Who knew "aerobics" aren't the best for cardio?

I can't tell you much and I "know" nothing for sure but I am reading a book by an instructor for our Special Ops Teams, Mark Lauren. The book title was given to me by a gal here. It's called You Are Your Own Gym. It's about using our own body for weight-training to build muscle and get rid of fat. I was searching because I can't afford a gym or equipment for home. I also will not have time when school starts to spend on cardio, weight lifting blablabla. So I find out 20 minutes a day, 5 times a week will get me there, fit. I figure if it works for Navy SEALs and other special ops then why wouldn't it work for me. The author says no matter the weight or age he has levels for all to start at.

The book is online, ebook or hardcopy, and even better, it's in the libraries because I called to see if people who couldn't afford to buy the dang book could get hold of it, yes, they can!

I started a group here too so join us if you like. There is a guy that's coming through his 9th week of 10 and he is going to have photos for us.

I will say I agree with your guy at the gym because it sounds to me like he is right with the sources I've been reading from. I mean really, the cardiologist that came up with the term aerobic says he was wrong and that weight-training will do it all!

Denise:drinker: :drinker:

Okay, I'm glad you posted this because I spoke with a trainer at my gym today, and of course, he wants me to sign up for 2 sessions at $124. I don't have that to get this information.

Here is what I'm doing right now: 30 minutes of cardio (elliptical, bike, etc) and really getting my heart rate up. Then I do 30 minutes of heavy lifting. And for me, heavy lifting is going as heavy as I can on a machine or free weights, for a minimum of 8 reps, and I do about 3-4 sets.

I only have about an hour a day to spend at the gym because of my kids, and well, life.

The trainer said I need to cut out my cardio and lift more, and lift heavier, and do less reps, and more sets.

I love the endurance I have now. But I have also stopped seeing results. So my questions:

1) how long should I lift for daily (assuming I'm working different muscles every day)?
2) how long should I spend on a cardio machine?
3) Is the trainer right? Should I be lifting heavier, less reps (between4-6) with more sets (he mentioned up to 12 sets).

I'd appreciate the help. It would save me $124.00.

They guy I am following now is a Thai Boxer. I'm not sure if that is like martial arts but hey, if he believes in that then I'm ok with it. I don't think I'll be doing any but if you'd asked me a year ago if I'd be weight training I would have said probably not:laugh: I learn something new every day and I like learning:) denise:drinker: :drinker:

in my opinion, cardio is therapy. i love long walks, steady jogs and brisk runs. it keeps me sane. i will say that when i added strength training this year, i toned up A LOT!!

I agree with you on this one.. If I didn't do martial arts twice a week I'd go nuts.. it's my outlet. I do weights at home but going to the studio and kicking people around is awesome.

yes, it's personal choice and for all of us, I hope our choices are the healthiest ones:drinker: :drinker:

I think it depends on 1. What you enjoy and will stick with and 2. What kind of goals you have.

there are many cardio lovers here and many lifting lovers here-both work-just depends on what each person hopes to achieve.

I love this statement ^^^^^^^^^

Thanks Georgina, I may have to get a smart-phone one day so I can try some of these apps:) Drop by our group, we would love your help with the bodyweight training;) denise:drinker: :drinker:

That's great Shelli, I just started that group so please feel welcome to join or stop in for a read. I am going to try a weight program that is just about using my own body-weight. I don't have weights or a gym membership and with this, I don't think I'll need one! We hope;)

denise:drinker: :drinker:

I have been recommended by several people who really know what they are talking about to do some weight training in order to lose weight and tone up. One is my brother who has been into it for years and is a dietician. Another by a good friend who is a beach body coach. We've been friends since high school, and went to college together, also. Both say the same pretty much. It's a good idea!! I have started to dig out the weights to try out.

There's a great FREE app called 'Fitness Buddy' for your phone - has lots of exercises for weight training using either bodyweight or with weights.

You may not be a trainer but you do look great!! Denise

Okay, I'm glad you posted this because I spoke with a trainer at my gym today, and of course, he wants me to sign up for 2 sessions at $124. I don't have that to get this information.

Here is what I'm doing right now: 30 minutes of cardio (elliptical, bike, etc) and really getting my heart rate up. Then I do 30 minutes of heavy lifting. And for me, heavy lifting is going as heavy as I can on a machine or free weights, for a minimum of 8 reps, and I do about 3-4 sets.

I only have about an hour a day to spend at the gym because of my kids, and well, life.

The trainer said I need to cut out my cardio and lift more, and lift heavier, and do less reps, and more sets.

I love the endurance I have now. But I have also stopped seeing results. So my questions:

1) how long should I lift for daily (assuming I'm working different muscles every day)?
2) how long should I spend on a cardio machine?
3) Is the trainer right? Should I be lifting heavier, less reps (between4-6) with more sets (he mentioned up to 12 sets).

I'd appreciate the help. It would save me $124.00.

I'm not a trainer but 12 sets is an awful lot of the same strength exercise. If you're going for lean look, you want to lift heavy enough to fail between 12-15 reps and no more than 2 sets. If you want to actually build a little muscle (you're a girl, you won't bulk up unless you take steroids lol) then you wanna lift heavy enough to fail in 8-10 reps and no more than 2 sets of each exercise. That all being said...I tried weight lifting on my own for years with no luck till I started Chalean Extreme and learned that the order you do these exercises in makes all the difference in the world!

You are welcome, it's a good read, not boring, that's for sure;)

Thanks! I'm going to check out that book! :-)