Lifting or Cardio???
dujennifer
Posts: 162 Member
So am pretty round and squishy so as I get started how should I work out...more cardio focused or more strength training focused. I know it is very important to have a combination of both in a long term fitness plan. However, when first starting back on the workouts, should I focus on cardio first? I ask because I have heard if you have a lot of fat, strength training will just build underneath fat and push it out more. Maybe I need to burn some fat off first and then do strength again.
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I would do twice as many cardio days as weight (I.E. 4 and 2) but that's just me. If your weight training is really some kind of hybrid HIIT training type exercise, then you could do more.0
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I always focus more on the cardio when I'm at my top weight, but this time around I'm doing workout videos that have a combo of both on them (Jillian MIchael's 30 Day Shred, for example).0
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I focus on cardio at first, like the first couple of weeks then I slowly incorperate strength training. I think everyone is different and needs to determine what is best for their body. Hope that helps!0
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i guess i depends on what you want overall - i personally do cardio then strength training then cardio when i work out i just do muscles on different days. I feel that strength training is important because you want to tone the muscle underneath as you lose fat.0
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MUSCLE BURNS FAT. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn DOING NOTHING!!!! Build that muscle and watch the fat go away.
I am lifting heavy weights with ChaLean Extreme (Beachbody.com) and I have lost 2 pounds in less than 2 weeks. I feel stronger, and my arms already look better!
Don't get me wrong, you need cardio too, but in the long run, your body would be in better shape if you only lifted weights.
GO HEAVY OR GO HOME. - Chalene Johnson
- Chastity0 -
I would do twice as many cardio days as weight (I.E. 4 and 2) but that's just me. If your weight training is really some kind of hybrid HIIT training type exercise, then you could do more.
i personally agree with this theory.. i do both,as well.. but, when i do my "lifting" i do strength exercises.. b/c i don't want to bulk up; i want to tone up.. so i do less weight and more reps!!! and if you do decide to do Lifting always start it with at least 10min of cardio to get you warmed up.0 -
MUSCLE BURNS FAT. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn DOING NOTHING!!!! Build that muscle and watch the fat go away.
I am lifting heavy weights with ChaLean Extreme (Beachbody.com) and I have lost 2 pounds in less than 2 weeks. I feel stronger, and my arms already look better!
Don't get me wrong, you need cardio too, but in the long run, your body would be in better shape if you only lifted weights.
GO HEAVY OR GO HOME. - Chalene Johnson
- Chastity
that's one way, and yes, that works, but there are others as well. It's true that muscle burns fat, kind of. In general muscle burns available energy, fat is a poor energy source compared to ingested carbohydrates, so the body will burn carbohydrates first, but yes, for every pound of muscle you gain, your metabolic rate will go up about 6 calories per day. Doesn't sound like a lot, I know, but it's cumulative. The problem is 2 fold, you can't really gain muscle mass while on a caloric deficit (basic human anatomy), and building muscle is a slow process. If you work really hard, you can probably gain between 1 and 2 lbs of muscle per month (1 being the more common).
Why is weight training good for weight loss? Because when you are in a caloric deficit, weight training can force your body to maintain existing muscle tissue, can activate dormant muscle tissue, and will spur bone growth, all of these things temporarily raise the metabolism (for anywhere from 8 to 48 hours depending on the level and type of activity).
Things to note about weight training.
1. You don't necessarily have to do heavy weight, there are other ways to go, moderate weight and more reps can still deliver performance via the aerobic threshold.
2. You need to give muscles that you have worked hard time to rest. Recovery is part of weight training. Working a muscle group too hard, too often can cause severely diminished returns, and actually hamper the training.
