How much cardio v. weight lifting do you do?

joejccva71

Lifting: Currently on a 2 days on, 1 day off schedule.

Cardio: 10 min warmp prior to training, 20 min post-training

TeresaWash

I do 4 - 5 days of cardio. My weight loss was at a complete stand still, my nutritionist suggested adding a "body pump" class (strength training) lost 8 pounds in the next 5 weeks.

I now do 4 - 5 days cardio and 2-3 days of strength training.

Articeluvsmemphis

I mix all the time. I never do straight cardio unless I'm at home doing a dvd and even then some body weight strength is included like (planks)

so both for weight loss and "toning" purposes. I have and will be losing over a 100pounds and I don't want loose skin or to lose to much muscle mass by doing just cardio

rmhand

Fat loss: 2 days heavy cardio, 2 days lifting and moderate cardio, 1 day lifting, 2 rest days.

Eleisabelle

Run 3-4 days per week, 4-5 miles generally with one longer run of 7-10 miles.
Strength/lifting 2 days per week.
Yoga (flexibility + body weight) daily.

HeidiMightyRawr

Heavy weight lifting 4x a week
Body pump (lifting, but more like cardio as it's endurance) once a week
Specific cardio, never.

Cardio is not necessary for losing weight, it just creates a bigger deficit, which I don't need since I eat all my exercise calories back anyway. A general deficit is all you need to make weight loss achievable, whether that's through food or exercise.
Exercise is great in other ways though (fitness, strength, looking good naked / in a bikini (ie: less flabby!))

BeccaLevine

I do 3-4X a week of lifting, 3-4X a week of cardio. Sometimes I do a lift session followed by some cardio (you burn more calories during your cardio work out when you do this.) Make sure you mix up your lifting and cardio exercises to give your muscles some rest!

MichelleRenee13

what type of hiit are you folks doing? and what is your work to rest ratio?

erickirb

I do 4 - 5 days of cardio. My weight loss was at a complete stand still, my nutritionist suggested adding a "body pump" class (strength training) lost 8 pounds in the next 5 weeks.

I now do 4 - 5 days cardio and 2-3 days of strength training.

Just an FYI: Body pump class is a cardio class that utilizes weights, it is not strength training. Anything over 15 reps is endurance training, not strength training. Even a body pump instructor on MFP admitted this. Same with all JM videos, they are cardio based with added resistance, not strength training.

LilRedRooster

Usually 2-3 days of weight training, and 4-5 days of cardio, usually running. But I mix it up from week to week, because it gives me a break and challenges different muscles.

spazofthedead

I lift heavy 3x a week and run, cycle or play some sport 5x a week. I used to do primarily strength training, but I missed running so added it back in. I have about 15lbs to lose but I'll get there when I get there.

crisanderson27

all weights, no cardio. well, except for walking. i have a knee injury (BUT ITS GETTING BETTER) so weights it is! and its making me CUT!

Me too, well...other than an 8 minute (recently upped) tabata style warmup on the rowing machine.

3x a week, full strength training, usually at the gym...but, I have a fallback bodyweight routine I can use if I can't get there.

By the way, the bodyweight routine alone, with heavy bag work on off days...lost me 40lbs in 3mos.

what type of hiit are you folks doing? and what is your work to rest ratio?

Anything that gets your heart rate up can be used for high intensity interval training...even weight lifting. That said, I like the rowing machine, or the heavy bag. I follow the tabata format, 20 seconds on...10 seconds rest, 8 sets. I will usually do this for 3 or so rounds if I'm actively doing HIIT. That's how I used to do my heavy bag work (3 rounds, 8 minutes each with 1 minute full rest in between, 20 seconds full out, 10 seconds rest).

It was...brutal.

aj_31

I'm trying for weight loss or at least a loss of inches.

I lift heavy 3x a week sometimes 4 but the program I'm doing calls for 3 days right now.

I also do cardio - usually elliptical intervals for 30 to 40 min about 3-4x a week as well. Yesterday I ran again for the first time in months and I plan to start doing that to switch things up a little for my cardio.

As far as weight or inches I'm kind of at a stand still right now. Not seeing much progress so I'm trying to make my diet cleaner and I'm upping my protein to see if that works.

VanessaFaith

3-4 days of strength (30 - 40 minutes each) and 5-6 days of cardio (1 - 2.5 hours each). This is the way I've lost weight and kept of being 'saggy' and still getting tone. Def do your cardio, but don't neglect strength training!

laurcampbell

Lift 5x a week and cardio 2-3x.. But I only do HIIT so as not to lose the muscle I'm building

If you are lifting 5x a week are you doing target lifting each day and working certain muscle groups with heavy weights, or light full body toning? I am a runner and probably do cardio 5-6x a week but I am what some would call skinny fat because I have hardly any muscle definition so am really trying to work on that...any advise would be great!
Thanks!! P.S. your arms look fantastic in your pic, great work!

jaysonhijinx

I'll do some form of cardio 5-6 times a week be it a 30 minute brisk walk to 2 hours of basketball training/shootaround and games. I've just started with lifting recently and lift Mon/Wed/Fri with Saturday as an optional extra if I'm up for it after my comp game.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Monday I teach step (1 hour)
Tuesday: Lift with a 1 mile warm up (1 hour)
Wednesday: teach body pump (1 hour) run in the PM (45mins - 1 hour)
Thursday: Lift with a 1 mile warm up (1 hour)
Friday rest
Saturday Lift (1 hour) step (1 hour)
Sunday rest

I'm pretty even with a little more cardio.

annabanana1786

Currently lifting 2-3 days a week but thinking about upping it to 4 because I really want to tone up and reshape my body. I do cardio 4-5 days a week depending on my schedule.

erickirb

I am a runner and probably do cardio 5-6x a week but I am what some would call skinny fat because I have hardly any muscle definition so am really trying to work on that...any advise would be great!
Thanks!! P.S. your arms look fantastic in your pic, great work!

My advice would be to do less cardio and start a heavy lifting strength training routine, eating a lot of protein on a slight caloric deficit (no more than 0.5 lbs/week)

Check out Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, and New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROLFW)

UrbanRunner81

4 days of weight lifting 5 days of cardio which I am going to cut to 4 when I start my next phase in my weight training program since I am going even heavier and less reps.