Is cardio pointless

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  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
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    I have never seen anybody say cardio was pointless. Cardio strengthens the cardiovascular system even if it didnt burn a nice amount of calories the heart health benefits alone make it very worthwhile.

    I'm afraid you haven't been around long enough, if you haven't spotted the macdonalds glugging meatheads who advance this pov.

    In the end, I think it's the lack of mirrors on the track that puts them off running.

    Most of us take a more sensible and measured view that a blend of cardiovascular activity and strength training is optimum for both weightloss and health. (That seems to be a view that confuses some of them... too nuanced, really, I suspect.)

    And on that provocative note, that's me signing out of this thread, before the inevitable begins. Life is too short.

    "I'm afraid you haven't been around long enough, if you haven't spotted the macdonalds glugging meatheads who advance this pov. "

    What a nice term of phrase for people who do things differently to you. Whatever happened to live and let live? I don't do loads of cardio but id never insult those who do. Each to their own.
  • shellux
    shellux Posts: 164 Member
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    This was a really helpful post. I have spent most of my time doing Cardio and asked the question on here. Why was I not losing weight? Everyone who responded suggested incorporating working with weights too. Am yet to invest in some but consistent comments are a lot more positive for us who need educating.
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
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    "I'm afraid you haven't been around long enough, if you haven't spotted the macdonalds glugging meatheads who advance this pov. "

    What a nice term of phrase for people who do things differently to you. Whatever happened to live and let live? I don't do loads of cardio but id never insult those who do. Each to their own.

    I would think that this term wasn't referring to people such as yourself. It's more likely referring to those on here who actively mock people for doing anything BESIDES lifting....and they ARE on here. Obviously that's not you. Live and let live is the perfect expression. Everyone has a different path to getting fit, and that should be ok. :flowerforyou:
  • Carol_L
    Carol_L Posts: 296 Member
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    It's not at all pointless. Exercise recommendations tend to suffer from pendulum swings, and in the last 10 years strength training has been promoted at the expense of cardio. Most knowledgeable people still think that a cardio component is an important part of exercise in general and helpful for losing weight.

    I'm in favor of strength training, but sometimes I think that it's heavily advocated because it's somewhat less time-consuming and boring than cardio.

    Remember, when you read about quickie cardio routines they are for people who are either normal weight or seeking only the most minimal level of fitness. It won't be enough for someone who needs to drop a lot of weight.

    I'd have to agree with this, to a certain point.

    If you want to look at it a different way, compare the bodies of sprinters vs marathon runners. No one would say either one of these people are unfit, but you also can't say that they look at all alike either. Humans have two types of muscle fiber, fast twitch and slow
    twitch, in differing proportions. These types serve two different purposes.

    Slow twitch muscle, also know as Type I, use aerobic metabolism, which is to say that they use oxygen to efficiently generate ATP for continuous, longer muscle contractions over an extended period of time. Because of their efficiency, they fire more slowly than fast twitch fibers and can fire more times before they fatigue.

    Fast twitch fibers, aka Type II, use anaerobic metabolism to create fuel. Because they don't depend on the presence of oxygen to fire, they are much better at generating short bursts of immediate strength or speed than slow muscles. The downside is that they fatigue more quickly. While both types of muscles produce the same amount of force per contraction, fast twitch fibers get their name because they are able to fire more rapidly.

    Our muscle fiber type influence what sports we are naturally good at or whether we are fast or strong. Olympic athletes tend to fall into sports that match their genetic makeup. Olympic sprinters have been shown to possess about 80 percent fast twitch fibers, while those who excel in marathons tend to have 80 percent slow twitch fibers.

    Just as there is a distribution of these types in elite athletics, there is likewise amoungst the general population. There are those who have a higher proportion of slow twitch to fast twitch muscle, who find things like runing to be enjoyable and relaxing. Others, myself included, tend to be the other way, with more slow twitch than fast twitch. I find lifting to be very relaxing and theraputic. I also would hold my resting pulse (53) and blood pressure (105/50) up against any runner.

    Given the statistical variation found in the human species, there will be a distribution of how various people respond to various types of exercise. To me, going onto an eliptical machine for 45 minutes is akin to torture - but I can do it. Likewise, going out of their way to deliberately lift anything that is at the edge of their current ability multiple times on a regular basis holds the same appeal for other folks.

    Can't we just chalk it up to do what seems to work best for your own body type, and just get along?
  • hughtwalker
    hughtwalker Posts: 2,213 Member
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    Depends what you are doing it for. Cardio is for improving your circulation, lung capacity, blood pressure BUT NOT for making you lose weight - it is for making you live long enough to enjoy the benefits of not putting so much strain on your weight bearing limbs and joints.

    So, if not having a heart attack or not having a stroke is unimportant to you then, yes, cardio is pointless.

    You would lose weight while exercising if you don't keep drinking water whilst exercising - through perspiration. Then restore it as soon as you re-hydrate (i.e. drink water - regardless of the flavour of the water)
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    Depends what you are doing it for. Cardio is for improving your circulation, lung capacity, blood pressure BUT NOT for making you lose weight -

    You would lose weight while exercising if you don't keep drinking water whilst exercising - through perspiration. Then restore it as soon as you re-hydrate (i.e. drink water - regardless of the flavour of the water)

    cardio is not for losing weight? a zillion people, including doctors, scientists and me disagree.
  • RiannonC
    RiannonC Posts: 145 Member
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    It's not at all pointless. Exercise recommendations tend to suffer from pendulum swings, and in the last 10 years strength training has been promoted at the expense of cardio. Most knowledgeable people still think that a cardio component is an important part of exercise in general and helpful for losing weight.

