Strength training - important or not?

reggie2run

Like everyone here, I am trying to lose weight.
I did about an hour and 20 minutes of weight training this morning.
But when I logged it, along with walking my dog for 30 minutes, I only burned about 123 calories.
I am just wondering if I should forget about strength training for now and focus entirely on doing cardio workouts as they burn more alot more calories than strength training.
But then I hear that strength training is really important as it helps build muscle that burn calories long after cardio does.
I am not sure what to do. I want to get the best bang for my buck so to speak.

Anyone have any thoughts?

JenSkinLaPierre

Weight training is absolutely important. Your calorie burn will definitely last longer when you lift. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Keep up the weights and make sure your cardio keeps you in the fat burning zone with your heart rate.

Also, are you using a heart rate monitor watch to track calories burned? Seems like a low number of cals burned....

BrianSharpe

IMO you should do both. Strength training, by itself, burns fewer calories on average than cardio but it has some tremendous benefits which include maintaining / increasing lean muscles mass which in turn maintains or increases your BMR (muscle is metabolically more "expensive" than fat), strength training also helps improve balance, posture and overall injury resistance (really important for endurance athletes).

jodycoady

Like everyone here, I am trying to lose weight.
I did about an hour and 20 minutes of weight training this morning.
But when I logged it, along with walking my dog for 30 minutes, I only burned about 123 calories.
I am just wondering if I should forget about strength training for now and focus entirely on doing cardio workouts as they burn more alot more calories than strength training.
But then I hear that strength training is really important as it helps build muscle that burn calories long after cardio does.
I am not sure what to do. I want to get the best bang for my buck so to speak.

Anyone have any thoughts?

I've also heard the same thing...

I do strength training on my arms only. Since my legs are getting a great workout with the stairmaster, elliptical and treadmill, I don't want my thighs to really bulk out....When you start seeing nice curves appearing on your arms, you will want to keep doing it. It's also exciting when you are able to increase your weights, and also it feels great to have that extra bit of strength.

reggie2run

Weight training is absolutely important. Your calorie burn will definitely last longer when you lift. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Keep up the weights and make sure your cardio keeps you in the fat burning zone with your heart rate.

Also, are you using a heart rate monitor watch to track calories burned? Seems like a low number of cals burned....

The problem is I don't know exactly how many calories I burned from weight training this morning. My screen under strength training only tells me the number of reps, the weight, etc. but no calorie burn. The 123 calories burned came from walking my Labrador, Midnight, this morning. Is there a way to tell how many calories I burned doing weights this morning?

ilovedeadlifts

nothing more important than weight training.

it's going to change your body more dramatically than anything else ( with a proper diet)

taso42

You can use something like this to estimate the calorie burn http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php

mmapags

Try this formula:
220 pound person / 2.2 = 100 Kilogram person

Vigorous free weight training = 6 METs

100 x 6 x 0.0175 = 10.5 Calories per minute

60 minute workout = 10.5 x 60 = 630 Calories burned

Obviously, plug in your own data.

edit to add: I answer to your question on how important it is, I'd say very as part of an overall fitness program. It maintains lean mass while eating in deficit and doing cardio. You can lose weight but if you are also losing muscle mass it is self defeating. BTW, like you, I do strength, and cardio, both HIIT and steady state.

Briski1411

Both are important and help you out in different ways. Cardio does burn more calories while you are doing it, but once you stop so does that awesome burn. Weight lifting will burn less while you are doing it since your heart rate isn't as elevated, but while your body continues to rebuild the muscle you just tore down with your work out it is burning more calories long after the fact.


Plus muscle burns more claories to maintain. Again the muscle is helping you burn more calories by raising your metabolism.

Cardio will help you chisel out your muscles making them pop out. Weights will give you something to make POP!

Babymomakell

You can use something like this to estimate the calorie burn...

Thanks for this!!!!

tiffbou2

Can anyone answer me this - do you not lose weight when you first start strength training? I just started lifting heavier weights with less reps 3X a week for 35 minutes about 2 weeks ago, and my weight loss has completely stalled - actually gone up a lb, even though my diet is better than ever. Could this be due to the weight training. When my muscles are better trained, will the weight eventually go? I also do cardio 3-4 times a week.

taso42

Can anyone answer me this - do you not lose weight when you first start strength training? I just started lifting heavier weights with less reps 3X a week for 35 minutes about 2 weeks ago, and my weight loss has completely stalled - actually gone up a lb, even though my diet is better than ever. Could this be due to the weight training. When my muscles are better trained, will the weight eventually go? I also do cardio 3-4 times a week.