3. Don't go overboard with your protein, people tend to over emphasize how much extra protein weight training needs. Focus more on getting a portion of the protein in your daily requirements quickly to muscles after a workout, best to eat some protein within an hour of working out. Make sure you pair that protein with a carbohydrate source, so that the body doesn't divert protein to energy conversion (a 3 to 1, carb to protein ratio is usually sufficient, I.E. eat 21 grams of carbs and 7 grams of protein or something like that)0 -
I would do twice as many cardio days as weight (I.E. 4 and 2) but that's just me. If your weight training is really some kind of hybrid HIIT training type exercise, then you could do more.
i personally agree with this theory.. i do both,as well.. but, when i do my "lifting" i do strength exercises.. b/c i don't want to bulk up; i want to tone up.. so i do less weight and more reps!!! and if you do decide to do Lifting always start it with at least 10min of cardio to get you warmed up.
you won't bulk up. Women have a very difficult time bulking up. You would have to make a very very concerted effort, and not be in any kind of caloric deficit to bulk up. Those female body builders that have lots of muscle? Many of them are on steroids, the rest have a VERY intense regimen that includes months of caloric surplus and weeks of harsh diets to suck all the water and fat out of their body, believe it or not, most of them aren't all that healthy on the inside (that goes for male and female body builders), compared to other performance based athletes that may not look quite as "stacked" but their functional strength is off the charts.0 -
bump0
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Ditto.I would do twice as many cardio days as weight (I.E. 4 and 2) but that's just me. If your weight training is really some kind of hybrid HIIT training type exercise, then you could do more.0 -
I'm like you (round and soft - :laugh: :flowerforyou: ) Right now I'm doing both, however I'm doing only about 10-20 minutes strength training and 50-75 minutes cardio.0
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Personally, I don't like doing strength and cardio on the same day. You have diminished results if you do this. The reasoning is very complex, and I can explain it if people like, and it's not set in stone science yet, more theory based on reasonable understanding of how the body works during both types of workouts (it has to do with cortosol, testosterone, HGH, and how the body uses hormones during normal exercise stress periods), but I look at it this way, I KNOW weight training works, I KNOW cardio works, I DON'T know if they work well together, so why risk it?0
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really - even if it's just for 10-20 minutes? and it includes core?0
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really - even if it's just for 10-20 minutes? and it includes core?
yep, even just 10-20 minutes. Because the whole point of weight training is to breach the aerobic threshold (the "burn"), once you achive that, certain hormones are released and that's where the problem occurs. If you don't reach that point, then you might as well be doing targeted cardio as it performs the same function.0 -
So what's the point of boot camp? DOesn't this mix both cardio and strength training?0
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So what's the point of boot camp? DOesn't this mix both cardio and strength training?
yes and no, boot camp is essentially HIIT training. To be clear, I'm not saying you'll get no results from doing both, I'm saying research has suggested you will diminished results on each end of the exercise. Remember, HIIT training raises EPOC, which is much different than straight cardio.0 -
D'OH! EPOC, forgot all about that!!
so yeah, umm...
do you speak engrish?0 -
Great thread conversation thanks! I have always avoided cardio because I don't like it as much, but I think I am going to give it more dedication till I get a few of these pounds of first. And I never knew that doing both at one time reduced its productivity. I am going to split them up now. Why not try something new to see if results happen? Its all trial and error till you find what works right?0
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D'OH! EPOC, forgot all about that!!
so yeah, umm...
do you speak engrish?
lol, I've been told I'm a wellspring of useless information.
talk to me about baseball or Guitar hero, I'll talk your ear off (I'm 1/2 way through hard for GH World Tour, and I just got GH Van Halen for Christmas! Woo Hoo!)0 -
D'OH! EPOC, forgot all about that!!
so yeah, umm...
do you speak engrish?
lol, I've been told I'm a wellspring of useless information.
talk to me about baseball or Guitar hero, I'll talk your ear off (I'm 1/2 way through hard for GH World Tour, and I just got GH Van Halen for Christmas! Woo Hoo!)
