How much cardio when heavy lifting?

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  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    Lose inches in arms waist hips and thighs, so basically all around.. And I am ok with not losing the weight if I can do inches. I was always around 130 and now more like 145-148 depending on the time of month.. I am now working on my diet which I didnt do so well with before. But overall I need to tone up and lose inches everywhere.

    That sounds like a fairly generalised objective set, with that in mind about 50/50 CV and lifting would be an appropriate mix. If you get more specific then a more tailored plan would be appropriate.

    I assume, from the tone of the question, that your CV work is done on a hamser wheel in a gym; dreadmill, stationary bike, elliptihell etc, so I'd actually recommend getting outside to make it more interesting. I had the misfortune to have to use a gym the other night and was bored within about ten minutes, whereas on Saturday I'd been out on the trail for a good couple of hours and really enjoyed my run.

    With all that in mind, I'd suggest three CV sessions per week. If you can get outside then aim for one of an hour and two of 30-40 minutes at slightly higher pace or intervals. If you're going to continue doing it inside an air conditioned box then the rowing maching gives you the most thorough whole body workout, with a significant amount of progress on core strength. If you do three 10km rows per week you've got a very complementary session that has a solid effect on your exercise efficiency. If you want to improve your oxygen uptake you need to be doing interval training. Improving your VO2Max has a very broad effect on your ability to exercise. Given that you have no specific goals in mind you probably don't need to do any Lactate Threshold work.

    All that complements three to four lifting sessions per week. I'd echo the general advice in MFP that a whole body programme with Stronglifts 5*5 or New Rules would be a solid plan.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    .... read the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women. It tells you that cardio is not necessary,

    Most plan authors get a bit ONE TRUE WAY(tm) about their plans, very few will acknowledge that there are other ways to achieve ones goals.
    I haven't heard of cardio being detrimental to heavy lifting at all (just a couple of people that say it takes strength from them or something),

    There is a vein of thought within the renowned Broscience movement that CV work eats the muscles and anything faster than snails pace movement is BAD!!! While not even remotely close to being a reasonable position it's based on the principle that the body derives it's fuel from a range of sources, and the balance betwen sources varies according to exercise intensity. If one isn't eating enough to fuel the readily accessible stores, or is exercising for protracted periods of time, then some of the readily accessible fuel comes from muscle tissue. To get to that stage you'd be doing moderate to high intensity CV work for several hours per day, and not eating sufficiently in between. What runners describe as hitting the wall, or bonking.

    Basically it becomes an excuse not to do CV work. I have to say that's understandable when one is doing CV on a hamster wheel in an air conditioned box, that's as boring as doing weight training.
  • Natmarie73
    Natmarie73 Posts: 287 Member
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    My trainer told me that for me to lose fat I should do an hour or so of cardio every day but only at a brisk walking pace as a lower heart rate will burn fat more effectively than aerobic excersise. I don't know how true this is though

    My instinct is that your trainer talks bo***ks, but that in itself is as much an over simplification as what your trainer says.

    Essentially by operating at the lower intensities your ability to operate for longer is enhanced, and as a result of operating for longer you're going to expend more. The whole "Fat burning zone" idea is very outdated and understanding of training effect is much more sophisticated now.
    I don't know if I'm doing too much cardio or not enough myself, as I am not really losing fat as quickly as I hoped to.

    If your objective is a competitive time in the 10K then you're doing a reasonable amount, although you need to up your distances on the runs and start including tempo and interval training. For my 10K training at the moment I do a long run of anything up to 18k, a short run of 3-5k at recovery pace, then three tempo or interval sessions of between 6 and 9k per week, I also do one pace cycling session of 20-30K to balance out my leg development.

    Hey thanks for that! Yeah, I have read quite a bit about the fat burning zone but don't really know what to think. I figure that you don't see many fat marathon runners so running obviously burns fat. I like walking though so will incorporate it into my routine especially as a rest day.

    For my running training, I don't know if I'll actually ever race but would like to be able to run 10k at a reasonable pace. Im currently following Hal Higdon's 10k novice program and am halfway through week 1. Prior to this I have just been doing 5 - 6k runs interspersed with walking. I'll be doing my cycling on the cross training days.

    I probably don't lift as heavy as most women here do but I do try and increase the weights each time I go by a little bit.

    Edit - just read your post about the rowing. Great info and I might throw a few sessions in as well if I can't get out on the bike.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    For my running training, I don't know if I'll actually ever race but would like to be able to run 10k at a reasonable pace.

    I'm a bit meh about racing, I enjoy getting out and I'm veering at the moment to increasing my distance and then running some long distance trails. I'm planning one later in the year that'll be three Half Marathon distances in three days. about nine hours of running but I'm not even close to doing it continuously yet.
    I probably don't lift as heavy as most women here do but I do try and increase the weights each time I go by a little bit.

