with only 45 min, do you lift or cardio?

kmillers
kmillers Posts: 144 Member
I have been running short on time lately and was wondering if it is more beneficial to cardio or lift if I only have 45 minutes to workout? My goal is fat loss and I do both most days but sometimes you just don't have the time to do both, which do I choose?
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Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Lift and spend the other 23.25 hours of the day making sure you hit your calorie budget for the day
  • Ainar
    Ainar Posts: 858 Member
    When I do not have time for both I do lift, but I do incorporate a cardio in my lifting. High reps, around 15 or so. I do them sets until failure. I do super sets and I do short rest periods between sets, like 45 - 60 seconds. Also do more sets for example if I do usually 3 sets of 7 reps, I do 4 or 5 sets of 15 - 20 reps. Like that you get your heart bumping pretty damn good and you are basically doing cardio and burning a lot of cals, but also some good strength training.

    If you don't like high reps you can also do very heavy reps. But make sure your rest periods are rather short and you are doing super sets, to keep that heart bumping fast.

    If you don't like this idea then I would just lift, not do cardio. Make sure your calories are good for a day, you will need to ate less, and you will be fine.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    ^^ I dunno about that. If I turn my lifting session into a cardio session then I didn't accomplish what I set out to do.
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  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    LIFT!

    Cardio burns muscle. Lifting builds muscle. Lean muscle gain increases your BMR. An increased BMR means more calories burned OUTSIDE the gym.

    There's a reason marathoners are so thin and lean. Cardio is good for one thing... heart, lungs, blood vessels.

    Lifting heavy *kitten* over and over will get your heart pumping and prevent your body from consuming your muscle for energy.

    But if you lift, lift with intensity. Don't phone it in and cheat yourself.
  • aelitaangels
    aelitaangels Posts: 61 Member
    Something that incorporates strength training and cardio, like push-up burpees, jump squats and jump lunges.
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    Something that incorporates strength training and cardio, like push-up burpees, jump squats and jump lunges.


    ^^^ CrossFit ^^^

    Get in. Get your a** handed to you by Fran. Get out.

    YouTube some videos on Andrea Ager & Annie Thorisdottir. See if CrossFit may work for you.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    I lift. If I'm doing it right and not sitting on my butt the other 23.25 hours, then the cardio takes care of itself.
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
    Lift! My cardio is the daily running after my two boys.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Definitely lift. Cardio is unnecessary.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    TOPIC: with only 45 min, do you lift or cardio?

    I eat cheetos while sitting on my couch and watching Friends and scrubs reruns
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Definitely lift. Cardio is unnecessary.

    Lifting is unnecessary too. Just saying
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Definitely lift. Cardio is unnecessary.

    i'm training for a couple of triathlons. you're saying i should ditch the cardio??


    stop talking in blanket statements and absolutes.
  • IDontLikeRegistering
    IDontLikeRegistering Posts: 51 Member
    Definitely lift. Cardio is unnecessary.

    Lifting is unnecessary too. Just saying

    You are my new favourite.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    I have been running short on time lately and was wondering if it is more beneficial to cardio or lift if I only have 45 minutes to workout? My goal is fat loss and I do both most days but sometimes you just don't have the time to do both, which do I choose?

    Ask yourself what do you enjoy? Do you enjoy running? Do you enjoy lifting? Do you enjoy calisthenics?

    You can get similar results from all 3 of these workouts. The difference is that the duration you have to dedicate might differ. I currently do stronglifts which is awesome and you only do about 30 minutes of it. In the start when the weights are still low you will be done in about 20 minutes even.

    If you're interested in lifting, I'd look into a gym with squat rack and checkout stronglifts.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/4618-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

    ^Good group and theres a sticky in there that explains the entire workout. You can youtube mehdi's videos that shows the workouts too!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I alternate lifting and cardio days, and rarely go over 45 minutes for either.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    I'd strength train....and just walk a little faster everywhere.....
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    LIFT!

    Cardio burns muscle. Lifting builds muscle. Lean muscle gain increases your BMR. An increased BMR means more calories burned OUTSIDE the gym.

    There's a reason marathoners are so thin and lean. Cardio is good for one thing... heart, lungs, blood vessels.

    Lifting heavy *kitten* over and over will get your heart pumping and prevent your body from consuming your muscle for energy.

    But if you lift, lift with intensity. Don't phone it in and cheat yourself.

    I'm quoting because this is broscience gold....
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    LIFT!

