importance of weight training vs cardio

crisanderson27

The reason I keep the sets low with higher reps, is to keep the scale of progression closer in line with what you can actually gain in mass over time. When you drop back down to 2 x 8 but at 10% increased weight, your 1 rep max is slightly under your 1 rep max for 2 x 12 at the previous weight. For someone who has already established a good base of strength and mass, I would have recommended something entirely different, such as muscle group by day working each muscle group out one day a week with sets/reps based on 4 x 10-12. What I put down is purely a beginner routine meant to help someone get going who has either never lifted or hasn't lifted in years.

So, why specifically wouldn't you recommend a 3x8, or 5x5 overall body workout, and stack weight daily for beginners? Assuming they would know that if they couldn't maintain good form with a given weight, they'd need to repeat next time they worked out that body part.

WhitneyAnnabelle

Not for nothing, but I lost 60 pounds in 5 months doing an hour of cardio a day and about 20 minutes of weights (which likely didn't involve any of the really heavy lifting about which people talk). I've lost 85 pounds total. While I would like to be more muscular and am working on it, I did lose weight from primarily cardio.

geckofli

I would suggest the new rules of lifting for women. Basically weights build lean muscle which help with your metabolism and cardio builds endurance and flexibility. Both are very important.

i use the programes in new rules but on my non lifting days i do C25K ( a jog to running program)
I believe that both lifting and cardio both have a place and combining the two have seen my results improve the scales arnt moving but i need new jeans and my gym shorts refuse to stay up

crisanderson27

Not for nothing, but I lost 60 pounds in 5 months doing an hour of cardio a day and about 20 minutes of weights (which likely didn't involve any of the really heavy lifting about which people talk). I've lost 85 pounds total. While I would like to be more muscular and am working on it, I did lose weight from primarily cardio.

No one has ever denied you'd lose weight doing cardio...exactly the opposite. It's the quality of the weight you lose that is the point.

I wish people would stop equating weight loss, and fat loss. 99.9% of people on these forums want fat loss.

Also to clarify, that last wasn't directed at you, and just in case you thought it was before reading this disclaimer...

Here!
:flowerforyou:

TammyW18

Bump

mes1119

Sorry to say it but I don't think "lifting heavy" is necessary for gaining/maintaining muscle.

I didn't start lifting until college and I was ripped thanks to swimming.

Also, I don't "lift heavy" during my weight loss journey.

I do body resistance and JM videos with heavier weights (5s and 10s).

I have been watching my body fat percentage while losing weight and my lean muscle mass has not gone down, yet I haven't picked up a heavy weights.

So I'm incredibly over this mentality that you have to lift heavy to "maintain" muscle.

jadedone

Personally, I am a big believer in strength training (weights, machines, body weight are all beneficial). I find that when I incorporate strength training I look better faster (and at a higher weight).

Also, you can start seeing results sooner. For example, most women carry less fat in their upper bodies. So if you work on strength training, you are likely to see a difference after a little while. And success breeds success.

Add some squats? Your cardio workouts will likely be easier, and your legs will get firmer. Even if you don't lose a pound or inch.

So I vote for strength training even if you have a lot to go. I am around 1/3 of the way to my goal and I notice a diference in my torso, shoulders and quads so far!

I do 50/50 cardio and weights/body weight training.

crisanderson27

Sorry to say it but I don't think "lifting heavy" is necessary for gaining/maintaining muscle.

I didn't start lifting until college and I was ripped thanks to swimming.

Also, I don't "lift heavy" during my weight loss journey.

I do body resistance and JM videos with heavier weights (5s and 10s).

I have been watching my body fat percentage while losing weight and my lean muscle mass has not gone down, yet I haven't picked up a heavy weights.

So I'm incredibly over this mentality that you have to lift heavy to "maintain" muscle.

And I'm not denying that if I want to go to my bathroom, which is west of me, I can leave out the back door (east), keep on trucking...and eventually still make it to my bathroom.

questionablemethods

Sorry to say it but I don't think "lifting heavy" is necessary for gaining/maintaining muscle.

I didn't start lifting until college and I was ripped thanks to swimming.

Also, I don't "lift heavy" during my weight loss journey.

I do body resistance and JM videos with heavier weights (5s and 10s).

I have been watching my body fat percentage while losing weight and my lean muscle mass has not gone down, yet I haven't picked up a heavy weights.

So I'm incredibly over this mentality that you have to lift heavy to "maintain" muscle.

And I'm not denying that if I want to go to my bathroom, which is west of me, I can leave out the back door (east), keep on trucking...and eventually still make it to my bathroom.

