"You should only lift weights once your physically fit"

julieh391

Poor schmuck. I'm no expert, so I'll just tell you what has happened to my body since I started major cardio (running) and lifting heavy (at 219lbs and obese.) I went from looking and feeling like I was made of dough to dropping 43lbs in 5 months and feeling strong. My husband can't believe how hard my legs are or the muscles in my arms. I still have about 20lbs to go, but I am seriously transformed. Lift! :happy:

MtnKat

Your brother is one of those very very lucky people that have achieve results despite not having a clue.

Let's hope you've got some of those genes too.

I had to LOL at this :-)

Truthfully, this has been a question in the back of my mind "should I still be lifting even though I still have so much fat to lose". I'm still lifting because I believe in it. I wouldn't listen to your brother either...just go with what you believe is best for you.

I am a runner. But the runners that everyone talks about, the elite lean types, run because they love it...because it's in their soul, because that is what they do....and their bodies respond to it. They spend hours and hours running....not just go out for a couple of miles.

swordsmith

".. Or else it won't have much of an effect." This is what my brother just told me. He's a fitness junkie so I'm kinda worried he knows what he's talking about.

He also said cardio shrinks muscle. :huh:

Please tell me he's wrong so I can keep lifting.

*you're
ugh >.<

He is wrong.

I lifted while losing weight and getting great cardio.

Now I am not one of those massive muscle heads who can grunt a half ton pull but cant light jog 1/4 mile before passing out. I am also not a lean, fast marathon or even 5k/10k runner.

What I am is fairly happy with what I have become - a fairly toned person who is still on his lifting journey yet can do a 5k in 30 minutes, 10k in <60 minutes and have done one half marathon at 2:50:00 running on an injured leg.

I am still trying to find the "balance" between cardio and lifting but am slowly finding the happy in between

tigersword

Cardio doesn't shrink muscle, but it's possible he's getting confused with the fact that cardio can build lean muscle.

Cardio does not build muscle at all. It actually does shrink muscle, as the muscle becomes smaller and more efficient when you do cardio (this is why you burn less calories over time doing the same cardio activities.)

sirthickness

Cardio doesn't shrink muscle, but it's possible he's getting confused with the fact that cardio can build lean muscle.

Cardio does not build muscle at all. It actually does shrink muscle, as the muscle becomes smaller and more efficient when you do cardio (this is why you burn less calories over time doing the same cardio activities.)

I am no expert, but it seems we're blurring the lines between "recreational" athletes (3-5 times/wk, 1 hour of weight training and/or 30-60 minutes cardio per session) and "elite" athletes (true body builders and those who train for distance running/cycling, etc).

I think 90% of people on MFP are "recreational" athletes (trying to lose weight and get back into shape). For them, a balanced mix of cardio and weight training, coupled with proper diet is the BEST way to achieve your long-term goals.

If your goal is to get yoked and ripped with muscle, then cardio should be limited to your cutting phase or done in small doses - maybe for a warm-up. Conversly, if your goal is to be a marathoner or distance cyclist, you should probably limit your weight training because it takes too much oxygen to feed massive muscles, taking away from your cardio ability.

sirthickness

your bruv talks tosh! lift with a personal trainer for a few months, get your technique spot on!
then go watch him lift (he won't like it if you correct him LOL)

the most important thing about lifting is balance, balance in your programme to avoid injury!

I myself prefer full body event exercises (core core core baby), but occasionally will put iron in a workout

nothing worse then watching someone lifting heavy, then noting they can't do pushups, pullups or other bodyweight exercises!

muscle makes you strong, muscle needs fuel, you get thinner and stronger and can eat more (quality)!
have itttttttttt.....

ps
The five components of physical fitness are:

Cardiovascular endurance
Muscle strength
Muscle endurance
Flexibility
Body composition

cardio will give you a strong heart and lungs! don't ignore it!

pps
I don't mean walking on a treadmill, I mean sprints, I mean flat out! your flat out!