    Cardio burns muscle. Lifting builds muscle. Lean muscle gain increases your BMR. An increased BMR means more calories burned OUTSIDE the gym.

    There's a reason marathoners are so thin and lean. Cardio is good for one thing... heart, lungs, blood vessels.

    Lifting heavy *kitten* over and over will get your heart pumping and prevent your body from consuming your muscle for energy.

    But if you lift, lift with intensity. Don't phone it in and cheat yourself.

    i'd like to say that jim wendler himself designed a work out so that he could lift and do cardio because he wanted to be able to bend over to tie his shoes without getting winded.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Does it has to be either or?

    Why don't you lift full-body three days a week for 45 mins and then cardio/conditioning the two days in-between for 30-45 mins.

    Best of all possible worlds.

    People who say cardio is useless normally do so because they don't like it and this view point backs up their preference. Cardio/conditioning is not useless.

    Totally agree about Wendler and conditioning. In 5/3/1 he says he could total elite and not even make it up some stairs. That's not my ideal. Even if you don't do traditional cardio, you should have some sort of conditioning work in your routine to make you well rounded.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    Does it has to be either or?

    Why don't you lift full-body three days a week for 45 mins and then cardio/conditioning the two days in-between for 30-45 mins.

    Best of all possible worlds.

    People who say cardio is useless normally do so because they don't like it and this view point backs up their preference. Cardio/conditioning is not useless.

    Totally agree about Wendler and conditioning. In 5/3/1 he says he could total elite and not even make it up some stairs. That's not my ideal. Even if you don't do traditional cardio, you should have some sort of conditioning work in your routine to make you well rounded.

    ding ding ding!:flowerforyou:

    ^this is pretty much what I do.(bolded)
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
    I alternate lifting and cardio days, and rarely go over 45 minutes for either.
    This.

    If I have time I lift every day, even after my cardio. If I don't, then it's 3 days cardio & 3 days lifting.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Does it has to be either or?

    Why don't you lift full-body three days a week for 45 mins and then cardio/conditioning the two days in-between for 30-45 mins.

    Best of all possible worlds.

    People who say cardio is useless normally do so because they don't like it and this view point backs up their preference. Cardio/conditioning is not useless.

    Totally agree about Wendler and conditioning. In 5/3/1 he says he could total elite and not even make it up some stairs. That's not my ideal. Even if you don't do traditional cardio, you should have some sort of conditioning work in your routine to make you well rounded.

    ding ding ding!:flowerforyou:

    ^this is pretty much what I do.(bolded)

    Me too!
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,293 Member
    Does it has to be either or?

    my thoughts exactly. lift one day, cardio the next, or whatever you can stick with :-)
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    Both. You can run 2 miles and lift pretty well in 45 minutes. Always good to have a mix for overall fitness.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Lift!
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
    Does it has to be either or?

    Why don't you lift full-body three days a week for 45 mins and then cardio/conditioning the two days in-between for 30-45 mins.

    Best of all possible worlds.

    People who say cardio is useless normally do so because they don't like it and this view point backs up their preference. Cardio/conditioning is not useless.

    Totally agree about Wendler and conditioning. In 5/3/1 he says he could total elite and not even make it up some stairs. That's not my ideal. Even if you don't do traditional cardio, you should have some sort of conditioning work in your routine to make you well rounded.

    ding ding ding!:flowerforyou:

    ^this is pretty much what I do.(bolded)

    If it had to be either/or, I'd say lift because I like lifting a lot better, but ^this up here* I think is the much better way to go. Crossfit style workouts that blend the two aren't a bad option either. It all depends on your goals/preferences.
  • takumaku
    takumaku Posts: 352 Member
    Do both ... run with weights; crossfit.
  • PlayerHatinDogooder
    PlayerHatinDogooder Posts: 1,018 Member
    Does it has to be either or?

    Why don't you lift full-body three days a week for 45 mins and then cardio/conditioning the two days in-between for 30-45 mins.

    Best of all possible worlds.

    People who say cardio is useless normally do so because they don't like it and this view point backs up their preference. Cardio/conditioning is not useless.

    Totally agree about Wendler and conditioning. In 5/3/1 he says he could total elite and not even make it up some stairs. That's not my ideal. Even if you don't do traditional cardio, you should have some sort of conditioning work in your routine to make you well rounded.

    10/10 explanation by Jimmer.
  • sleepingtodream
    sleepingtodream Posts: 304 Member
    bump for later