FACT!

ijustmightbecrazy

The reason I keep the sets low with higher reps, is to keep the scale of progression closer in line with what you can actually gain in mass over time. When you drop back down to 2 x 8 but at 10% increased weight, your 1 rep max is slightly under your 1 rep max for 2 x 12 at the previous weight. For someone who has already established a good base of strength and mass, I would have recommended something entirely different, such as muscle group by day working each muscle group out one day a week with sets/reps based on 4 x 10-12. What I put down is purely a beginner routine meant to help someone get going who has either never lifted or hasn't lifted in years.

So, why specifically wouldn't you recommend a 3x8, or 5x5 overall body workout, and stack weight daily for beginners? Assuming they would know that if they couldn't maintain good form with a given weight, they'd need to repeat next time they worked out that body part.

Because from what I was taught, and if this is wrong then it's wrong and you can blame the guy that taught me, and the guy that taught him, etc, but the last 25% of your reps in each set should be a strain to finish, but no more than that. Do you honestly strain to finish in the first set if you're doing a lift that you're capable of doing 3 x 8, or the first 2-3 sets of a 5 x 5 without straining for more than 25% of your last set? I tried 3 x 8 and 5 x 5 myself, and I always found myself breezing through the first set of a 3 x 8 and the first two sets of a 5 x 5, or else unable to finish the last set if the weight was high enough to strain in the beginning set(s). 2 sets with progressive reps has worked quite well for me, and that's all I'm sharing, is personal success.

crisanderson27

The reason I keep the sets low with higher reps, is to keep the scale of progression closer in line with what you can actually gain in mass over time. When you drop back down to 2 x 8 but at 10% increased weight, your 1 rep max is slightly under your 1 rep max for 2 x 12 at the previous weight. For someone who has already established a good base of strength and mass, I would have recommended something entirely different, such as muscle group by day working each muscle group out one day a week with sets/reps based on 4 x 10-12. What I put down is purely a beginner routine meant to help someone get going who has either never lifted or hasn't lifted in years.

So, why specifically wouldn't you recommend a 3x8, or 5x5 overall body workout, and stack weight daily for beginners? Assuming they would know that if they couldn't maintain good form with a given weight, they'd need to repeat next time they worked out that body part.

Because from what I was taught, and if this is wrong then it's wrong and you can blame the guy that taught me, and the guy that taught him, etc, but the last 25% of your reps in each set should be a strain to finish, but no more than that. Do you honestly strain to finish in the first set if you're doing a lift that you're capable of doing 3 x 8, or the first 2-3 sets of a 5 x 5 without straining for more than 25% of your last set? I tried 3 x 8 and 5 x 5 myself, and I always found myself breezing through the first set of a 3 x 8 and the first two sets of a 5 x 5, or else unable to finish the last set if the weight was high enough to strain in the beginning set(s). 2 sets with progressive reps has worked quite well for me, and that's all I'm sharing, is personal success.

I like your responses, and that you're not taking offense to my questions. Thank you for that.

As for the weight and its difficulty for lifting...for me, yes. The way I choose my weight to begin with (I do 5x5), is if I can comfortably do 6-7 reps, it's too light and I need to pick a heavier weight. This puts me at a slight challenge first set, challenge second set, real challenge third set, omyeffingod this hurts fourth set, and struggling to finish the last two or even three reps on my final set. If I don't finish, I wait a few, and I guess technically add what reps I didn't finish as a sixth set (this rarely happens). If the weight is SO heavy I can't finish my fourth set, I will drop weight for my fifth. No harm...and it makes for an intense workout.

I also add 5lbs per limb (5lbs each arm on upper body, 5lbs each leg lower body etc) every time I do a specific workout. If I can't pull it off, I drop back...but I try it every time I do that workout. It's the challenge that makes you progress, both physically and mentally.

All this being said, I really just wanted to know your reasoning for suggesting a rarely mentioned method of lifting. Note, I didn't say it was wrong...just rarely mentioned.

Thanks again.

ijustmightbecrazy

I like your responses, and that you're not taking offense to my questions. Thank you for that.

As for the weight and its difficulty for lifting...for me, yes. The way I choose my weight to begin with (I do 5x5), is if I can comfortably do 6-7 reps, it's too light and I need to pick a heavier weight. This puts me at a slight challenge first set, challenge second set, real challenge third set, omyeffingod this hurts fourth set, and struggling to finish the last two or even three reps on my final set. If I don't finish, I wait a few, and I guess technically add what reps I didn't finish as a sixth set (this rarely happens). If the weight is SO heavy I can't finish my fourth set, I will drop weight for my fifth. No harm...and it makes for an intense workout.

I also add 5lbs per arm every time I do a specific workout. If I can't pull it off, I drop back...but I try it every time I do that workout. It's the challenge that makes you progress, both physically and mentally.

All this being said, I really just wanted to know your reasoning for suggesting a rarely mentioned method of lifting. Note, I didn't say it was wrong...just rarely mentioned.

Thanks again.