If you do leg kicks and knee slides while playing guitar hero, does that count as calorie burning?0 -
Wait a minute. I wasn't confused before. Now I am. SHboss - can you explain this a little more? I usually do a long hard cardio work out in the morning or at lunch - then lift weights in the evening.
I do this at least 2-3 times a week. I thought I was doing the right thing by doing cardio and hitting the weights all in the same day... The other days I try to do a bootcamp style workout or just straight cardio (an extra long run) or straight weight training. I never realized that on the days when I do both, I wasn't getting the most out of my work out.
Let's hear your research! My curiosity is spiked. :noway:0 -
MUSCLE BURNS FAT. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn DOING NOTHING!!!! Build that muscle and watch the fat go away.
I am lifting heavy weights with ChaLean Extreme (Beachbody.com) and I have lost 2 pounds in less than 2 weeks. I feel stronger, and my arms already look better!
Don't get me wrong, you need cardio too, but in the long run, your body would be in better shape if you only lifted weights.
GO HEAVY OR GO HOME. - Chalene Johnson
- Chastity
Yes ask any trainer or look at exercise studies - muscle burns fat - so train hard on both!!!0 -
MUSCLE BURNS FAT. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn DOING NOTHING!!!! Build that muscle and watch the fat go away.
I am lifting heavy weights with ChaLean Extreme (Beachbody.com) and I have lost 2 pounds in less than 2 weeks. I feel stronger, and my arms already look better!
Don't get me wrong, you need cardio too, but in the long run, your body would be in better shape if you only lifted weights.
GO HEAVY OR GO HOME. - Chalene Johnson
- Chastity
Tho I agree, muscle burns more fat (which is true)... but you don't have to lift HEAVY to get results. If you want to be a body builder, yea... lift heavy... but for the average woman, we want TONE... That means... LIGHTER weights + MORE reps! Just my 2 cents!0 -
MUSCLE BURNS FAT. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn DOING NOTHING!!!! Build that muscle and watch the fat go away.
I am lifting heavy weights with ChaLean Extreme (Beachbody.com) and I have lost 2 pounds in less than 2 weeks. I feel stronger, and my arms already look better!
Don't get me wrong, you need cardio too, but in the long run, your body would be in better shape if you only lifted weights.
GO HEAVY OR GO HOME. - Chalene Johnson
- Chastity
Tho I agree, muscle burns more fat (which is true)... but you don't have to lift HEAVY to get results. If you want to be a body builder, yea... lift heavy... but for the average woman, we want TONE... That means... LIGHTER weights + MORE reps! Just my 2 cents!
Again, not necessarily, women really don't do a heck of a lot of mass building with muscle. Both types of weight training can be used to lean up. You may gain some mass by doing heavy weights as a female, but unless you follow a very rigid routine, and stay in caloric surplus, I doubt you'd gain much bulk. Genetics play a role with this as well.0 -
Actually "bulking up" has less to do with how much you are lifting and more to do with your body type. As a women with a very muscular body type i can say that i get the same results whether I do a lot fo reps at a light weight or a few reps at a large weight.
Weight training is important so much more then just weight loss. And its important to remember that when you start training you won't lose weight right away because you body is preparing to handle that new exercise by increasing red blood cells and building muscle.
Recently a good friend introduced me to Crossfit. It is the most insane hour of my day and I LOVE every minute of every workout! My workout routine is no longer about losing weight, its about being a stong, vibrant women, Crossfit makes me feel empowered and self confident no matter how much weight i'm losing!0 -
Wait a minute. I wasn't confused before. Now I am. SHboss - can you explain this a little more? I usually do a long hard cardio work out in the morning or at lunch - then lift weights in the evening.
I do this at least 2-3 times a week. I thought I was doing the right thing by doing cardio and hitting the weights all in the same day... The other days I try to do a bootcamp style workout or just straight cardio (an extra long run) or straight weight training. I never realized that on the days when I do both, I wasn't getting the most out of my work out.
