per day per pound of muscle without even using the muscle; developing more robust body-wide systemic and organic fitness; providing an "afterburn" effect which will have you burning more calories without doing any exercise; improving bone mineral density to stave off osteoporosis; increases your capacity for doing mechanical work; etc.

"Cardio" on the other hand is a misnomer and a word better left alone. Steady-state aerobic exercise (what most people refer to as "cardio") does very little by comparison and very little to improve cardio-vascular fitness. It does none of those things mentioned above but does increase the potential or injury especially for those who take to the public roadways with jogging and is often responsible for repetitive stress injury especially to the knees. Grinding away on a treadmill is a poor way to lose fat when considering an average person has to run 5 miles every day to burn the 3500 calories per week or the equivalent of a pound of body fat. And, because there is no increase in muscle mass, there is no increase in the efficiency of systems and organs which support heart health making running a poor choice for cardio-vascular fitness.

In this book --> http://www.bodybyscience.net/home.html/?… the coauthors make the following assertion.

"The scientific literature is filled with data that strongly make the case that long distance runners are much more likely to develop cardio-vascular disease, atrial fibrillation, cancer, liver and gallbladder disorders, muscle damage, kidney dysfunction (renal abnormalities), acute microthrombosis in the vascular system, brain damage, spinal degeneration, and germ-cell cancers than are their less active counterparts."

Each assertion is footnoted. They're making the point that most people have "cardio" all wrong and don't really understand how to train to be fit.

All workouts should be goal oriented so your goals will have everything to do with how you tailor your fitness training. However, don't feel as though you must spin or grind at the gym when you can work aerobic fitness into your life in enjoyable ways such as dancing, Zumba, or involvement in a sport of your choosing. On the other hand, strength training is the best way to improve over-all health and stave off the ravages of time and can be accomplished with both aerobic and anaerobic components.

Good luck and good health!!

♠

BAMFMeredith

Thought I should probably add in here that I'm a runner. I compete (well, run in) races as frequently as I can, and am about to do my 3rd half marathon in a few weeks. I run 3x a week (twice are shorter runs incorporating HIIT, once a week is my long distance run) in accordance with my training program. Running's kinda my thing, I enjoy it

Rae6503

If you do a good full body strength routine 3 times a week is good. I agree w/ Upon that you only need cardio 2-3 times as well, but if you like running, go for it.

UponThisRock

Steady-state aerobic exercise (what most people refer to as "cardio") does very little by comparison and very little to improve cardio-vascular fitness.

Nonsense