Endurance or Strength Training

nelnova

Endurance or Strength Training I guess my very general question would be which of the two would be more beneficial in continuing weight loss and muscle gains?

bahacca

Strength training. After all, who cares what the scale is saying if you are shaping your body to look more like you want it to look?

nelnova

thanks but will it contribute to weight loss more or less?

bahacca

Weight loss will be slower than if you do a bunch of cardio. If you care about the number on the scale, then stick with calorie deficit and cardio. Here is a great link-it is about a girl, but will demonstrate how the number on the scale is just that-a number. http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
Muscle mass burns more calories than fat does, so keep that in mind as well. I went through a sort of "exercise attention defecit disorder" at the beginning of the year trying to figure out what I should do. I had goals that were basically at odds with each other. Running a half marathon in September and gaining muscle and strength to be able to do a pull up by year end. I have invested money in the 1/2 already from my entry fee, so this has won out-for now. I will train 3x a week for the 1/2 and do strength training probably 1 day a week. Once the 1/2 is over, I plan to switch them around-strength training 3x a week and cardio 1.
If you still have weight to lose, but your goal is to get ripped, you are actually at a bit of an advantage--if I were you and this is your goal, I'd actually do a bulking cycle NOW, build that muscle, work out really hard and THEN start a cutting cycle where you cut calories and do more cardio to cut the fat so the new bigger muscles can show through. If I weren't having to start to train for a 1/2 marathon, I'd be bulking right now. I'm actually timing it so that after the 1/2 I'll do strength and I'll do a REAL bulk around the holidays--when it is more fun to do one;-) then cut in spring before summer hits.

slundy28

I cannot get my hour of srength training to register as burning calories on the my fitness chart. Why not?