^^^^Yep, this is kind of what I was talking about. A good, QUALITY mix of cardio and strength training will serve most people the best.

myofibril

the muscle becomes smaller and more efficient when you do cardio (this is why you burn less calories over time doing the same cardio activities.)

Efficiency is right I think but not so much smaller or shrinking muscles. I thought it was because prolonged endurance exercise results in, amongst other things, adaptations such as increase in mitochondria and respiratory capacity. This results in the same work output requiring a smaller percentage of the muscles maximum respiratory capacity. In other words, less energy cost for the same workout meaning a smaller calorie burn.

Can you clarify what you mean by muscles getting "smaller" or "shrinking as a result of cardio activities and how this process occurs? Are you talking about protein turnover / density of muscle fibres?

drgndancer

Cardio doesn't shrink muscle, but it's possible he's getting confused with the fact that cardio can build lean muscle.

Cardio does not build muscle at all. It actually does shrink muscle, as the muscle becomes smaller and more efficient when you do cardio (this is why you burn less calories over time doing the same cardio activities.)

It does not shrink muscles; not unless you burn so much energy it starts to eat them, and again, that is really, really hard to do. Distance runners have small frames through a combination of genetics and deliberate exercise choices, not because running "shrinks" or "eats" muscles. You don't *want* large muscles as a distance runner so you don't *train* for them. If you avoid heavy lifting and stick to exclusively cardio and low weight lifts you won't build any big muscles to begin with. That's how runners keep a "running frame", they do exercises that build slow twitch muscles and avoid those that build heavy fast twitch muscles.

If you lift heavy a lot and run a lot, you'll be a large, strong, runner. You'll be less efficient at running (which for most people is no big deal since they run for pleasure, not elite level competition), but you'll also have muscles. Most people prefer to concentrate on one or the other, either in the interest of time (I already spent almost 10 hours last week running, adding weights in would start to make exercise a really big portion of the my waking, non-working hours) or preference (I like running and don't particularly like lifting).

SarahLIrvan

That is very untrue. I lost 80 lbs. lifting weights and doing cardio (and strict five meals daily). Weights burn more calories than cardio. And women can only look masculine if they are using testosterone (or similar) steroids while lifting. I have always dated bodybuilders and worked in a gym for years. Keep lifting girl!

waldo56

Cardio CAN have a negative impact on muscle mass. Any bodybuilder will tell you to be careful with cardio. Moderate is good... intense will begin to break down muscle tissue for energy.

Look at a "runner's" physique. Lean, yes...but not necessarily the type of lean everyone wants.

So it depends on your goals.

The negative impact on muscle mass that cardio has is that the body only has so much recovery capactiy. Recovery = growth. Doing cardio that requires recovery will limit the speed of muscle growth, assuming you are eating enough to cover the calories from cardio.

But it doesn't limit it all that much unless you do a lot of cardio (if you're running less than 10 miles a week, it does virtually nothing to limit muscle growth rate). On the flipside cardio does have the effect to limit the amount of fat gain, even though yoru maximum muscle growth rate is a little lower, you have a buffer that prevents excessive fat gain.

A lot of the anti-cardio advice you get from weightlifters is because they just flat out hate doing it, so don't, then make excuses as to why you shouldn't do it.

Cardio doesn't make your muscles shrink, that's a load of crap.

ahamm002

Cardio CAN have a negative impact on muscle mass. Any bodybuilder will tell you to be careful with cardio. Moderate is good... intense will begin to break down muscle tissue for energy.

Look at a "runner's" physique. Lean, yes...but not necessarily the type of lean everyone wants.

So it depends on your goals.

You may be right, but you're opening up a can of worms whenever you broach the cardio-muscle-breakdown issue. And honestly, most people don't really need to worry about it anyway. It's not going to be even remotely significant for 95% of people. Most people are far more likely to prevent fat gain by running instead of cauing muscle breakdown.

