Is cardio pointless

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  • DeathKitty23
    DeathKitty23 Posts: 64 Member
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    NO it is not pointless. Especially if you are completing HIIT as this will up your bodys motabilism for the rest of the day too meaning that not only have you burned calories completing your cardio session but your bidy is burning more when you are not doing anything.
    For more info on it I would check out the cardio articles on bodybuilding.com some great advice on there

    Hope this helps
    x
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    I have never seen anybody say cardio was pointless. Cardio strengthens the cardiovascular system even if it didnt burn a nice amount of calories the heart health benefits alone make it very worthwhile.

    I'm afraid you haven't been around long enough, if you haven't spotted the macdonalds glugging meatheads who advance this pov.

    In the end, I think it's the lack of mirrors on the track that puts them off running.

    Most of us take a more sensible and measured view that a blend of cardiovascular activity and strength training is optimum for both weightloss and health. (That seems to be a view that confuses some of them... too nuanced, really, I suspect.)

    And on that provocative note, that's me signing out of this thread, before the inevitable begins. Life is too short.

    end of thread...time for some cardio!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Cardio is great for your heart and lungs. Lifting is great for your muscles and bones. I highly recommend both to everyone.

    But all you need to lose weight is a calorie deficit.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    For me, I feel better when I run. I absolutely love it. It makes my day and makes me feel fantastic within my body. I don't think the scale is important at all. My overall health is the main goal. Whatever it is for you, strive to have health on your side. Your relationship to gravity shouldn't even be a factor.

    This is how I feel too... except I hate running... (I usually get cardio from Zumba) but I firmly believe that each and every one of us needs to do what is healthy and makes us feel good. The weight loss is just a side effect of being fit, but it isn't what's really important to me.
  • lyndyedwards
    lyndyedwards Posts: 3
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    Ok, so you can lose weight just dieting, but then you will be small and wobbly instead of big and wobbly! Use cardio and weight train and you will be small and tight! a much more attractive (and healthier) look! and as someone else said, a calorie burned is a calorie burned! so it all helps in the weight loss regime and will speed weight loss up. I have been doing cardio and using weights most days for the past month and although I have not lost a lot of weight so far I look as if I have lost much more than I have.
  • zoeluiisa
    zoeluiisa Posts: 392
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    I know cardio gets a bad rap on here, but of all my friends, it's the ones who run regularly who are the slimmest, fittest and most toned.

    I hate running so I'm not about to join them, but all the same.
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
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    I am a cardio only kind of gal and so far it's working for me. I am slowly throwing in some wall pushups..and I'll do crunches and stuff. I'm not into the strength training or heavy lifting. Unless that buff bod is really what you are going for to me sometimes that all seems pointless (that shoe can go on the other foot too). I'm going for losing some weight, being more fit, feeling better about myself and so far taking a 1 hour brisk walk a day..that's giving me the results "I" am looking for.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
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    Cardio (in my case, walking with some light running & skipping thrown in here and there) .. provides me with 1) burning calories 2) an overall good feeling 3) sleeping thru the night 4) regularity 5) greater lung capacity for my favorite hobby/passion - horn playing.

    Not to mention now that the weight is off and I feel better, I have started Barre 3 to get even more fit/toned - but not replacing my walking/running/skipping.

    I think the people who are wanting the most efficient means to get toned/cut really defined muscles have their method to get there based on their level of fitness. So they probably are better served with burning the most calories on strength training.

    We all have our own personal perception of what fit is- and we all strive/get on the journey as we best see fit. Kinda like choosing your nutrition plan.
  • GoMizzou99
    GoMizzou99 Posts: 512 Member
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    Short answer - Cardio is fine. Mostly I see people who have had success think that their way is best because they are proud of their accomplishment - and should be. To each his own. Find your own formula and use it. Tune it up when you need to.

