Strength Versus Cardio

Weights, cardio in between

Not sure why this is a versus question. They are BOTH beneficial in different ways. I personally don't see the point in being ripped if I still have a weak heart. Conversely I don't see much reason to have a health heart if I'm not willing to sustain muscles. Do you have to do Cardio? Not at all, do what makes you happy.

Strength training at the same intensitty will maintain strength

Eating properly will maintain the physique (when combined with strength training)

Some cardio will result in better recovery between sets and better overall fitness

You dont need 5 days lifting if you're a beginner.

If you dont do some type of conditioning you'll lack stamina and endurance. This can get so bad that tying your shoes leaves you winded. It also will hurt your lifts.

You stated no goals.

Anyone who says just lift and do no cardio has no Fing clue. They are elitist sheep. The amount can be pretty minimal though.

Haha to the bolded part.

If you don't want to do cardio don't. It is good for your health (heart and lungs) and gives you extra calories.

BF% maintenance is done with your calorie intake

maintaining muscle while losing fat is done by resistence training with adequate protien.

I don't do "cardio"....I Lift 3x a week with a progressive load program (strong lifts) and do HIIT 2x a week...the HIIT is more bodyweight with some AMG cardio thrown in like jumping jacks but to get me out on a run...not gonna happen...I personally wont get on a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike...ick....

Strength training at the same intensitty will maintain strength

Eating properly will maintain the physique (when combined with strength training)

Some cardio will result in better recovery between sets and better overall fitness

You dont need 5 days lifting if you're a beginner.

If you dont do some type of conditioning you'll lack stamina and endurance. This can get so bad that tying your shoes leaves you winded. It also will hurt your lifts.

You stated no goals.

Anyone who says just lift and do no cardio has no Fing clue. They are elitist sheep. The amount can be pretty minimal though.

Haha to the bolded part.

If you don't want to do cardio don't. It is good for your health (heart and lungs) and gives you extra calories.

BF% maintenance is done with your calorie intake

maintaining muscle while losing fat is done by resistence training with adequate protien.

I don't do "cardio"....I Lift 3x a week with a progressive load program (strong lifts) and do HIIT 2x a week...the HIIT is more bodyweight with some AMG cardio thrown in like jumping jacks but to get me out on a run...not gonna happen...I personally wont get on a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike...ick....

This reminds me of another thread where someone insisted they don't do cardio, but they did play tennis and another sport regularly. There was a very long thread where the poster insisted over and over that his sports were not cardio because he didn't "do" them for cardio, he did them because he enjoyed them. It was as if he was loathe to admit he does cardio. Or, perhaps loathe to admit that cardio can be fun.

We humans were meant to move around and "do" cardio. It's okay to like it.

yes that thread...I wont say his name but I remember it as well...I think when "we" say we hate cardio it means machine cardio or running etc for "exercise"...

For me biking outside is done for fun...it is cardio and it is exercise but will never be as boring as being on a bike inside...

So when I say "I don't like cardio" it is machines I don't like...running I don't like...exercise for the purpose of cardio makes me feel like I have to push it to the point where I am not having fun anymore...and why do something that's not fun...

If that makes any sense.

I personally prefer Metabolic training which is a combination of the two. Start with an active warm-up followed by strength training with bouts of cario mixed in. AKA do a set of curls, followed by a minute of jumping jacks or jumping rope, then another set, and so on. I use all kinds of cardio in there, froggers, burpees, box jumps, Split leg jump lunges, etc, etc.

When people say they don't do cardio what they mean is they don't elliptical for 90 minutes watching the wall, the TV, or the girl in yoga pants on the treadmill in front of them. There is no possible way someone takes such good care of themselves, watches every gram of food that goes in their body, and ignores their heart/lungs. Period.

When people say they don't do cardio what they mean is they don't elliptical for 90 minutes watching the wall, the TV, or the girl in yoga pants on the treadmill in front of them. There is no possible way someone takes such good care of themselves, watches every gram of food that goes in their body, and ignores their heart/lungs. Period.

eh...I wouldn't say that ....there are lots here that are taking "good" care of themselves as far as weight, bf%, watching intake ie macros and still drink too much and/or smoke or do other things that compromise their health.

you should be doing both really

Both are beneficial in their own right and IMHO, both are necessary to overall fitness.

Your overall fitness goals would determine how much of either you would do. I know plenty of people who put their primary focus on their lifting and do 4x weekly splits, but have at least 2 days per week of some good conditioning/cardiovascular work, not to mention just going for walks and whatnot. That conditioning improves their lifts and overall fitness.

Conversely, I know people who primarily train for endurance events and do primarily cardio and conditioning work..but they still hit the weight room a couple of days per week as the weight training will help improve race times, etc.

Most of the time I'm pretty middle of the road...3 hours weekly of weight training and 3 hours weekly of cardiovascular work and some restorative yoga on rest days.

I do cardio, strength training and some yoga for stretching.

Do a combination of different stuff. Do them more often, and you burn more calories. The key is to stay active. For me, that means doing different things. Variety keeps my workouts more interesting, which keeps me going.

I've lost more weight more quickly in the past couple months, and it's solely because I'm doing MORE cardio AND strength training. And, I don't even have a gym membership.