More Than 2 Hours of Cardio Bad for You?

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  • beckajw
    beckajw Posts: 1,738 Member
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    Depends on what you're striving for. If it's for endurance training for a say a marathon or half marathon, then probably not, but if just for general fitness, it's over kill. Not to mention that you will probably lose lean muscle tissue at a higher rate than compared with just some moderate cardio.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    ^^ This.

    When I hike, I hike for 6 or more hours. There's nothing wrong with that much cardio. However, there's no point in it either--except to get to the top of the mountain!
  • ATOLLIT
    ATOLLIT Posts: 149
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    I wouldn't say it's bad for you, I think that's a big pile of rubbish, unless you are pushing yourself to the point of falling down with exhaustion, or not eating enough to support that amount of exercise. On the other hand, it might not be necessary for what you are trying to achieve. If, as some people have said, you want the kind of cardio fitness that would allow you to run a marathon, you probably do need to do that much. If you're just trying to lose weight/burn some calories/generally get a bit fitter, then there are probably more effective ways to reach your goals, such as mixing up the cardio with different kind of workouts.
  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
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    If you have the time, and you enjoy your cardio activities, then by all means do as many hours as you like. I'm positive that professional athletes, dancers, bike messengers and others in very active careers are getting way more than 2 hours of cardio work done every day.
  • pitbullmama
    pitbullmama Posts: 454 Member
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    I would listen to the fitness cousultant - they have had the training.

    Sarcasm?
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,616 Member
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    "Unless you're training for a marathon". So it's ok in this case, but if you are not then it's counter productive. How does your body know the difference?

    If you are training for an event that takes more than 2 hours to complete, you NEED more than 2 hours of training a day to complete it. It isn't a matter of your body knowing the difference.
    Yes, but because you NEED it it's suddenly not bad for you, but in all other cases it is? What I'm getting at is that it has been implied that marathon type training is bad for you.

    I'm not sure anyone said it was bad for you. Just not necessary.
  • GaryRussell123456
    GaryRussell123456 Posts: 87 Member
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    If you have the time, and you enjoy your cardio activities, then by all means do as many hours as you like. I'm positive that professional athletes, dancers, bike messengers and others in very active careers are getting way more than 2 hours of cardio work done every day.
    This.
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
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    It really depends on what your goals are.
  • clijun
    clijun Posts: 23 Member
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    as a general rule over 2 hours is excessive. i do once a week work ot longer than that but is because of a sport (not one that many people think of as a sport) that i play on saturdays.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    "Unless you're training for a marathon". So it's ok in this case, but if you are not then it's counter productive. How does your body know the difference?

    If you are training for an event that takes more than 2 hours to complete, you NEED more than 2 hours of training a day to complete it. It isn't a matter of your body knowing the difference.
    Yes, but because you NEED it it's suddenly not bad for you, but in all other cases it is? What I'm getting at is that it has been implied that marathon type training is bad for you.

    OK went back to double check my posts. I never said it was bad or counterproductive. I said it was not necessary and excessive for overall general fitness. I referenced marathoners just in case she was training for distance running which she has not confirmed. (no input from the OP since her original post)
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    "Unless you're training for a marathon". So it's ok in this case, but if you are not then it's counter productive. How does your body know the difference?

    If you are training for an event that takes more than 2 hours to complete, you NEED more than 2 hours of training a day to complete it. It isn't a matter of your body knowing the difference.
    Yes, but because you NEED it it's suddenly not bad for you, but in all other cases it is? What I'm getting at is that it has been implied that marathon type training is bad for you.

    I'm not sure anyone said it was bad for you. Just not necessary.

    Thank you Meerkat:flowerforyou:
  • Zylahe
    Zylahe Posts: 772 Member
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    as a general rule over 2 hours is excessive. i do once a week work ot longer than that but is because of a sport (not one that many people think of as a sport) that i play on saturdays.
    Ii'm intruiged. Which sport?
    Nope worked it out. I would agree it can be a sport.
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    When I hike, I hike for 6 or more hours. There's nothing wrong with that much cardio. However, there's no point in it either--except to get to the top of the mountain!
    ^haha this. I'm doing a 30k hike on saturday hopefully. Am I going to shrivel away to nothing and lose lots of weight doing it? Absolutely not. I'm doing it because I want to see the geyser and there's no streets around lol.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    for most people, two hours of cardio is excessive, even if they are trying to lose weight. unless you are training for a marathon, iron man, century bike ride, or other type of endurance event, that much cardio can be counter productive.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    The advice is based on the Tremblay MS et al study

    link: http://www.springerlink.com/content/k71u100x4310337m/

    The study compared the hormonal response to low intensity cardio over 40, 80 & 120 minutes. The hormonal environment turns catabolic at around the 120 minutes mark (meaning greater likelihood of breaking down muscle tissue which you generally want to avoid.) In addition the ratio of anabolic hormones to cortisol was highest at the 40 minute mark but lowest at the 120 minute mark.

    This study incidentally is routinely distorted by some people to say that low intensity cardio of any duration should be avoided when dieting because it is catabolic...
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,267 Member
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    The advice is based on the Tremblay MS et al study

    link: http://www.springerlink.com/content/k71u100x4310337m/

    The study compared the hormonal response to low intensity cardio over 40, 80 & 120 minutes. The hormonal environment turns catabolic at around the 120 minutes mark (meaning greater likelihood of breaking down muscle tissue which you generally want to avoid.) In addition the ratio of anabolic hormones to cortisol was highest at the 40 minute mark but lowest at the 120 minute mark.

    This study incidentally is routinely distorted by some people to say that low intensity cardio of any duration should be avoided when dieting because it is catabolic...

    i love it when you talk science.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    i love it when you talk science.

    I love it when you have your 5 minute av changes...

    This is a very balanced friendship I conclude ;)
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
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    If I followed her advice I wouldn't have any half marathons to my credit. None.

    That's not acceptable to me. As of today, I've crossed 44 half marathon finish lines and 1 marathon finish line. Many more to come.

    Nothing is absolute. Not sure why she'd have that train of thought.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
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    Quite frankly some of the stuff I've heard come out of the mouths of "fitness consultants" makes me think they got their certification from a cereal box.

    Kewpie for the little lady!
  • GaryRussell123456
    GaryRussell123456 Posts: 87 Member
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    for most people, two hours of cardio is excessive, even if they are trying to lose weight. unless you are training for a marathon, iron man, century bike ride, or other type of endurance event, that much cardio can be counter productive.
    So marathon TYPE training is not a good way to achieve fitness and weight loss? Good grief!
  • WhatHayleyEats
    WhatHayleyEats Posts: 42
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    I used to dance in stage shows and the rehearsals went on for 5 or 6 hours at a time, 6 days a week, with the odd ten minute break when we could grab a drink and clear our heads.
    Now I attend dance classes which total to about 3 hours a day, 3/4 days a week. I feel great afterwards. As long as you're not pushing your body too hard and not putting stress on your joints, you'll be OK. Just don't injure yourself. If it starts to hurt rather than burn, you need to STOP.

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