    When I tipped 245 pounds my at rest heart rate was about 83 bpm. At 175 pounds it is 62 bpm. To get there, I did a combination of cardio (golf - walking the course & mountain biking) and weights/Insanity to get to maintenance weight. I tend to do more cardio in the long days, good weather months and more weights when trapped inside in the winter.
  • david081
    david081 Posts: 489 Member
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    I do a lot of cardio, mostly intervals, and have lost 24lbs. I'm gutted now to hear that cardio is a waste of time after all, and will have to look at alternative methods of losing weight...
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    I do a lot of cardio, mostly intervals, and have lost 24lbs. I'm gutted now to hear that cardio is a waste of time after all, and will have to look at alternative methods of losing weight...

    are you serious or being sarcastic? did you read the replies in this thread?
  • Nina1007
    Nina1007 Posts: 150
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    How can it be pointless? It helps burn calories that lets me eat more :D
  • good2bthaking
    good2bthaking Posts: 325 Member
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    It's good for your heart, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean you should stop cardio workouts. In my opinion, a good combination of both is good for you. What that combo is, well, that's up to you to decide. But pointless, never!!
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    I lost a huge amount of weight doing mostly cardio. I now can run (thanks to the cardio) and still am losing weight. It's not pointless & dont let anyone tell you its not.

    BTW because of doing more cadio thank anything else I run for over an hour a day ...every day.
    Definitely don't let anyone talk you out of doing cardio! It's great for our bodies, it burns fat, gets and keeps our bodies fit and strengthens our heart and so much more!

    I agree strength training is very important as well, it builds muscles, tones/shapes our body. Though I'm not a strength trainer expert by any means, I love the way it makes my body feel after and not only have I gained muscle, stamina but self confidence as well. Doing strength training AND cardio regularly is a great combo, as you get in shape more and drop the weight you want, you can cut back on cardio some if you'd like and lean more on weights etc.

    Cheers!:drinker:
  • jamk1446
    jamk1446 Posts: 5,577 Member
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    I know that cardio is beneficial, I just personally hate doing it. But I'm happy to cheer on others who are more committed to it than I am.
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
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    I do a lot of cardio, mostly intervals, and have lost 24lbs. I'm gutted now to hear that cardio is a waste of time after all, and will have to look at alternative methods of losing weight...

    are you serious or being sarcastic? did you read the replies in this thread?

    yeah I was kind of lost on that response too. You are losing weight ?? yet you would think cardio a waste of time?
  • bestbassist
    bestbassist Posts: 177 Member
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    I have this argument with my trainer every so often. I hit a plateau in my weight loss and I've tried several different things to break it. So far, the mix of cardio, weights and diet isn't doing it but I wouldn't call cardio ineffective. Last time I lost weight in my wayward youth, I did a ton of cardio and it worked great. I think it just depends on your metabolism and age? Who knows?
  • thistimeismytime
    thistimeismytime Posts: 711 Member
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    Just ignore all these snobby lifters on who diss cardio and call it pointless. They're all on a massive ego-trip and it's tiresome and unattractive to be honest.

    I LOVE lifting, and I LOVE lifting heavy, but I also do cardio and stretching. Lifting is the only one of these 3 that will re-SHAPE your body and make you strong and muscular. Cardio is good for your heart, your all-around fitness and well-being.

    BALANCE is a good thing, but there is an extremely militant group on here that spend all their free-time ridiculing anyone who every steps out of the "Squat-deadlift-repeat" box. WHATEVS....just do your thing. :smokin:
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    It's not at all pointless. Exercise recommendations tend to suffer from pendulum swings, and in the last 10 years strength training has been promoted at the expense of cardio. Most knowledgeable people still think that a cardio component is an important part of exercise in general and helpful for losing weight.

    I'm in favor of strength training, but sometimes I think that it's heavily advocated because it's somewhat less time-consuming and boring than cardio.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    It's not at all pointless. Exercise recommendations tend to suffer from pendulum swings, and in the last 10 years strength training has been promoted at the expense of cardio. Most knowledgeable people still think that a cardio component is an important part of exercise in general and helpful for losing weight.

    I'm in favor of strength training, but sometimes I think that it's heavily advocated because it's somewhat less time-consuming and boring than cardio.

    Remember, when you read about quickie cardio routines they are for people who are either normal weight or seeking only the most minimal level of fitness. It won't be enough for someone who needs to drop a lot of weight.

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