    I was reading an interview with Mo Farrah this week, with London on Sunday there is a big focus on him, and his resistance training is limited to twice weekly predominantly bodyweight work.
  • Samby_v1
    Samby_v1 Posts: 202 Member
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    I'm gonna throw my kettlebell into the ring. I work out three days a week, and my workout session is about 50 mins, which includes a warm-up/mobility session, the workout itself (which is akin to circuit training) and a mobiliy/yoga cool down. There's plenty of information out there about the combined cardio/weights benefits of kettlebells if it's something you're thinking about. There are also a lot of things to learn / myths to bust / ideas to get your head around if you're a woman interested in weight training (just because of the fitness culture that's been sold to women over the decades), so I'd suggest having a look at New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women and the other books people have already suggested.

    I could go on all day about my experiences so far with kettlebells but I don't know if you're interested or even reading this so feel free to message me or FR me and I'll be happy to answer any questions!
  • bleemoore81
    bleemoore81 Posts: 17 Member
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    I have actually thought about getting a kettle ball. I have played with them a little and really enjoyed it. I heard they are great. I will add you. Thanks!

    I'm gonna throw my kettlebell into the ring. I work out three days a week, and my workout session is about 50 mins, which includes a warm-up/mobility session, the workout itself (which is akin to circuit training) and a mobiliy/yoga cool down. There's plenty of information out there about the combined cardio/weights benefits of kettlebells if it's something you're thinking about. There are also a lot of things to learn / myths to bust / ideas to get your head around if you're a woman interested in weight training (just because of the fitness culture that's been sold to women over the decades), so I'd suggest having a look at New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women and the other books people have already suggested.

    I could go on all day about my experiences so far with kettlebells but I don't know if you're interested or even reading this so feel free to message me or FR me and I'll be happy to answer any questions!
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
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    Right now, I'm doing generally 75-90 minutes of strength training 4 days a week and cardio 40 minutes 3 days a week riding my bike to/from the gym and extra sessions of cardio at home on the heavy bag whenever I'm in the mood. I like to eat all the food, but this seems to be working for me.
  • bleemoore81
    bleemoore81 Posts: 17 Member
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    I am totally down for getting out and doing cardio. The weather here is perfect so starting to do some biking and soon we will be going on river rides that are about 20 miles. I love that but have to do shorter rides and condition my booty to the seat.. lol. I also don't mind cardio in the gym. I just put on my headset and blast my music. I find myself going to the beat. If its a slow song I go slow and let my heart rate slow, Fast songs I speed up again. I can easily do this for 30-40mins. I am only spending about 15-20 mins on weights and I think that is where I need to change it sounds like. And Higher weight less reps? does that sound right. Sorry pretty new to weight lifting. Back in my 20's I gained about 30 pounds and just get the Elliptical for 30 mins and lost it all in a month. Now, I can't do that :/ I have not had kids but I am sure my eating habits don't help now so changing that for sure.
    Lose inches in arms waist hips and thighs, so basically all around.. And I am ok with not losing the weight if I can do inches. I was always around 130 and now more like 145-148 depending on the time of month.. I am now working on my diet which I didnt do so well with before. But overall I need to tone up and lose inches everywhere.

    That sounds like a fairly generalised objective set, with that in mind about 50/50 CV and lifting would be an appropriate mix. If you get more specific then a more tailored plan would be appropriate.

    I assume, from the tone of the question, that your CV work is done on a hamser wheel in a gym; dreadmill, stationary bike, elliptihell etc, so I'd actually recommend getting outside to make it more interesting. I had the misfortune to have to use a gym the other night and was bored within about ten minutes, whereas on Saturday I'd been out on the trail for a good couple of hours and really enjoyed my run.

    With all that in mind, I'd suggest three CV sessions per week. If you can get outside then aim for one of an hour and two of 30-40 minutes at slightly higher pace or intervals. If you're going to continue doing it inside an air conditioned box then the rowing maching gives you the most thorough whole body workout, with a significant amount of progress on core strength. If you do three 10km rows per week you've got a very complementary session that has a solid effect on your exercise efficiency. If you want to improve your oxygen uptake you need to be doing interval training. Improving your VO2Max has a very broad effect on your ability to exercise. Given that you have no specific goals in mind you probably don't need to do any Lactate Threshold work.

    All that complements three to four lifting sessions per week. I'd echo the general advice in MFP that a whole body programme with Stronglifts 5*5 or New Rules would be a solid plan.
  • damnkat1
    damnkat1 Posts: 1
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    I walk on the treadmill at the highest incline at approx. 5-5.5km/hr for about 30 mins 6 days a week sometimes twice a day. I also do 5x 70-90 min weight sessions a week. I use programs off bodybuilding.com. I'm currently doing The Arnold Trainer, but I've also done Kris Gethins 12 week trainer which only does 2x20-25 mins sessions of light cardio a day no running, plus 4-6 weight sessions a week. The Jim Stoppani 6 week Shortcut to Shred is great for a weights and cardio workout in one, you get it all done in about 75-90 mins a day. You really need to lift weights to make your body change and not just little weights, you need to challenge your muscles to force them to change.

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