Get Off That Treadmill! Cardio is Counterproductive!

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Replies

  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
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  • Mathguy1
    Mathguy1 Posts: 207 Member
    There's a reason why most in the fitness industry call that magazine "Muscle and Fiction". That magazine (and those like it) are nothing more than a glorified catalog for supplements.
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    There's a question here. Is it really possible to efficiently achive catabolic (fat burning) and anabolic (muscle building) processes at the same time? As with everything fitness related, I've read every side of the argument and have found no good agreement. But it makes sense to me that trying to do both at the same time is a bit counterproductive....so I'm cardio only for now to strip back the blubber. Once I'm down to where I want to be I'll stop trying to lose weight and start trying to be a bit more anabolic and tidy up my strength and muscles.


    Take a read here. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kelly3.htm

    Thats carb cycling tbh and not related really to this thread.
    It almost smells like troll around here....:grumble:

    Nope, she's actually my OH.

    OH?
  • RunsOnEspresso
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    Hmm, a weight lifting magazine says don't do cardio, just do weight lifting. Yeah, seems totally unbiased...

    tigerpalm.jpg

    When you find a article in Runner's Weekly telling you how weight lifting can hamper your endurance training, what will yu do then? Hide on the couch with a bag of Cheetos? All exercises have their place.

    1. I love the tiger.

    2. This was exactly my first thought... "Look at the source..." My running magazines don't tell me to lift & if they do, it's usually nothing heavy. I've always lifted but never went for mass. I've been a dancer & a runner. Neither of those require heavy weight lifting but do require cardio. I just lift some weight because I like to do so. It all comes down to personal choice & goals, not everyone wants to lift heavy.
  • athryn
    athryn Posts: 59
    There's actually a great book that I read that addresses the issue brought up in the first post:

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    And the answer is: it depends! (which is the conclusion most of you have already come to, of course. :) )

    Science is pretty awesome.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    OH?

    Other half. Misses. Girlfriend.

    You get the jist! :wink:
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    DUBBLE
  • PittShkr
    PittShkr Posts: 1,000 Member
    tumblr_m0130nIm2y1r7j50s.gif
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Thats carb cycling tbh and not related really to this thread.


    No, it doesn't relate to the OP - it was simply meant to answer the question that the guy I was quoting asked.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
    Thats carb cycling tbh and not related really to this thread.


    No, it doesn't relate to the OP - it was simply meant to answer the question that the guy I was quoting asked.

    I'll shut up then LOL
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    All good! :smile:
  • fcp1234
    fcp1234 Posts: 1,098 Member

    mixing it up prior or post weight training will detract from the intensity and performance.

    I didnt read previous answers.....But this is the only thing that I kinda agree with..
    I perform better when I do cardio and weight training in separate days. But cardio is good for you..and believe me I hate cardio.
  • sphinxdust
    sphinxdust Posts: 59 Member
    I never do cardio, ever. My "cardio" is part of my weight lifting/strength training workouts, keeping my heart rate up and keeping sessions between 40 and 60 minutes. Doing this three times a week at least, with proper sleep and nutrition, I find no reason to waste my time and energy doing cardio things like treadmill walking. I do, however, walk in real life to and from places, so that may be considered cardio.
    Different people with different body types may benefit from cardio, but I don't.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    The title of this topic made me swear. And quite loudly.

    The content... Well, I'm still swearing about the title....
  • scott091501
    scott091501 Posts: 1,260 Member
    Take a look at the publication and then consider the target audience. It's not Triathlete or RunnersWorld magazines. OP if you want really good info on muscle building and lifting protocols check our sites like TNation.
  • _Wits_
    _Wits_ Posts: 1,286 Member
    LOL ooooooooooooooooooh I see. Never seen "OH" used before =p


    Um yeah...I misread the original post..

    My rule of thumb is do mega cardio on non-lift days. Depending on how I'm feeling, I may do a quick 5-10 minute warmup walking slowly on the treadmill but other than that, I don't do both on the same day.
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
    LOL @ lazy curvy whales writing that stuff , to make themselves feel better.

