Cardio: why the hate?

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.

i woud recommend supplementing your running with resistance exercises anyway. It will help in avoiding injuries and make you a better runner.
Running is my primary exercise but i also use kettlebells and bodyweight exercises to strengthen my core and legs.

For example:
http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/10-essential-strength-exercises-for-runners?page=single

Bump, as I am transitioning from walking to jogging/ running at this point and I am wondering if I should add weights to my regimen.

If you like running then run. It's great for conditioning and heart health, and it will certainly allow you to eat more than you otherwise could and still lose weight. If you want to firm up though, do some strength training. It doesn't have to be weights.

I actually used to like running too. There isn't anything wrong with, in fact, there are benefits. There are some cons though- skinny fat can be one of them, but to combat that just add some resistance training. Running took a toll on my feet, but I had some pre-existing issues.

Once I started lifting though, I haven't looked back. I prefer it. Give weight lifting a chance and see what you like better. I've found that a combination of both (with more emphasis on weights) has yielded the best results for me.

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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.

If you enjoy it, do it. If you aren't entirely happy with the aesthetic results (and you may be fine with them. Totally personal), look into adding other things.

It's that simple. As long as you're moving, you're doing great.

I will say, though, that for optimal health -- especially as you age -- resistance training is a good idea. You want strong bones and muscles that support them. Fewer falls, fewer breaks. My grandmother had terrible osteoporosis and I'd like to avoid it. That doesn't mean you have to give up cardio or spend hours and hours in a gym. I usually do two or three half-hour lifting sessions a week and do cardio as well.

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.

I have been swimming for 19 yrs and started on MFP over a year ago. I watch my macros. and do acquagym 3 times a week. I have AO and wrist problems and cannot lift weights. I am 59 yrs old and in July transfered to our house at the beach for the summer. I put on my bikini and went down with my husband. A group of guys we know, but have not seen for a year were all sitting together at the bar on the beach and as I was walking by my husband said the usual "Hi how ya doing?" and when they asked us and we replied "Fine", I heard a comment "Wow, I'll say, look at that!". Now, my husband is always in great form, and I had lost 20 lbs, so I guess it was directed at me. So, no I'm not squishy looking, and I'm real toned, so honey go for the swimming or running or whatever you like doing. Watch those macros. Best.

You are my hero. I sure hope I can wear a bikini at 59!

If you enjoy running and other forms of cardio, then do it! Stick with whatever you will enjoy. And for all the people who think that you'll just get "skinny fat" from only doing cardio, not true. My father has been running for 40 years, only running and biking. He's now currently training for a Duathlon. He eats whatever he wants, whenever he wants. There's next to no fat on his body, he's one of the leanest that I've ever met. I prefer to do only cardio, I want to be able to keep up with him when we go running!!

Ok, that is pretty glib question so I will elaborate.

For a great many I think Cardio evokes a vision of pootling along at moderate intensity on an elliptical, or prancing around in front of a DVD. Pretty much anything indoors I can understnd not wanting to do it.

If what I've been lead to believe by this forum and others is right, if I keep just running and losing weight I'm just going to become weak and squishy and the dreaded Skinny Fat. I don't want to stop running, I want to run more. I have a 10k booked and I want to run marathons and ultramarathons, but I also don't want to look like a bag of mashed potatoes :frown:

Have I just gone insane, or is this correct? I've found something I enjoy and is good for me, is being squishy just part of being a runner?

Well running is a wide range of different disciplines, from those doing a 100 mile Ultra all the way down to 100 Metre sprint. And as a result the range of people who do that is very broad. I'd distinguish between people who run as exercise, and people who train to run. The latter are more likely to do complementary training of some kind; resistance, cycling, swimming etc.

There's a lot of benefit in doing something complementary to the running, not least as it can help mitigate the risk of injury, also helping improve performance. Again depending on the discipline then the more appropriate cross training will vary. For your sprinter it's going to involve a lot of weight training, to lend bulk and explosive power, for the long distance runner, more likely to be bodyweight work, or other disciplines.

Yet that's all captured under the same banner as someone doing 20 minutes on the elliptical. Equally weights can encompass a wide range of different disciplines and practices.

The key thing is to do something that supports your objectives. If that involves only CV work, then only do CV work. If it involves running, cycling and swimming, then run, cycle and swim, if it involves exclusively weights then do exclusively weights. They all deliver different benefits. CV and resistance are complementry, it's just a question of the balance that one applies.

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