"No one who does only cardio looks good"

SqautsAndOats

Yeah for females I don't agree with this statement...I don't lift although it looks like I do from genetics and different types of cardio can give you muscle tone.

You're wrong, you look like a "do you even lift mode"

cardbucfan

I wrote it.
And I stand by my opinion.


I've never seen a person look good who only runs. Women can probably get by with it and look decent, but men need to lift weights.

You are referring only to running? Or all cardio? Not sure that I've ever seen a male swimmer and thought "gee- he needs to lift weights"...

Thats because they probably lift weights.

I can speak to this comment. My high school age son swims for a competitive club swim team and his coach specifically forbids them lifting weights and doing pure strength training. His reasoning is so when they move on to a college program they will have new training to add to their bodies to help push them to the next level and he doesn't think their bodies (ligaments/tendons) are mature enough to handle the serious weights yet. There are swimmers on his team with incredible physiques (like you feel like a perve admiring these 15-18 year old boys!) and they don't "lift". These are elite athletes with Olympic qualifying times too. Now for dryland they do squats (no weights), lunges, pushups, pull-ups etc. so it is more than just straight swimming laps.

SoDamnHungry

The responses all of you people left makes me want to lift weights now...

mfpcopine

Both are important.

ilovedeadlifts

It's was a generalized statement.
There are a few exceptions.


The nice way of what I was saying:
Overall lifting weight is going to change your body composition faster, for longer, and in a much better way.

Cardio has it's place, but if I recall the person in that thread was asking if they only had time for one, what would be more beneficial. So that was the answer to her question.

I know and have seen a lot of fantastic physiques on people that don't do cardio.
but I've never seen a person who only ran (thread was about elliptical or treadmill i believe, not rowing) and thought "man thats a great body"

shedoos

(like you feel like a perve admiring these 15-18 year old boys!)

glad I'm not the only one :bigsmile:

HeidiMightyRawr

It depends on what your definition of "good" is. Although I think saying NO ONE looks good, is a bit harsh.

For me, I think having a bit of muscle definition is very attractive in both sexes. It doesn't have to be loads, just enough to stop a person looking "flabby".
As we age (especially for women) we lose muscle mass. Strength training helps to preserve this muscle, creating a more firmer look. (which to me, looks good) So, while I believe strength training has its benefits across all age groups, it becomes more and more important as we age and lose muscle.
While you are young (provided you haven't crash dieted and lost loads of muscle in the process) you should be lucky enough to look good still with just cardio - Not that I recommend it.

aj_31

How does that saying go....

Do cardio to look good in your clothes but do weight lifting to look good naked. Something like that anyways. And yeah I believe it. You'll look better naked if you are toned and have more muscle then you would if you didn't.

chevy88grl

<---- Does cardio. Lost all my weight doing "just cardio". I think I look pretty darn good. Not everyone wants to have visible abs or being overly muscled. It's a personal choice and what YOU think looks "good" may be a lot different than what *I* think looks "good'. I don't find heavily muscled (men or women) the least bit attractive. To each their own! (Oh, and I'll keep doing my cardio, thanks!)

mfpcopine

Another example would be women professional ballet dancers. They have strong, lovely legs without the benefit of weight work because of their genetics (which is why they have advanced as dancers) and the tremendous amounts of exercise they do. I've read that they don't use weights on their legs because they don't want to destroy their "line." They might do a little work on their arms.

cardbucfan

(like you feel like a perve admiring these 15-18 year old boys!)

glad I'm not the only one :bigsmile:

I know right?!?!? My son's math teacher even said something to me about his body-uh, very inappropriate here! That's why I like Senior Champs-there are men there (including Olympians-must go wipe keyboard now!)

LorinaLynn

Some genetically gifted and/or young people don't need to do any exercise to look great. The rest of us mortals need to work at it.

I know what I looked like before strength training. I know how I look after. I'm gonna keep doing it. And you know what? I really don't like doing it. But I don't like paying bills, doing dishes or scooping the catbox, either, but I still do those things.

datguy2011

Cardio can do alot.... it lost me my first 30lbs... but after a while, your body adapts and its time to BUILD MUSCLE in order to lose fat.... every person has to lift at one point...

athensguy

I wrote it.
And I stand by my opinion.


I've never seen a person look good who only runs. Women can probably get by with it and look decent, but men need to lift weights.

Pretty broad statement to make. I don't feel the need to waste my time lifting weights, but thanks.

chevy88grl

It's was a generalized statement.
There are a few exceptions.