    Edit:
    and i dont do cardio too, running like cardiobunny for hours per day. I do some quick run few times as fast as I can. And i do weightlifting 3 times per week. Excercises heart just as good.
  • grinner30
    grinner30 Posts: 122 Member
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    this rules....
  • Faericn_Rising
    Faericn_Rising Posts: 235
    Hello Gym Bunnies!

    Hope you're all dandy. :0)

    I'm afraid I'm the barer of bad news... well, simply relaying some new revelation: yup... as the title of the post says... don't waste your life on cardio! According to an article in Muscle and Fitness October Issue (Page 114) mixing it up prior or post weight training will detract from the intensity and performance. So get off that treadmill and go home!

    So? What do you do? When do you integrate cardio in your routine, pre-workout, post-workout or on separate times or dedicated to only cardio days? How often do you cardio your fat off?

    Thank you! :0))

    i have lost near 35 lbs on cardio only... and wont be changing anything. an hour a day at least, everyday. Mostly i dance, sometimes i take walks. No matter what though i do something. And it is working FABULOUSLY. <3
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    I do cardio exclusively. And I look and feel fine.

    Not that I wouldn't benefit from weight training in addition (and I will eventually), but I'm proof to myself that cardio is a good thing.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
    The Myans were right
  • chocl8girl
    chocl8girl Posts: 1,968 Member
    This has probably already been covered, but I couldn't take it any more.

    bearer*
  • pyrowill
    pyrowill Posts: 1,163 Member
    I really hate any article that singles out certain exercises as useless or a waste of time.

    Do what you're motivated to do, and stop listening to the people who say that this or that is a waste of time. NO EXERCISE IS A WASTE OF TIME IF YOU'RE DOING IT.

    End of f***ing story.

    WORD
  • sphinxdust
    sphinxdust Posts: 59 Member
    BTW, cardio to lose weight versus cardio as part of your lifting sessions are two different things. Losing weight comes down to one thing: calories in have to be less than calories out. If you don't get that right, you'll never lose weight. Some people are not weight lifters, so they should do their cardio. But, if the goal is to pack on muscle, you won't do it running any marathons.
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    At the moment, I'm in race training, so cardio is my focus. I'm running 3-4 days a week, I've got 2 half marathons, a 30-k and a marathon coming up between now and February, so that's what I'm doing.

    When it wasn't race season, I did a bit more strength training, but I also did quite a bit of cardio and I shed 33 lbs and 10% of my body fat. So...I don't think I'll be abandoning the treadmill anytime soon. I did a little experiment for a couple months where I did very little cardio and more strength training and I saw about half the results I did when I was doing more cardio than strength training but what works/worked for me won't work for everyone.
  • sphinxdust
    sphinxdust Posts: 59 Member
    This has probably already been covered, but I couldn't take it any more.

    bearer*
    lol
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    I am a runner despite the fact at this exact moment in time I'm not running nearly as much as I'd like because of the dreaded Planar Faciatias.

    I have lost 84 lbs doing primarially cardio and having a sensible diet.

    I am however doing weight training 3 days a week. I do some kind of cardio before and if my calorie goals say so maybe 10 mintues on the ellipticals after while I'm at it.

    I don't want to lose muscle mass with all the weight
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    BTW, cardio to lose weight versus cardio as part of your lifting sessions are two different things. Losing weight comes down to one thing: calories in have to be less than calories out. If you don't get that right, you'll never lose weight. Some people are not weight lifters, so they should do their cardio. But, if the goal is to pack on muscle, you won't do it running any marathons.

    True, it's all relative to your fitness goals. I am trying to lose weight and body fat---not trying to put on muscle. However someone who is actively trying to put on muscle definitely should lay off the heavy treadmill sessions and hit the weights harder...just depends on where you are physically and what you're trying to achieve.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Oh, I now get annoyed when I'm on the treadmil because that means I'm not running outside, but when it's icy/cold or 10:00pm that's my option.

    I'm super proud of myself I went to the rail trail to run last weekend and it was 34 degrees out.
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    You can't take professional bodybuilding advice and apply it to the general population who is coming from an overfat standpoint and expect it to mean the same thing.

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