Yes, very common/typical for a weight gain when starting strength training. It's water weight, not fat weight, and it's good because the water is helping you muscles heal and get stronger. Things will return to equilibrium and you will start losing again.

mmapags

What taso said. I would add that as I've gotten closer to my goal, my goal is no longer a weight loss goal. It is a BF% goal. So I don't really care what I will weigh when I get to 15% body fat. I will be healthy, in great shape and look better than I do now.

tiffbou2

Can anyone answer me this - do you not lose weight when you first start strength training? I just started lifting heavier weights with less reps 3X a week for 35 minutes about 2 weeks ago, and my weight loss has completely stalled - actually gone up a lb, even though my diet is better than ever. Could this be due to the weight training. When my muscles are better trained, will the weight eventually go? I also do cardio 3-4 times a week.

Yes, very common/typical for a weight gain when starting strength training. It's water weight, not fat weight, and it's good because the water is helping you muscles heal and get stronger. Things will return to equilibrium and you will start losing again.

Thank you so much for the encouragement - I'll keep plugging away!

Spanaval

After I got my HRM, I found out that my strength routines get my heart rate up, and do provide a nice burn. Without much of an impact really, because I cannot do anything along those lines.

Make sure you're doing more compound moves and less isolation work. If you feel the need to increase the intensity, feel free to add stuff like plyo squats and jumping lunges. You can also add things like burpees (and variations, side burpees, with jumps, with push-ups, etc.), mountain climbers, man makers, etc.

Yanicka1

Strenght training changed my body in a way that cardio never did.

So I say it is very important.

iplayoutside19

Like everyone here, I am trying to lose weight.
I did about an hour and 20 minutes of weight training this morning.
But when I logged it, along with walking my dog for 30 minutes, I only burned about 123 calories.
I am just wondering if I should forget about strength training for now and focus entirely on doing cardio workouts as they burn more alot more calories than strength training.
But then I hear that strength training is really important as it helps build muscle that burn calories long after cardio does.
I am not sure what to do. I want to get the best bang for my buck so to speak.

Anyone have any thoughts?

I've also heard the same thing...

I do strength training on my arms only. Since my legs are getting a great workout with the stairmaster, elliptical and treadmill, I don't want my thighs to really bulk out....When you start seeing nice curves appearing on your arms, you will want to keep doing it. It's also exciting when you are able to increase your weights, and also it feels great to have that extra bit of strength.

I would encourage you to add legs/core to your resistance training, for the only reason the muscles in your arm aren't all that big and thus don't burn that many calories. Your legs/hips/core stablize the rest of your body, burn more calories when worked. While the stairmaster offers some resistance, it's nothing compared to actual resistance training...and your balance, and knee & joint health will improve.

ilovedeadlifts

Strenght training changed my body in a way that cardio never did.

So I say it is very important.

agreed

BigDaddyBRC

Weight training is absolutely important. Your calorie burn will definitely last longer when you lift. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Keep up the weights and make sure your cardio keeps you in the fat burning zone with your heart rate.

Also, are you using a heart rate monitor watch to track calories burned? Seems like a low number of cals burned....

The problem is I don't know exactly how many calories I burned from weight training this morning. My screen under strength training only tells me the number of reps, the weight, etc. but no calorie burn. The 123 calories burned came from walking my Labrador, Midnight, this morning. Is there a way to tell how many calories I burned doing weights this morning?

Honestly, it matters not the amount of calories you burn while you life...but if you truly need to, wear an HRM. In fact, you should be wearing one with any workout to ensure you know what you are burning.

With your weights, dont fear "BULKING OUT"... do the research talk to MULTIPLE trainers, as they all think they know the truth when 90% dont know ****. You need to weight train to assist in muscle burn and retaining muscle mass. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat. Thus, you won't bulk out. You need to life in all aspects of the body. Otherwise, your "tone" will be unbalanced (if you happen to be so vain that looks are a major issue) and so that your body doesn't ravage the areas you are not focusing on.