No problem, I'm no expert and I constantly pick the brains of more experienced lifters at the gym if I have a question, most of them are more than willing to share what they know, especially if it involves proper form for a lift, so discussing these things with someone else is never offensive to me unless the tone they portray is itself offensive. As for your experiences, I never really thought of doing that when I was trying 5 x 5, but I did get a good jump to my base strength out of it, but started having those problems when trying to find the right increase when I started hitting plateaus.

I would also say that the other reason I'm enjoying the 2 set progressive reps is that it seems to be doing a better job of keeping pace with my personal growth, as well as the fact that I'm on a long cutting phase and not a maintenance or bulking phase.

crisanderson27

I like your responses, and that you're not taking offense to my questions. Thank you for that.

As for the weight and its difficulty for lifting...for me, yes. The way I choose my weight to begin with (I do 5x5), is if I can comfortably do 6-7 reps, it's too light and I need to pick a heavier weight. This puts me at a slight challenge first set, challenge second set, real challenge third set, omyeffingod this hurts fourth set, and struggling to finish the last two or even three reps on my final set. If I don't finish, I wait a few, and I guess technically add what reps I didn't finish as a sixth set (this rarely happens). If the weight is SO heavy I can't finish my fourth set, I will drop weight for my fifth. No harm...and it makes for an intense workout.

I also add 5lbs per arm every time I do a specific workout. If I can't pull it off, I drop back...but I try it every time I do that workout. It's the challenge that makes you progress, both physically and mentally.

All this being said, I really just wanted to know your reasoning for suggesting a rarely mentioned method of lifting. Note, I didn't say it was wrong...just rarely mentioned.

Thanks again.

No problem, I'm no expert and I constantly pick the brains of more experienced lifters at the gym if I have a question, most of them are more than willing to share what they know, especially if it involves proper form for a lift, so discussing these things with someone else is never offensive to me unless the tone they portray is itself offensive. As for your experiences, I never really thought of doing that when I was trying 5 x 5, but I did get a good jump to my base strength out of it, but started having those problems when trying to find the right increase when I started hitting plateaus.

I would also say that the other reason I'm enjoying the 2 set progressive reps is that it seems to be doing a better job of keeping pace with my personal growth, as well as the fact that I'm on a long cutting phase and not a maintenance or bulking phase.

This, and constantly questioning your own methods are the only way to improve. This is part of why I asked you what I asked =D.

The other thing I forgot to mention, is that most times, I'm capable of a 5lb boost when I perform the exercise again. My workouts are divided into two formats (workout A and . Each format is performed separately, every other weekday, starting Monday. So for example, the first week, would go A, B, A...second week, B, A, B...rinse/repeat.

Here was yesterday's workout (keep in mind I recently ripped my lower biceps tendon off the bone, and had the requisite surgery for repair lol, so the weights on upper body are...a bit skimpy, and I'm still limited in what I can put on a barbell...thus the machines):

Workout B
195lbs - 453cal, 35m
Underhand Row 8min Tabata format #10 resistance
Seated Leg Press - 435lbs 5x5
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 45lbs 5x5
Weighted Extension 100lbs 5x5
Lat Pulldown 130lbs5x5
Hanging Twist Leg Raise 3*10

35 minutes and I was out of the gym. Now, the point is, next session for this workout (Friday) my leg weight will be up to 445lbs (I do leg presses every other day, so I only increase 5lbs/day on those), shoulder press to 50lbs, weighted extension to 110lbs, and Lat Pulldowns to 140lbs. If for some reason those are too hard, I'll drop 5lbs (or 10lbs, depending on just how hard they were), but generally...I can improve every week.

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

I have been relying on cardio for the last year for weight loss and was not seeing any results. Just a few weeks ago I decided to start using machines at the gym and lifting weights, and really pushing myself. I have since lost 4 pounds, not a huge amount but a very quick boost in the right direction. I fully believe that weights are as important as cardio!

focus on compound lifting movements and your results will be 5x what they are using machines.

I agree. I've been losing inches like crazy ever since I do these compound movements with some isolation exercises for some "finishing touches". Good thing also is that with the added muscle, our BMR is increased & we can have more luxury to eat more without worrying about gaining fat. This is not to say that we should neglect our diet, what I only mean is that we will look sexy while keeping our stomach & digestive system happy unlike when you are just dieting or doing the diet + cardio combination which actually slows down metabolism in the long run. Believe me I'm an ex yo-yo dieter, tried different kinds of weight loss pills & fitness gimmicks available, even hit the treadmill or stationary bike & lifted 2-3 lb dumbbell. Guess what, sure I lost weight but I still looked fat & the worse part was that I gained everything when I got back to eating normal. Which is why now I know how important weight lifting to build or maintain muscle mass is just as how cardio, felxibility & balance are important. Each has its own place.