In regard to intensity, I would actually say higher intensity is much better than moderate. Look at the physique of sprinters!

tigersword

Cardio CAN have a negative impact on muscle mass. Any bodybuilder will tell you to be careful with cardio. Moderate is good... intense will begin to break down muscle tissue for energy.

Look at a "runner's" physique. Lean, yes...but not necessarily the type of lean everyone wants.

So it depends on your goals.

You may be right, but you're opening up a can of worms whenever you broach the cardio-muscle-breakdown issue. And honestly, most people don't really need to worry about it anyway. It's not going to be even remotely significant for 95% of people. Most people are far more likely to prevent fat gain by running instead of cauing muscle breakdown.

In regard to intensity, I would actually say higher intensity is much better than moderate. Look at the physique of sprinters!

Sprinting isn't cardio. It's anaerobic, much closer to weight lifting than it is to running, from a physiological standpoint. That's why sprinters have such different physiques than distance runners, using different muscle types and energy sources.

iplayoutside19

Cardio CAN have a negative impact on muscle mass. Any bodybuilder will tell you to be careful with cardio. Moderate is good... intense will begin to break down muscle tissue for energy.

Look at a "runner's" physique. Lean, yes...but not necessarily the type of lean everyone wants.

So it depends on your goals.

You may be right, but you're opening up a can of worms whenever you broach the cardio-muscle-breakdown issue. And honestly, most people don't really need to worry about it anyway. It's not going to be even remotely significant for 95% of people. Most people are far more likely to prevent fat gain by running instead of cauing muscle breakdown.

In regard to intensity, I would actually say higher intensity is much better than moderate. Look at the physique of sprinters!

I agree with everything you said. The majority of people on here won't reach a cardio situation where muscle is being used for energy. Not only that, the weight lifters who care about that stuff go to shows...again; not stuff most of us worry about.

I think a better example of an athlete you're looking for is a wrestler. They lift a lot, they run a lot, they do a lot of HIIT, and their sports involves a lot of all three....and they look incredible. I wish I had the time to work out like I did when I wrestled....but you know, life happens.

JNick77

".. Or else it won't have much of an effect." This is what my brother just told me. He's a fitness junkie so I'm kinda worried he knows what he's talking about.

He also said cardio shrinks muscle. :huh:

Please tell me he's wrong so I can keep lifting.

*you're
ugh >.<

You should only lift weights once you're physically fit? If you don't lift weights then how do you get physically fit??? If you're not physically fit you're going to play hell to do chin-ups or dips, and push-ups are a type of resistance movement so if you're adding resistance why not just lift weights. Ugh... don't listen to your brother. LOL

ilovedeadlifts

He's kind of a dumbass.


just saying.

MoreBean13

This attitude can be easily explained: lifters don't want to wait in line for the squat rack and benches. It behooves them to redirect the crowds to the elliptical whenever possible. I might just start dishing this advice out at the gym whenever I'm annoyed and have to wait, too. I like your brother's style.

JacquelineD35

Good advice. I hope your brother also told you....

* you should only do yoga if you're extremely flexible
* you should only eat when you are full
* you should only take the down escalator when you are on the bottom floor
* you should only rush if you've already arrived at your destination

^^^LOVE THIS

JNick77

Good advice. I hope your brother also told you....

* you should only do yoga if you're extremely flexible
* you should only eat when you are full
* you should only take the down escalator when you are on the bottom floor
* you should only rush if you've already arrived at your destination

^^^LOVE THIS

* you should only buy toilet paper after you've taken a dump
* lifeguards should only save drowning people after they've drowned

iplayoutside19

This attitude can be easily explained: lifters don't want to wait in line for the squat rack and benches. It behooves them to redirect the crowds to the elliptical whenever possible. I might just start dishing this advice out at the gym whenever I'm annoyed and have to wait, too. I like your brother's style.

I don't beleive you, not once have I waited on the squat rack for someone that was actually doing squats. Now, I have had to politely ask a couple of Curl Bro's to get out.