Cardio / strength training ratio?

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ammeg1234
ammeg1234 Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all,

I have around 50 pounds to lose so my main focus at the moment is fat loss before I worry about toning.

How much strength training should I be doing alongside cardio?

At the moment I am doing around 45 minutes cardio and then finishing off with 15-20 minutes using a VIPR weight. I'm doing this around 3-4 times a week and fitting in aerobics routines at home in between. I don't know whether I should increase or decrease one or the other?

Thanks!
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Replies

  • noor_v
    noor_v Posts: 133 Member
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    ^^^ bump ^^^

    i have the same question and similar goals...
  • ammeg1234
    ammeg1234 Posts: 37 Member
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    ^^^ bump ^^^

    i have the same question and similar goals...

    Glad to know someone else is in the same boat! Hopefully someone here can enlighten us, I've never really known what would be best.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    do you have access to a gym?

    I would recommend a program of lifting heavy with compound movements and then cardio on off days.

    Starting strength and new rules of lifting are great resources..

    sample plan would be something like ...

    Monday - chest/arms
    tues - cardio
    wens - legs
    thurs - cardio
    friday - back/shouler
    sat - cardio/abs/rest
    sunday - rest

    I would suggest on strength training working out in the 8-10 rep range. Also, as you drop more body fat and get closer to goal weight you can back off the cardio and maybe transition to an upper/lower type routine where you lift four days a week with one day of cardio ...
  • ammeg1234
    ammeg1234 Posts: 37 Member
    Options
    do you have access to a gym?

    I would recommend a program of lifting heavy with compound movements and then cardio on off days.

    Starting strength and new rules of lifting are great resources..

    sample plan would be something like ...

    Monday - chest/arms
    tues - cardio
    wens - legs
    thurs - cardio
    friday - back/shouler
    sat - cardio/abs/rest
    sunday - rest

    I would suggest on strength training working out in the 8-10 rep range. Also, as you drop more body fat and get closer to goal weight you can back off the cardio and maybe transition to an upper/lower type routine where you lift four days a week with one day of cardio ...

    I do roughly 4 workouts at the gym a week, maybe more if not a couple at home. That looks good I'm going to think about following more of a plan.. I think I do need some structure like this. Am I right in thinking that weight lifting also aids fat loss in the long run?

    Thanks!
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
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    Suggested is 45-60 min strength training but for both cardio and strength training you should want to work out at least 1 hour minimum or more if you have time as this is what most personal trainers time line is as well not to mention the recommended general exercise time is between 30-60 min a day for kids. So 30 min cardio and 30 min of strength training would be an ideal balance or 45 min of strength training and 15 min cardio would be more of a conditioning balance.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    do you have access to a gym?

    I would recommend a program of lifting heavy with compound movements and then cardio on off days.

    Starting strength and new rules of lifting are great resources..

    sample plan would be something like ...

    Monday - chest/arms
    tues - cardio
    wens - legs
    thurs - cardio
    friday - back/shouler
    sat - cardio/abs/rest
    sunday - rest

    I would suggest on strength training working out in the 8-10 rep range. Also, as you drop more body fat and get closer to goal weight you can back off the cardio and maybe transition to an upper/lower type routine where you lift four days a week with one day of cardio ...

    I do roughly 4 workouts at the gym a week, maybe more if not a couple at home. That looks good I'm going to think about following more of a plan.. I think I do need some structure like this. Am I right in thinking that weight lifting also aids fat loss in the long run?

    Thanks!

    yes, if you are eating in deficit then a program like this will help you burn body fat and retain muscle mass...
  • eldeezo
    eldeezo Posts: 19
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    Make sure your diet is in tune with meeting your goals. That's the most important factor in shedding unwanted pounds/fat.

    I personally would recommend doing your lifting first, then following it up with cardio. Your body will be much fresher and have the strength to finish all your reps with good form. Strength training gives you the added benefit of a firmer look, but it won't burn calories the way cardio does. If you're main goal is to drop the pounds quickly, I would spend more time on the cardio.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Hi all,

    I have around 50 pounds to lose so my main focus at the moment is fat loss before I worry about toning.