    I'm in favor of strength training, but sometimes I think that it's heavily advocated because it's somewhat less time-consuming and boring than cardio.

    Remember, when you read about quickie cardio routines they are for people who are either normal weight or seeking only the most minimal level of fitness. It won't be enough for someone who needs to drop a lot of weight.

    This. Strength training is the big new fad but it is only one component of fitness. An exercise routine is best when it is balanced, just like your diet. A good routine incorporates cardio, strength training, and even stretching, which most people sadly neglect.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
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    I have seen so many people on here say that cardio is pointless, is it? I want to lose weight another 24pounds and I do weight training as well but I do quite a lot more cardio than weight training.

    I've read the same stuff. I love cardio because of how it makes me feel. I like the rush of good feelings afterwards, feeling totally wiped out, and I love sweating buckets hahah. I sweat with weights too, but not the way I do with cardio. However, since in past weight loss attempts, I didn't feel cardio really did much to shape my body, I decided this time to focus more on weight training. So I lift weights 3 days a week and on the days between I do 30-40 minutes of cardio. Then I take one full rest day. I'm pretty amazed at how quickly the inches are coming off this time and the big difference, I think, is weights. Also, having done cardio so many times before, I feel like I'm advancing faster on things like endurance, ability to walk/run up hills, etc, and I also attribute that to the weights. Maybe I'm imagining things, but I don't think so. :bigsmile:
  • Michellereducf
    Michellereducf Posts: 168 Member
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    I haven't seen posts saying cardio is pointless. In fact, the very opposite.
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
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    No, it's not pointless. Cardio provides health benefits weight training does not. Such as cardiovascular improvement. Both aspects are important.

    Just keep in mind that exercise is for shaping the body, a healthy diet is what allows you to lose weight.
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
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    I haven't seen posts saying cardio is pointless. In fact, the very opposite.

    Really? I see it all the time.
  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
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    How could it be pointless if it means I get to eat more? Eating more = muy bien! You can however lose weight without doing cardio though.
  • Rowan813
    Rowan813 Posts: 170 Member
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    I do hardcore cardio 2-3 times a week, the other times I weight train :smile:


    I do the same. I also add some yoga to balance my week. I will always enjoy lifting more than cardio.
  • Car0lynnM
    Car0lynnM Posts: 332 Member
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    If all you're trying to do by doing cardio is lose weight maybe one could argue that it's pointless. I also do cardio to strengthen my heart, lower my blood pressure and stave off diabetes - so I think I am getting tremendous benefit from cardio. For the record, I also strength train.

    This. Cardio is very important for your over all health.
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    No exercise is pointless. Cardio does has its Pro's & Con's like lifting. I always preferred a good balance. 3 Cardio days, 3 Lifting days, and 1 Rest Day
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
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    No. No exercise is "pointless" Cardio alone may not lead to the best results, but it certainly torches calories faster than weight lifting, which is nothing but beneficial to weight loss.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    Cardio is great... if you want to be able to run/swim/cycle or whatever. It's not necessary for weightloss, nor is it entirely necessary to develop your CV system. Anything that puts a big demand on your heart and lungs will strengthen it over time; lifting weights can function very much like traditional HIIT in that regard.

    If you want to lose weight, create a calorie deficit. Run. Lift. Eat less. Whatever works for you.
  • Ivana331
    Ivana331 Posts: 230
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    what qualifies as strength training? I am about 48 days into my journey and still working on getting stronger, but as of right now I do workouts using 3lbs weights... I know that is small, but does that qualify as strength traning? like rowing movements with the weights, presses, etc.?
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    what qualifies as strength training? I am about 48 days into my journey and still working on getting stronger, but as of right now I do workouts using 3lbs weights... I know that is small, but does that qualify as strength traning? like rowing movements with the weights, presses, etc.?
    Resistance? Sure. Strength. Eh. I'm sure you carry a bag around that weighs more than that sometimes.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    Anytime you are using your body in a way that is healthy and improves your mobility is a good thing. We all need rest days from lifting. And we need to do other activities if we want to be flexible and not exacerbate pain conditions (for those of us that have them). I am a dancer, so I dance regularly. It's like my body has an addiction to flexibility. I need to keep my muscles stretched in order to feel good. I need a high level of mobility in order to feel good. I also do yoga in my spare time to keep up with my flexibility and integrated strength. And I lift weights 3 days a week to give my Lean Body Mass and fitness a boost. Plus, I don't drive, so I walk everywhere. And I have kids, so I am regularly playing in very active and varied ways. And when I go on vacation I am hiking up mountains. We have bodies to use them and move them to keep them mobile to take us places to allow us to do all the things we want to do. A fit body is a healthy body. Variety can be a very good thing. Integrating activity into our daily lives is wonderful. If you are experiencing an injury that is the time when you should step back from an activity, if it is hurting you instead of helping you. I do all of that, but I don't run.

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