Possibly a stupid question...

helyg

...but I am going to ask it anyway.

Everyone keeps saying that you need to do strength training (ie weights) in order to preserve lean body mass as if you are using a muscle you won't lose it. That makes sense.

However, why doesn't other exercise do the same thing? I appreciate that things like running or cycling only use leg muscles, but things like swimming and yoga use muscles all over your body. How does my body differenciate between muscles used in strength training and muscles used in swimming when it decides what to get rid of?

ilovedeadlifts

Strength training can build a significant amount of muscle mass. Things like swimming and jogging don't tax the muscles the same way as lifting weights, that's how the body knows there's a difference.

doing stretches in a yoga class, and squatting heavy weight are two totally different things, and your body treats them accordingly.

Cyclink

It's not that other forms don't do it at all; they don't do it as well (possibly so little that it's not noticeable).

Think of it this way: weight lifting is a very intense, anaerobic interval that only targets one muscle group at a time. Few, if any, exercises could work each muscle group as intensely.

ilovedeadlifts

Think of it this way: weight lifting is a very intense, anaerobic interval that only targets one muscle group at a time.

only if you're doing it wrong....

compound lifts target multiple groups, and should be the staples of weight training.

tcunbeliever

Yoga will definitely build muscle as well as improving balance and flexibility. It makes sense that anything which can build muscle can also preserve muscle. I don't know anything about how swimming works as an exercise, it will be interesting to see if anyone else does.

athenaheim

The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. Good question though.

fp64

I've read that when riding a bike, you use every muscle in your body to maintain your balance.
That's gotta be good.

athenaheim

The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. Good question though.

rml_16

doing stretches in a yoga class

Spoken like someone who has never taken a hard-core Vinyasa yoga class.

taekwonkenpo

it works because it is providing increased resistance. Just for example: you do push-ups, this is good. You do push-ups with a weighted vest on, this is better.
Other types of exercises like yoga or swimming work fine but strength training is best because it adds needed resistance to increase your gains.

alexbusnello

The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. Good question though.

This
I agree, it's not a stupid question at all. I find that I get my "stupid" questions answer by other people asking the same thing I was wanting to ask. It makes me feel like I'm not alone and not the only one with whatever issue(s).

chedges9090

This may be a stupid answer-- as I am not a trainer of any kind. But, it has always been my understanding that you want to do weight lifting to keep your bones strong- or build bone strenghth. That really doesn't address your question about muscles-- but, I wanted to throw that in, since I think weight lifting is important to over-all health.

ilovedeadlifts

doing stretches in a yoga class

Spoken like someone who has never taken a hard-core Vinyasa yoga class.

I wasn't saying that yoga isn't good or anything like that. just that lifting weights would be superior for maintaining/keeping muscle mass.

rml_16

doing stretches in a yoga class

Spoken like someone who has never taken a hard-core Vinyasa yoga class.

I wasn't saying that yoga isn't good or anything like that. just that lifting weights would be superior for maintaining/keeping muscle mass.

Well, I get more sore and stay sore longer when I do yoga as opposed to lifting weights (no matter how heavy I lift). It's a pretty freaking great workout if you're doing it right. There is a LOT more to yoga than "stretching."

SyStEmPhReAk

It's science....

In order to build muscle/retain muscle, you've got to do some sort of resistance training. Weight lifting is a great form of resistance training. Swimming, while a form of resistance training, will not put the same demands on your muscles as weight lifting will. Weight lifing causes tears to your muscle fibers. As these tears heal, they grow back stronger and larger than before - this is what leads to muscle growth on a calorie surplus. If you are at calorie maintenance or a calorie deficit, you will not see much muscle growth unless you are new to lifting or obese. If you've been lifing for a while, continuing to lift while in a caloric deficit will at best help to preserve the muscle you already have, but you will still lose a bit over time.

wmagoo27

...but I am going to ask it anyway.

Everyone keeps saying that you need to do strength training (ie weights) in order to preserve lean body mass as if you are using a muscle you won't lose it. That makes sense.

However, why doesn't other exercise do the same thing? I appreciate that things like running or cycling only use leg muscles, but things like swimming and yoga use muscles all over your body. How does my body differenciate between muscles used in strength training and muscles used in swimming when it decides what to get rid of?

The body will preserve muscle that is being used. Weight lifting uses more muscle than running or yoga. The body will hold on to enough muscle to do what is being asked of it because having muscle that you are not using is a waste of energy. Asking more of the body will ensure that more of your muscle is preserved. As a rule of thumb, when in a calorie deficit, I would train like you are trying to build muscle. In training that way, you ensure that the muscle will not be catabolized.

Cyclink

only if you're doing it wrong....

compound lifts target multiple groups, and should be the staples of weight training.

Sorry I was oversimplifying to try to make the point.

I've read that when riding a bike, you use every muscle in your body to maintain your balance.
That's gotta be good.

Using a muscle to maintain balance and working it enough to strengthen it are two very different things.

tcunbeliever

doing stretches in a yoga class

Spoken like someone who has never taken a hard-core Vinyasa yoga class.

I wasn't saying that yoga isn't good or anything like that. just that lifting weights would be superior for maintaining/keeping muscle mass.

Well, I get more sore and stay sore longer when I do yoga as opposed to lifting weights (no matter how heavy I lift). It's a pretty freaking great workout if you're doing it right. There is a LOT more to yoga than "stretching."

Yoga has a lot of bodyweight lifting going on...and it's a lot more intense than pushups which everyone recognizes as a strength training...standing on one leg in a variety of leg positions, balancing on hands/arms, varied squats, one leg/one hand poses, etc, these are all strength training exercises that are part of Yoga...and it's very balanced, your legs and arms become stronger and more muscled in concert with your chest, back, and abs becoming stronger and more muscled...fine motor skills improve as well so your joints are stabilized as your muscles grow...and flexibility is incorporated to keep muscles supple.

NaomiJFoster

Strength training can build a significant amount of muscle mass. Things like swimming and jogging don't tax the muscles the same way as lifting weights, that's how the body knows there's a difference.

doing stretches in a yoga class, and squatting heavy weight are two totally different things, and your body treats them accordingly.

Yoga is much more than just stretching. It's a pretty significant muscle building activity. It's all body-weight strength training. So, no it won't make you bulk like lifting heavy. But it will absolutely strengthen mucsles significantly. While improving balance and flexibility at the same time.

ilovedeadlifts

Well, I get more sore and stay sore longer when I do yoga as opposed to lifting weights (no matter how heavy I lift). It's a pretty freaking great workout if you're doing it right. There is a LOT more to yoga than "stretching."

I wasn't attacking yoga when I said "stretching". It was an oversimplification. But the soreness from yoga doesn't mean muscle is being built. I'm sore after stretching and doing light weight for high reps some days, a lot more so then when I lift "heavy".

Both are great. The point was for maintaining or gaining muscle mass, weight lifting is better....that's not really debateable or you'd see physique competitors doing yoga instead of going to the gym.

ilovedeadlifts

Using a muscle to maintain balance and working it enough to strengthen it are two very different things.

agreed.
my abdominals are constantly balancing my body.....
but if I want them to grow or get significantly stronger, I add weight.