    How much strength training should I be doing alongside cardio?

    At the moment I am doing around 45 minutes cardio and then finishing off with 15-20 minutes using a VIPR weight. I'm doing this around 3-4 times a week and fitting in aerobics routines at home in between. I don't know whether I should increase or decrease one or the other?

    Thanks!

    A full- body lifting program consisting of 6-8 exercises using major muscle groups, working up to 3 sets of 6-10 reps, done 2 times per week should be more than sufficient. That assumes you are mixing interval and tempo training in your cardio and maintaining a calorie deficit. You could conceivably break that up into smaller chunks and do 20 min of strength a day, but I think that is over complicating things unnecessarily.

    From what I understand of the VIPR, it is more of what I would consider "conditioning" rather than focused strength training-- more like circuit training. That can still burn some decent calories depending on how it's done, but I would not consider it the same as lifting weights.
  • eldeezo
    eldeezo Posts: 19
    Options
    do you have access to a gym?

    I would recommend a program of lifting heavy with compound movements and then cardio on off days.

    Starting strength and new rules of lifting are great resources..

    sample plan would be something like ...

    Monday - chest/arms
    tues - cardio
    wens - legs
    thurs - cardio
    friday - back/shouler
    sat - cardio/abs/rest
    sunday - rest

    I would suggest on strength training working out in the 8-10 rep range. Also, as you drop more body fat and get closer to goal weight you can back off the cardio and maybe transition to an upper/lower type routine where you lift four days a week with one day of cardio ...

    Don't you think a split routine like that is better suited for intermediate lifters? Beginners would be better served doing an AxBxA BxAxB full body workout, no?
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    "Toning" is usually accomplished by removing the fat that is covering muscles you already have. When we diet we lose both fat and muscle. Strength training while dieting prevents muscle loss as much as possible (combined with adequate protein intake).

    I would suggest a good full body compound move routine. Something like Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. I would not suggest a body part split as described above.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Options
    do you have access to a gym?

    I would recommend a program of lifting heavy with compound movements and then cardio on off days.

    Starting strength and new rules of lifting are great resources..

    sample plan would be something like ...

    Monday - chest/arms
    tues - cardio
    wens - legs
    thurs - cardio
    friday - back/shouler
    sat - cardio/abs/rest
    sunday - rest

    I would suggest on strength training working out in the 8-10 rep range. Also, as you drop more body fat and get closer to goal weight you can back off the cardio and maybe transition to an upper/lower type routine where you lift four days a week with one day of cardio ...

    Don't you think a split routine like that is better suited for intermediate lifters? Beginners would be better served doing an AxBxA BxAxB full body workout, no?

    I am by no means an expert ....I would actually assume that an upper/lower split would be better for an intermediate lifter and that a split like the one I suggested can work for a beginner...but there is nothing wrong with a fully body work out either...I am open to opinions on the matter...
  • ammeg1234
    ammeg1234 Posts: 37 Member
    Options
    I'm limiting myself to 1400 a day, I seem to be losing steadily about a pound a week at the moment.

    I will start working with different weights at the gym, I just really love the VIPR weight for some reason I really enjoy using it!!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
    Options
    "toning" is just shedding the fat to reveal the muscle underneath...but at the same time, you have to have muscle to reveal. If you're not doing resistance/strength training then your body has no good reason to preserve that lean mass so you will lose muscle along with the fat.

    strength training will help to preserve more of that lean mass so that when you shed the fat you look "toned"
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
    Options
    do you have access to a gym?

    I would recommend a program of lifting heavy with compound movements and then cardio on off days.

    Starting strength and new rules of lifting are great resources..

    sample plan would be something like ...

