How do I approach cardio?
Replies
-
I'm 5'9". Or 5'10". I was being a bit facetious, though. And yeah, I guess 120 is probably considered incredibly low to a lot of people.
Considering my race weight with 5% BF was 155 in my 20's, yay, that is incredibly low.0 -
CAn you post a pic of what you want to look like? Find someone else on the internet and post a pic of what you would ideally want your body to look like.
I think I would find that horribly embarrassing.0 -
CAn you post a pic of what you want to look like? Find someone else on the internet and post a pic of what you would ideally want your body to look like.
I think I would find that horribly embarrassing.
Can you PM it to me?0 -
I am pretty sure I need to do cardio at least four times a week, because of what I guess my "goals" should be right now--mostly focusing on losing fat. But how long do I need to do cardio? How hard should I be working? Is the "fat burn zone" real or a myth?
Didn't read replies.
You don't need to do cardio 4 times a week unless you're training for a specific event that is cardio centric in nature. Even then 4 times a week might be too much?
There is no fat burn zone. Its a myth. It all balances out.
If your goal is fat loss, create your deficit with your diet, sprinkle in some cardio for added benefit, lift weights and eat a high protein diet for best body composition results.0 -
I'm 5'9". Or 5'10". I was being a bit facetious, though. And yeah, I guess 120 is probably considered incredibly low to a lot of people.
Considering my race weight with 5% BF was 155 in my 20's, yay, that is incredibly low.
OP I sort of want to give you a hug. I'm not sure you even could weigh 120 at your height unless you're ready to start sawing off bones. I am 5'2", female, and quite "small" and my 'healthy weight' range according to the doctor is between about 105-130lbs. I have been 120lbs and even though I wanted to lose weight and trim up from there I didn't look 'fat' per se (now between 108-110). I worked with a guy the same height as me who was about the 120 mark, and he was so so tiny and no muscles at all, and you're taller than him. Are you completely sure you have a realistic idea of what various weights look like on men with different frame sizes?0 -
OP I sort of want to give you a hug. I'm not sure you even could weigh 120 at your height unless you're ready to start sawing off bones. I am 5'2", female, and quite "small" and my 'healthy weight' range according to the doctor is between about 105-130lbs. I have been 120lbs and even though I wanted to lose weight and trim up from there I didn't look 'fat' per se (now between 108-110). I worked with a guy the same height as me who was about the 120 mark, and he was so so tiny and no muscles at all, and you're taller than him. Are you completely sure you have a realistic idea of what various weights look like on men with different frame sizes?
Yeah, I kind of mentioned I was being facetious...even my "goal weight" of 135 I have listed on here is a joke. The lowest I've ever been was 165, and while I admit it was a 165 with very high body fat, I didn't feel like I looked anywhere close to what I expected at that weight. I really have NO idea where I should be at all, and the whole lifting weights thing makes things even more complicated--I realize I can't gain any real muscle on a deficit, but I think someone who does weight training and weighs X and someone who doesn't do weight training and weighs X looks totally different. I am not even sure I should HAVE a goal weight, because I literally have NO idea how my body would look under 165. I've tried to use calipers to calculate body fat myself, but honestly--scales, tape measures, etc. seem absolutely imprecise and useless to me. I am more going for just seeing how things look in the mirror at different weights, but that seems to complicate things too...so I don't know.0 -
Thank you for all the information. Do you have access to a gym?0
-
Yes, but it's very small, and I'm not sure they have all the equipment I might require. I DO think they probably have the stuff I would need for something like Stronglifts 5 X 5--I downloaded some information on it yesterday, and TRIED to begin to get it (I have information processing issues). The only thing is that I would like to get through the thing I am doing right now (a lot of machines, isolation exercises) which has about 4-5 more weeks.0
-
The main piece of equipment that you need that they may not have is a squat rack - but this part can be modified.0
-
I think they have that--I will ask when I go tomorrow to make sure, though.0
-
I think they have that--I will ask when I go tomorrow to make sure, though.
Thanks. Let us know as it will help with suggestions0 -
Well, I asked--they have this thing they called a "power rack" and a thing called a Smith Machine. The guy got REALLY nervous when I asked about them. He must have thought I was planning something...0
-
Well, I asked--they have this thing they called a "power rack" and a thing called a Smith Machine. The guy got REALLY nervous when I asked about them. He must have thought I was planning something...
A power rack is good. It means that you can do barbell squats.0 -
I don't know...that guy seemed really concerned and nervous when I asked about them, like he was scared I would hurt myself. There is probably something majorly wrong with me that I don't know about...0
-
I don't know...that guy seemed really concerned and nervous when I asked about them, like he was scared I would hurt myself. There is probably something majorly wrong with me that I don't know about...
