Cardio: why the hate?

in for the replies

Next time an athletics meeting is on the telly have a look at the female athletes - do they look squishy to you?
Yes you can be a fit runner and squishy but it's not inevitable!

Lots of (non-resistance) cardio combined with a too big calorie deficit and inadequate diet is a pretty good guarantee of a poor outcome as regards body composition and looks when you get to maintenance but none of those things are compulsory.

If you fuel your exercise properly, have a balance of cardio and resistance exercise and an appropriate calorie deficit it will give you a much better chance of the body you want.

My passion is running but I also cross train including weights as it helps prevent injury and actually improves my running, plus is means my upper body is starting to look as good as my legs!

Check out 10 k races or marathons. Ohh the horror, all this belly fat, rolls of loose skin ... Check dancers, aerobics instructors, cyclists... just disgusting, they are soooo squishy!

Yes, this is sarcasm. In real life, the only people I have seen hate cardio are the ones who really have zero stamina and are embarassed of their performance (or even too embarassed to start). Running is not going to destroy your muscles, same as a couple of hours of resistance training will not have you look like a professional body builder.

I'm of the belief that anything that gets you moving and makes you feel (and ultimately look) good is something worth doing. After high school I stopped being active and I regret it now, but I'm more active now and stronger (able to jog longer and lift heavier weights) even though I weight a lot more.

I too have recently upped my efforts and am now jogging/walking instead of just walking and each week I'm jogging a little longer. I signed up for my first 5k this month and am so excited.

I do have dumbbells at home and do lift a few times a week. Nothing major, but I'm seeing muscle definition start to form under my layer of fat that I still need to lose (I feel it!) :happy: I've noticed too that doing the weights has helped me feel stronger when jogging too. I think having both is a good balance for strength and heart health.

Congrats on finding something you love. Don't give up on it. If someone doesn't feel cardio is worth it tell them it works for you and move on with your day.

I am a runner and I am not squishy.

Ditto to what everyone else said. Just add some resistance training, and you'll avoid the skinny fat look.

I'm a marathoner and I do resistance training a couple times a week. I've found that cardio + weights = maximum fat loss, personally. See what works for you!

A long, long time ago it was considered that cardio was a necessity to lose weight.

Then some people came along and said "no, you can do that using diet alone" and while it is a good thing to do it is was not a necessity.

Then we all suddenly became overly preoccupied by aesthetics and the need to maximise muscle or muscle retention to the nth degree and suddenly it was "Cardio makes you fat brah! Not HIIT cardio though playaaaaa."

It seems doing what is enjoyable is absolutely forbidden when it comes to the altar of maximum muscle retention. Obviously we are all bodybuilders in reality.

In the real world a couple of resistance training sessions a week (doesn't have to be barbell training - can be your own body weight / kettle bells / small children used as resistance) coupled with some cardio and a healthy, balanced diet has always worked rather well but that is dreadfully old fashioned dahling.

:laugh:
"That was in the Before time, in the long long ago."

I really hate a lot of 'traditional' exercises; running, gym, body weight, interval training but I LOVE swimming so that's what I do for fitness because I stick to it.

I'm not too bothered about composition at the moment, more concerned about being a healthy weight, but I imagine when I get to that weight, my attitude will change and I'll want to be toned.

So, I have a question too. Is swimming good for toning up? And instead of weights could I do yoga? I'm so clueless when it comes to this stuff.

I'm curious about the swimming question too. I swim 2-3 days a week, and usually do videos 2-3 days a week as well; wondering if those videos should be more focused on strength, or if my Zumba is cutting it.

1. People who run exclusively as a form of exercise aren't skinny-fat unless their diets encourage it, they aren't running as much as they say they're running, or they're still overweight.

See Exhibit A.



2. Strength training is always good. Add it in. It doesn't have to be heavy lifting if you don't want it to be. Sprinters add in strength training and plyometrics to improve performance in their sports.

See Exhibit B.



3. There are a million ways to get from Point A to Point B. Pick the way you like the best.