tigersword

Like everyone here, I am trying to lose weight.
I did about an hour and 20 minutes of weight training this morning.
But when I logged it, along with walking my dog for 30 minutes, I only burned about 123 calories.
I am just wondering if I should forget about strength training for now and focus entirely on doing cardio workouts as they burn more alot more calories than strength training.
But then I hear that strength training is really important as it helps build muscle that burn calories long after cardio does.
I am not sure what to do. I want to get the best bang for my buck so to speak.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Ok, I'm going to say something that might blow your mind a bit... FORGET ABOUT CALORIE BURNS FROM EXERCISE. They don't mean anything. Weight loss = diet. Fitness = exercise. It doesn't matter how many calories you burn while exercising, because you should be basing your calorie deficit off of your total energy expenditure for the day. The more calories you burn exercise, the more you should be eating to compensate. So don't pay attention to calorie burns, they are what they are, and how many calories you burn has absolutely nothing to do with improving your fitness. In fact, the more fit you are, the less calories you will burn.

So, exercise, strength training, and cardio, in whatever amounts you need to improve your fitness. Note your calorie burns so you can track your diet, but never exercise to a goal of a certain amount of calories burned, as the actual calorie burn is meaningless. Strength training may burn less calories than cardio, but it will have far more wide reaching effects on body composition and fitness.

SteveTries

Strength training/muscle building is NOT important for fat loss. The effects of extra muscle on your metabolic rate have been overblown hugely. Whilst absolutely true, the effect of adding an extra 20lbs of muscle to your body is about 50cals a day, so it's irrelevant.

Similarly the caloric burn of a weights workout is substantially less than a cardio workout.

So a purist answer to your question is NO. However, there are so many other benefits from weight training on strength, body shape, self image/confidence etc etc that it's a great thing to do and I would never argue against it, but you don't need to do it to lose fat.

So then is cardio important?

Same answer really. In a purist sense NO it's not. You can create your calorie defecit just from diet. But it certainly helps the fat loss by generating a larger defecit and again there are second order benefits to health, fitness, increased energy etc that are very valuable.

MB_Positif

In my own experience it is insanely important. For example, I have only lost 2 pounds since January but I have gone from a size 10 jeans to a size 6 because I have been strength training. I say that makes it very important!

Azdak

Like everyone here, I am trying to lose weight.
I did about an hour and 20 minutes of weight training this morning.
But when I logged it, along with walking my dog for 30 minutes, I only burned about 123 calories.
I am just wondering if I should forget about strength training for now and focus entirely on doing cardio workouts as they burn more alot more calories than strength training.
But then I hear that strength training is really important as it helps build muscle that burn calories long after cardio does.
I am not sure what to do. I want to get the best bang for my buck so to speak.

Anyone have any thoughts?

I've also heard the same thing...

I do strength training on my arms only. Since my legs are getting a great workout with the stairmaster, elliptical and treadmill, I don't want my thighs to really bulk out....When you start seeing nice curves appearing on your arms, you will want to keep doing it. It's also exciting when you are able to increase your weights, and also it feels great to have that extra bit of strength.

I would encourage you to add legs/core to your resistance training, for the only reason the muscles in your arm aren't all that big and thus don't burn that many calories. Your legs/hips/core stablize the rest of your body, burn more calories when worked. While the stairmaster offers some resistance, it's nothing compared to actual resistance training...and your balance, and knee & joint health will improve.

I was going to respond, but I'll just add to yours. Yes, cardio training is not the same as resistance training. You may be getting a "great" CARDIO workout from the stairmaster, elliptical, and treadmill, but not a great resistance workout. The two have different physical effects.

jcr85

Strength training/muscle building is NOT important for fat loss. The effects of extra muscle on your metabolic rate have been overblown hugely. Whilst absolutely true, the effect of adding an extra 20lbs of muscle to your body is about 50cals a day, so it's irrelevant.

Similarly the caloric burn of a weights workout is substantially less than a cardio workout.

So a purist answer to your question is NO. However, there are so many other benefits from weight training on strength, body shape, self image/confidence etc etc that it's a great thing to do and I would never argue against it, but you don't need to do it to lose fat.

So then is cardio important?

Same answer really. In a purist sense NO it's not. You can create your calorie defecit just from diet. But it certainly helps the fat loss by generating a larger defecit and again there are second order benefits to health, fitness, increased energy etc that are very valuable.

Reading things like this hurt my brain.

BigMech

The problem with creating a deficit from just diet is that you will lose muscle along with the fat, and you may very end up with the same body fat percentage just at a lower weight, which isn't all that much healthier. By adding a weight lifting component to your plan, you will be able to slow or halt the muscle/lean mass loss during fat loss, and end up with a much better body fat percentage. I'm pretty sure the goal is to be healthier, not just thinner and lighter.