    Monday - chest/arms
    tues - cardio
    wens - legs
    thurs - cardio
    friday - back/shouler
    sat - cardio/abs/rest
    sunday - rest

    I would suggest on strength training working out in the 8-10 rep range. Also, as you drop more body fat and get closer to goal weight you can back off the cardio and maybe transition to an upper/lower type routine where you lift four days a week with one day of cardio ...

    Don't you think a split routine like that is better suited for intermediate lifters? Beginners would be better served doing an AxBxA BxAxB full body workout, no?

    Don't mean to break in your debate here but he was making a suggestion and if the OP likes it than that's great. I mean its like debating that walking on the treadmill is better than the elliptical.. You wouldn't know what you like if you didn't try both.
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
    Options
    I'm limiting myself to 1400 a day, I seem to be losing steadily about a pound a week at the moment.

    I will start working with different weights at the gym, I just really love the VIPR weight for some reason I really enjoy using it!!
    OP
    I am glad you found what you like. Hopefully the folks who actually read your posted question like I did "How much strength training should I be doing alongside cardio?" can offer you some time management suggestions rather than to try and debate what is a better exercise routine lol.
  • eldeezo
    eldeezo Posts: 19
    Options

    I am by no means an expert ....I would actually assume that an upper/lower split would be better for an intermediate lifter and that a split like the one I suggested can work for a beginner...but there is nothing wrong with a fully body work out either...I am open to opinions on the matter...

    I'm certainly not an expert either, but everything I've read has pointed towards starting out with a full body routine. I was just wondering.
  • ammeg1234
    ammeg1234 Posts: 37 Member
    Options
    I'm limiting myself to 1400 a day, I seem to be losing steadily about a pound a week at the moment.

    I will start working with different weights at the gym, I just really love the VIPR weight for some reason I really enjoy using it!!
    OP
    I am glad you found what you like. Hopefully the folks who actually read your posted question like I did "How much strength training should I be doing alongside cardio?" can offer you some time management suggestions rather than to try and debate what is a better exercise routine lol.

    haha :wink: it's okay it all helps me i'm completely lost when it comes to weights and strength training!
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Options
    I'm limiting myself to 1400 a day, I seem to be losing steadily about a pound a week at the moment.

    I will start working with different weights at the gym, I just really love the VIPR weight for some reason I really enjoy using it!!
    OP
    I am glad you found what you like. Hopefully the folks who actually read your posted question like I did "How much strength training should I be doing alongside cardio?" can offer you some time management suggestions rather than to try and debate what is a better exercise routine lol.

    Full body routines take less time. 3 times a week for 45 minutes. :flowerforyou:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
  • Shock_Wave
    Shock_Wave Posts: 1,573 Member
    Options
    I'm limiting myself to 1400 a day, I seem to be losing steadily about a pound a week at the moment.

    I will start working with different weights at the gym, I just really love the VIPR weight for some reason I really enjoy using it!!
    OP
    I am glad you found what you like. Hopefully the folks who actually read your posted question like I did "How much strength training should I be doing alongside cardio?" can offer you some time management suggestions rather than to try and debate what is a better exercise routine lol.

    haha :wink: it's okay it all helps me i'm completely lost when it comes to weights and strength training!

    Well then in that case you would want to be evaluated individually to see if you have injuries, constraints, or health issues and then customize your routines to that. There really is no one size fits all or this is better than that with out knowing that information but there are some good suggestions here.
  • ammeg1234
    ammeg1234 Posts: 37 Member
    Options
    I'm limiting myself to 1400 a day, I seem to be losing steadily about a pound a week at the moment.

    I will start working with different weights at the gym, I just really love the VIPR weight for some reason I really enjoy using it!!
    OP
    I am glad you found what you like. Hopefully the folks who actually read your posted question like I did "How much strength training should I be doing alongside cardio?" can offer you some time management suggestions rather than to try and debate what is a better exercise routine lol.

    Full body routines take less time. 3 times a week for 45 minutes. :flowerforyou:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    ooh thank you!! I'm going to give that all a read now :smile:

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