The nice way of what I was saying:
Overall lifting weight is going to change your body composition faster, for longer, and in a much better way.

Cardio has it's place, but if I recall the person in that thread was asking if they only had time for one, what would be more beneficial. So that was the answer to her question.

I know and have seen a lot of fantastic physiques on people that don't do cardio.
but I've never seen a person who only ran (thread was about elliptical or treadmill i believe, not rowing) and thought "man thats a great body"

But it is YOUR opinion that people who only doing cardio don't look good. YOURS. Not everyone else's. You aren't attracted to people with a runner's body - to each their own. Doesn't mean a runner's body isn't attractive to someone else or that a runner doesn't think they look good. To insinuate that the ONLY bodies that look good are the ones who only lift weights is ridiculous. That's like saying everyone only likes the color RED and all other colors suck.

hesn92

I wrote it.
And I stand by my opinion.


I've never seen a person look good who only runs. Women can probably get by with it and look decent, but men need to lift weights.

You are referring only to running? Or all cardio? Not sure that I've ever seen a male swimmer and thought "gee- he needs to lift weights"...

He looks like he probably lifts...

blynn2708

I am doing only cardio right now, once I reach my goal I want to tone

BAMFMeredith

While I agree for my personal preference, what I think looks good and what another person thinks looks good can be completely different. Some women prefer the look that doing only cardio gives them, and some prefer the look strength training gives them. It's all about personal preference.

And the comments regarding world class athletes, like Michael Phelps or Olympic distance runners...I highly doubt they do ZERO strength training. Additionally, strength training doesn't have to mean body building level lifting, it's a broad term regarding exercises that are not considered traditionally "cardio." Example: push ups are strength training exercises, but you're not lifting massively heavy weights. Michael Phelps can probably get down on some push ups

jillybean9881

You can do resistance cardio and build muscle. For example I was a competitive runner for years and during the racing season wouldn't lift weights because we would do sprints, hills, stairs, and other types of speed work which does help tone. Not everyone needs to look like they have muscle to look good - sometimes the lean look works.

Miss♥Ivi

I've done both, only cardio and cardio + weight training. Both had awesome results for me. Do what works for you. If cardio alone works for you, do cardio alone. If cardio + weights does it for you, then do cardio + weights. Forget what everyone else says and do what gives YOU results. End of story.

hesn92

I think it depends on the person and on your definition of "looks good" ... I know people who only do cardio.. or don't even workout at all, just eat healthy, and look good. I think most everyone can look better by doing strength, though.

HauteP1nk

That is not necessarily true of course...you can still look good. That being said you will have a fitter more toned look by adding weights/strength/resistence training into your routine.

Strength training is equally important - builds strong bones, helps you metabolize sugar faster, burns calories even after you are done working out, and provides you with a better firmer shape.

I have incorporated resistence cardio into my routine. It is working wonders. I am losing weight and toning up.

SergeantSunshine_reused

I didn't look good when I only did cardio. I was skinny fat
When I got back into lifting i saw my body really change

tabik30

I have to agree, just a personal preference though. I rotate cardio and weight training every other day because I like the "firm" look

timmymon

We could revise it to something like

You may look ok doing only cardio but you would look much better if you were strength training as well

holly1283

I am a 60+ year old widow who will never look goood naked again. I thoroughly enjoy swimming. I can swim a mile now.
There is water resistance and at present strength training is not on my agenda. Enjoyment is the key to continuing and exercise program.

Articeluvsmemphis

I don't think it's true, depends on your definition of "good!" I think people who do only cardio tend to look soft, where the people who lift weights look toned/muscular. Depends on the look you're going for.

this

KikiFraser

Yes people look more toned, etc with weight training, but I think cardio is great, you look healthy and fit, it's better than sitting on the couch! Anything is better than nothing!! Keep it up whatever you're doing!

LuLuSUPER

I do mostly cardio just to burn off some of the outer layer of fat so when I do start to do alot of weight training the muscle will show thru.

Ditto !! too much of anything is bad for you:drinker: except red moscato

TeaBea

Another example would be women professional ballet dancers. They have strong, lovely legs without the benefit of weight work because of their genetics (which is why they have advanced as dancers) and the tremendous amounts of exercise they do. I've read that they don't use weights on their legs because they don't want to destroy their "line." They might do a little work on their arms.

Good point -

The "weight" ballet dancers are using is their own "body weight" - plies, lunges, leaps. There are many forms of resistance training, not just weights. Barre / Ballet dance is a popular one right now ... I wish I had the coordination. Pilates is another form of resistance training. No weights required.