Let's hear your research! My curiosity is spiked. :noway:
Hehe, well, without getting too technical, the two different types of exercise compete for existing resources, ultimately reducing the amount either can have. I.E. your body releses extra sugar into the blood during moderate or heavy exercise, both types of exercise require replenishment of energy during work.
If you REALLY feel the need to workout using both exercise techniques I would suggest doing short, high intensity aerobic activities that actually breach the aerobic threshold, this way you are creating oxygen debt that will continue burning calories after you finish your exercise, and it releases more of the chemicals that help the body break down existing fat cells. I.E. HIIT training or something like Tabata protocol (you can Google these). These exercises create EPOC or oxygen debt and train the heart to recover faster and increase in size to accommodate more blood flow.
One caveat, because most weight training, by definition, is anaerobic and requires total depletion (or near total) of muscle ATP stores, you should always do weight training before cardio. While you may not be able to perform at quite a high level of cardio after a decent weight training session, you can usually still burn a decent amount of calories (if not as many as cardio alone). If you were to do cardio and then immediately weight train, you aren't giving your body enough time to recover it's glycogen levels in order to fully supply muscles with the energy they need to perform at optimal levels, and in anaerobic activity, muscles at less than optimal level, will not make the gains they otherwise would.
some say you can space out your cardio and weight training and still receive full benefits. Maybe, if you give them enough time, but if you work even moderately hard for a good long workout, you'll still be short some energy.0 -
And for the record, I do 2 days of straight weight training, 1 day of straight hard cardio, and 3 days of HIIT training, of which 1 day is something I like to call HIP training (High Intensity Plyometrics, my own term, how do you like it? )
this allows me to become functionally stronger, more agile, keep and build additional muscle, and also grow my heart muscle and increase my VO2 max (which I recently tested at 52).
I love how I feel after a good 45 minute HIIT session!0 -
I am lifting 3 days a week with a day of rest in between. On the rest days I am doing ~ 30 min of cardio (walk, jog, or video). Thus far I am feeling stronger, stamina has increased and I am actually fitting into a smaller size clothing but the scale has barely moved! I am trying to pay more attention to diet (really hard for me as I am a big sweet addict) which is why this site is so helpful - I am actually holding myself accountable for what I am putting in my mouth! Any other advice would be very welcome. Oh....I am also in my mid 40's and really feeling the need to try to regain a little of my "girlish figure"
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I am lifting 3 days a week with a day of rest in between. On the rest days I am doing ~ 30 min of cardio (walk, jog, or video). Thus far I am feeling stronger, stamina has increased and I am actually fitting into a smaller size clothing but the scale has barely moved! I am trying to pay more attention to diet (really hard for me as I am a big sweet addict) which is why this site is so helpful - I am actually holding myself accountable for what I am putting in my mouth! Any other advice would be very welcome. Oh....I am also in my mid 40's and really feeling the need to try to regain a little of my "girlish figure"
AWESOME!
And don't worry about the scale. The first thing your body does when you begin a new routine is activate muscle fibers that are needed but were dormant. These muscle fibers require glycogen, which means added weight to your body, so many times weight loss is offset by fluid retention, it's not actual muscle growth, but it's essentially the same thing. When the body again reaches equilibrium, you'll begin seeing lbs fall.
You can be confident that you are losing fat if you're fitting into smaller clothes. And that's the name of the game, lose fat, increase cardiopulmonary systems, and increase muscle functionality. In the end, your weight doesn't matter, it's how you feel and how your body looks and works that matters!0 -
Haven't posted in such a long time due to family stressors...deaths x2, new job, etc., etc. Long story short - I have gained back ~50% of the weight I worked so hard to loose. Comfort food. Now I am jumping back on the wagon in the hope of salvaging at least some of my previous results and regaining control....wish me luck. Right now working out 3x week mainly lifting as I don't have time for much else just yet.0
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