Azdak

Strength training/muscle building is NOT important for fat loss. The effects of extra muscle on your metabolic rate have been overblown hugely. Whilst absolutely true, the effect of adding an extra 20lbs of muscle to your body is about 50cals a day, so it's irrelevant.

Similarly the caloric burn of a weights workout is substantially less than a cardio workout.

So a purist answer to your question is NO. However, there are so many other benefits from weight training on strength, body shape, self image/confidence etc etc that it's a great thing to do and I would never argue against it, but you don't need to do it to lose fat.

So then is cardio important?

Same answer really. In a purist sense NO it's not. You can create your calorie defecit just from diet. But it certainly helps the fat loss by generating a larger defecit and again there are second order benefits to health, fitness, increased energy etc that are very valuable.

In a purist sense, you don't need cardio either. However, from a PRACTICAL sense, the research strongly supports a combined training approach as opposed to diet-only, cardio-only, or strength-only.

Jomalone2

It is hard not to focus on the scales - we all know that. I've gone from a size 12 to a size 6 and only lost about 10 pounds (on a good day). But to me if you are sweating you are burning calories. Someone suggested to me to categorize it as circuit training so you can get the calories. Others may disagree.

catpow2

I do both. But I have seen significantly more results from strength training than from cardio. If you're just interested in losing weight and burning calories then reduce your calories and do cardio. If you want to look leaner and stronger and more defined, add in some strength training.

waldo56

Weight training is absolutely important. Your calorie burn will definitely last longer when you lift. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Keep up the weights and make sure your cardio keeps you in the fat burning zone with your heart rate.

Also, are you using a heart rate monitor watch to track calories burned? Seems like a low number of cals burned....

The problem is I don't know exactly how many calories I burned from weight training this morning. My screen under strength training only tells me the number of reps, the weight, etc. but no calorie burn. The 123 calories burned came from walking my Labrador, Midnight, this morning. Is there a way to tell how many calories I burned doing weights this morning?

Keep track of how long you did it.

MFP has 4 entries for strength training in the CARDIO section.

Calisthenics - Light
Calisthenics - Heavy
Strength Training
Circuit Training

The Calisthenics - Light and Strength Training entries are low. If you are lollygagging around at the gym, spending time waiting for benches/machines, doing mostly isolation exercises, and/or not trying very hard (such as warming up), these are the entries to use.

The Heavy Calisthenics and Circuit Training entries are moderate, if you are lifting heavy with compound exercises, supersetting and moving fast, or actually doing moderate effort circuit training these are the entries to use.

There is no entry for super hard circuit training. Stuff like Crossfit metcons. If you are pushing yourself to your physical brink as you circuit train, no entry in MFP has a high enough calorie burn. I fix this by adding a couple more minutes than I really did. Super hard circuit training can burn upwards of 2x the calories per minute as MFP's circuit training entry.

Remember, recovery time counts. If you are done circuit training, and have to lay on the floor half dead for 5 minutes before you can move, that recovery time counts when it comes to calorie burn.

Calorie burn cannot be estimatd from the amount of weight and the exercise. How hard the exercise is to you is what determines the burn, not how hard it is overall. If you are lifting at your 5RM you are lifting heavy and have a high calorie burn, whether or not your 5RM is 20 lbs or 200 lbs.

Azdak

After I got my HRM, I found out that my strength routines get my heart rate up, and do provide a nice burn. Without much of an impact really, because I cannot do anything along those lines.

Make sure you're doing more compound moves and less isolation work. If you feel the need to increase the intensity, feel free to add stuff like plyo squats and jumping lunges. You can also add things like burpees (and variations, side burpees, with jumps, with push-ups, etc.), mountain climbers, man makers, etc.

If you are doing "traditional" strength training, then HRM calorie numbers are not accurate--the elevated HR during strength training is not the same as during cardio and doesn't indicate the same level of caloric burn.

And, just to clarify, exercises like plyo squats, jumping lunges, burpees, etc are not the same as resistance training. In fact, some would argue that you should not do both at the same time--not only not in the same workout, but not during the same workout program.

SPNLuver83

YES YES YES Strength training is a MUST. Do not drop it! The key to weight loss is BOTH cardio AND strength!!! (with proper nutrition of course)

Good luck on your journey!