I miss "mindless cardio" . . .

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AJinBirmingham
AJinBirmingham Posts: 497
in Fitness and Exercise
I loved zoning out on the elliptical or stair climber to the point of near exhaustion . . . I had finally learned to push hard enough, long enough to emulate the runner's high I used to get. (I've wrecked my knees and can no longer run.)

The down side of having a personal trainer who can sensibly integrate cardio into weight training, core training, etc. is that I now feel guilty if I'm "just doing cardio." Is there a way to get a runner's high equivalent from free weights and core exercises?

I feel like I'm missing something.
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Replies

  • MyProgressISYour1Proof
    MyProgressISYour1Proof Posts: 376 Member
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    I get it when my heart is beating through my chest. Just work on lifting heavy slowly. I even giggle when I start grunting like the guys
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    What kind of weights are you using? When I do squats and deadlifts (especially deadlifts) with free weights I feel like I could run through a city like Godzilla tearing down buildings and crushing cars. This is not a joke. I actually posted something quite like this as my status after lifting on Friday night.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    Increase the volume on the big lifts and you will get a lifter's high. For example, do a 10 minute cardio warmup, 4 warmup sets, then 3x5 working sets. Then follow that up with the Boring But Big (BBB) routine from 5/3/1. 5x10 at 50% training weight. On squat day, I can't stand up after that. Then some accessory work and finish off the abs. Then 10 minutes of shooting hoops if I can still move my arms. I don't do much cardio right now as I focus on heavy lifting and maximizing recovery, but when I do, I am as fit as I was when I was focused on cardio.
  • jdm_taco
    jdm_taco Posts: 999 Member
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    different high from lifting... do cardio if you want runner's high

    Running- euphoric

    Lifting- I feel like I could take a grizzly protecting its young with my dominant hand behind my back
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    Lifting- I feel like I could take a grizzly protecting its young with my dominant hand behind my back


    Ooooooh, I never thought about it this way!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    I loved zoning out on the elliptical or stair climber to the point of near exhaustion . . . I had finally learned to push hard enough, long enough to emulate the runner's high I used to get. (I've wrecked my knees and can no longer run.)

    The down side of having a personal trainer who can sensibly integrate cardio into weight training, core training, etc. is that I now feel guilty if I'm "just doing cardio." Is there a way to get a runner's high equivalent from free weights and core exercises?

    I feel like I'm missing something.

    The only thing you are missing is some sensible advice. Just do the cardio you like. You don't have to do it exclusively, or every day, but the idea that one should feel guilty doing endurance cardio shows how bizarre and f-cked up the fitness world has become.
  • wannabpiper
    wannabpiper Posts: 402 Member
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    Wow; all this talk about "highs" I wish I had! I just completed my first week of Body By You strength training and I'm bored out of my mind with it. They're telling us to not bother with cardio anymore so I'm trying some strength work and I think I've got it wrong. From what ya'll are saying, I'm not doing nearly enough.
  • MexicanOsmosis
    MexicanOsmosis Posts: 382 Member
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    Lifting- I feel like I could take a grizzly protecting its young with my dominant hand behind my back

    Uber testosterone boost.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    If you enjoy steady state cardio then do that. There's no reason to feel guilty for doing "just cardio" if you're enjoying it. I do steady state cardio on my non-lifting days.
  • jdm_taco
    jdm_taco Posts: 999 Member
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    dead serious too
  • CakeFit21
    CakeFit21 Posts: 2,521 Member
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    Yep, I totally agree with the "lifter high".

    Setting your CNS on fire with heavy deads or squats gives you a high that lasts hours.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Wow; all this talk about "highs" I wish I had! I just completed my first week of Body By You strength training and I'm bored out of my mind with it. They're telling us to not bother with cardio anymore so I'm trying some strength work and I think I've got it wrong. From what ya'll are saying, I'm not doing nearly enough.

    I never got anything out of body weight stuff. But the first time I deadlifted? That was a serious high.

    You just need to find the kind of workout that you can get excited about doing.
  • ttippie2000
    ttippie2000 Posts: 412 Member
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    If you deadlift or squat heavy enough it will take several seconds for your spirit to re-enter your body. Try to make sure you don't fall down and hit your head on anything.
  • tannas25
    tannas25 Posts: 13 Member
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    Crummy knees here too. Bummer. I went for a bike ride yesterday (first in two years) and I felt almost giddy! It was so fun and free!! Free as in the wind in my face, cruising down the greenbelt feeling awesome and no knee pain! Pure cardio high! You can do both weights and cardio. Find something you love and go for it!
  • AJinBirmingham
    AJinBirmingham Posts: 497
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    I like the pumped up feeling I can achieve lifting, but it's nothing like a runner's high. :ohwell:

    I'll keep trying.

    (I can't do squats, lunges, deadlifts or leg extensions at all though - or any variation thereof, because I've not much cartilage left in my knees. Crunch, crunch, pop, pop.)
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    I'll do the elliptical for an hour every now and then for the heck of it. Its better then sitting and watching TV.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I loved zoning out on the elliptical or stair climber to the point of near exhaustion . . . I had finally learned to push hard enough, long enough to emulate the runner's high I used to get. (I've wrecked my knees and can no longer run.)

    The down side of having a personal trainer who can sensibly integrate cardio into weight training, core training, etc. is that I now feel guilty if I'm "just doing cardio." Is there a way to get a runner's high equivalent from free weights and core exercises?

    I feel like I'm missing something.

    The only thing you are missing is some sensible advice. Just do the cardio you like. You don't have to do it exclusively, or every day, but the idea that one should feel guilty doing endurance cardio shows how bizarre and f-cked up the fitness world has become.

    My sentiments exactly!
  • AJinBirmingham
    AJinBirmingham Posts: 497
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    LICENSE TO CARDIO!

    NO: "I should be doing chest and tri's today." OR: "I should be doing physical therapy instead of this."

    What a fun, fantastic, should-have-been-obvious idea!

    Thanks. I'm going to stop "should"ing on myself and just do it (sometimes, because if I don't keep up the other stuff, the fitness police will come and arrest me.)
  • nonstopper
    nonstopper Posts: 1,108 Member
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    elliptical trainer is good, but if your lifting then forget about it. If yuor just only worried about cardio then stick with it. The ET can affect your muscle growth and if done alot makes only a small result. This is no joke.
  • EmilyEmpowered
    EmilyEmpowered Posts: 650 Member
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    I loved zoning out on the elliptical or stair climber to the point of near exhaustion . . . I had finally learned to push hard enough, long enough to emulate the runner's high I used to get. (I've wrecked my knees and can no longer run.)

    The down side of having a personal trainer who can sensibly integrate cardio into weight training, core training, etc. is that I now feel guilty if I'm "just doing cardio." Is there a way to get a runner's high equivalent from free weights and core exercises?

    I feel like I'm missing something.

    The only thing you are missing is some sensible advice. Just do the cardio you like. You don't have to do it exclusively, or every day, but the idea that one should feel guilty doing endurance cardio shows how bizarre and f-cked up the fitness world has become.

    ^^Agreed! When I first came on MFP, I cut back a lot on my running because of all the anti-cardio type posts out there. But, fact it, I love running and I think through a lot of my problems when its just me and my running shoes :) So, I started runnign more again. Dont feel guilty! You are still doing the strength training, sounds like we do similiar styles of training that way. So I do my strength on Monday-Wednesday-Friday and I run on Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday. I do feel like I need to do more with my runs, so now I do HIIT training. I also switch it up and do elliptical some days, or bike, or walk. But I love cardio, like you said it is mindless and helps me THINK a lot!

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