Not sure what is up with that. As long as you take it slowly and carefully there should be nothing to worry about. Maybe he thought you would be trying to throw lots of weight on the bar before you are ready.0 -
If you are not comfortable with using barbells we can suggest an alternative routine that has something like the big 5 compound lifts as a foundation but uses dumbbells instead. It will not be as optimal but I would not want to try to 'force' something on you that you are not comfortable with.0
-
I mean, to be honest, this whole weight training thing confuses me. It's like, people say you should go slow and not push yourself, and yet you hear a lot of people talk about things like no pain, no gain or really struggling to get final reps out. I don't ever do that, so far. If I can't do it without possibly dropping what I'm lifting, or popping a blood vessel, I just stop and move on.
I think maybe he was thinking I would try to lift really heavy weights. I figured I would need to start lighter than I would on a machine if I was doing only free weights, because of the stabilization issues and such. Maybe he also thinks I should get where I can lift heavier before I use more free weights, because he thinks of the machine as the place to start light and the free weights something you progress to after being able to lift heavy. I'm not sure. Probably a lot of people DO think that way, but from what you all have been saying you should just start light on free weights and progress from there.
I don't think I would have a preference as far as dumbbells vs. barbells. I don't know enough to know that much of a difference--seems kind of like the same scary thing to me.0 -
I mean, to be honest, this whole weight training thing confuses me. It's like, people say you should go slow and not push yourself, and yet you hear a lot of people talk about things like no pain, no gain or really struggling to get final reps out. I don't ever do that, so far. If I can't do it without possibly dropping what I'm lifting, or popping a blood vessel, I just stop and move on.
I think maybe he was thinking I would try to lift really heavy weights. I figured I would need to start lighter than I would on a machine if I was doing only free weights, because of the stabilization issues and such. Maybe he also thinks I should get where I can lift heavier before I use more free weights, because he thinks of the machine as the place to start light and the free weights something you progress to after being able to lift heavy. I'm not sure. Probably a lot of people DO think that way, but from what you all have been saying you should just start light on free weights and progress from there.
I don't think I would have a preference as far as dumbbells vs. barbells. I don't know enough to know that much of a difference--seems kind of like the same scary thing to me.
I am not a big proponent of the 'no pain no gain' - it's fine for some people, but for the large proportion of the population, taking it a little easier is fine...as long as you are making progress. Your progress may not be as fast, but it is important to do something that will not take you so far out of your comfort zone that you will end up not doing it. A paraphrased quote from Layne Norton...'a less than optimal routine done today is better than an optimal plan executed to late'...or something like that!
The issue with machines is that they do not use stabilizer muscles and can force you into a bad plane of trajectory which can stress your joints/muscles unnaturally. There is no reason not to use free weights at the beginning - just go light at first. You can always use cable machines as an interim as they don't force you into a fixed trajectory and do require the use of some stabilizer muscles. Possibly this is something that would make you more comfortable using those at first for some of the lifts.0 -
The only thing I use machines for are a chest press, shoulder press, leg extension, leg curl, and preacher curl. I use cable for three exercises, and then I have 3-4 exercises with free weights. There are a lot of isolations involved.
I just don't know if I have the mentality/personality for this kind of thing--to make any real progress. I am kind of scared of getting hurt, scared I'm going to do something really wrong. I think a lot of people go in and are very hot headed and fiery about this kind of stuff--they have these really big egos--and I just can't seem to get like that.0 -
The only thing I use machines for are a chest press, shoulder press, leg extension, leg curl, and preacher curl. I use cable for three exercises, and then I have 3-4 exercises with free weights. There are a lot of isolations involved.
I just don't know if I have the mentally/personality for this kind of thing--to make any real progress. I am kind of scared of getting hurt, scared I'm going to do something really wrong. I think a lot of people go in and are very hot headed and fiery about this kind of stuff--they have these really big egos--and I just can't seem to get like that.
To be honest, you can get results with the type of exercises you are doing as long as you progress with the weights/reps - it is just not as 'effective' as a more formally laid out plan but it is still beneficial. If that is what you are comfortable with I would actually stick with it and swap out some of the machines for free weights when you get comfortable. For example, the shoulder press can be swapped out for dumbbell overhead presses and the chest press can be swapped out for a flat barbell bench press.0 -
Well, I figure I will do this for four more weeks, see if I feel stronger, and then work on adding in some more compound stuff (or probably substituting). I guess I will also look at results in the next month or so...honestly, I'm not sure I'm doing enough to get anywhere at all, but trying to be optimistic and patient.0
-
Ok. I get it. You're concerned with hurting yourself on more of the free weights or doing it wrong and hurting yourself. Have you though about working on bodyweight exercises?
Check out You Are Your Own Gym. All of it is body weight exercises and it might be a good starting point for you. It's 4 days/week at a max of 35mins/session. The first 2 weeks of the program, you really focus on form. If you have an android/iphone/ipad/tablet, you can download the corresponding app ($3). The app gives you a workout plan, counts your reps, and times your workouts. Beyond that, you could take a day or 2 a week (maybe after your upper body days) and do some sort of cardio program like Couch-to-5k.0
