Cardio/Weight Training ratio

iceycoldhot
iceycoldhot Posts: 72 Member
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
I try to do cardio 3 times a week and weight training 3 times a week as well. But some weeks I can only work out 4 or 5 times that week. I have 20-25 pounds to lose and wanted to know...if I have to cut either cardio or weight training down to 2 times some weeks, which one should I cut? Which one should I focus more on when trying to achieve my goals of dropping 20 pounds and "toning"?

Replies

  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Its whatever suits you really. Is there any reason your sessions have to be of any particular duration? I would keep the 3 weigh training and add a litle cardio as warm up onto each session. Its your choice and you could alternate.

    In the sessions I do, then its normally a combined cardio and weights. I do the weights first and then finish off with cardio. The things thats missing from your post is we have no idea on duration or intensity of the sessions. rather than be rigid I would also allow myself to do what i was interested/ fancy doing, tic any injuries and also what areas needed focusing on. I update all the time to keep it balanced and make notes of times and weights.
  • iceycoldhot
    iceycoldhot Posts: 72 Member
    edited November 2014
    I do cardio and weight training on separate days. Reason being A) Time B ) I want to get a good weight training session in and when I do cardio first it drains more energy from me, which makes my weight training sessions less intense.

    I do cardio (usually kick boxing/aerobics) around 40 minute sessions. Weight training is about 30 to 40 minutes depending on my rests between sets.
  • haildodger
    haildodger Posts: 181 Member
    edited November 2014
    If I were you and had to choose one, I would cut the cardio. Currently mine is similar to yours in that I do SL 5x5's Mon, Wed, Fri, and Cardio for 45 minutes on Tues, Thurs, Sat. Keeping the muscle is more beneficial than the cardio in my books.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Already suggested you shoul do weights first. If you were going to keep soemthing then id keep the weights but its whatever suits you. If it were me (it isnt) then id probably lengthen the sessions and make time. The biggest pain is getting into the gym in the first place. Most people I know do a short warm up anyway. There isnt a magic answer and the intensity of your sessions will be important as well.
  • AestheticStar
    AestheticStar Posts: 447 Member
    Most fitness trainers say cardio & weight training go hand in hand with burning fat. If you cut down to just doing one thing, you might not get the results you want. Weight training can kind of lead to building more muscle & you kind of need the cardio in there or HIIT to burn fat & lose those pounds to show the muscle. I think doing each three times a week is pretty good & most say you should change it up like that. You could always do Interval training where you do some weight training & cardio in the same routine. Fitness Blender has some workouts like that on their page if you're interested.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    You are going to lose weight by being in a caloric deficit. You are going to maintain muscle mass, by lifting weights.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    My ratio of weight training to cardio is 3:0.

    Okay, that's a lie, I do a 5 minute cardio warm up. But otherwise I don't do any cardio, I do weights 3x a week.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    AestheticStar wrote: »
    Most fitness trainers say cardio & weight training go hand in hand with burning fat. If you cut down to just doing one thing, you might not get the results you want. Weight training can kind of lead to building more muscle & you kind of need the cardio in there or HIIT to burn fat & lose those pounds to show the muscle. I think doing each three times a week is pretty good & most say you should change it up like that. You could always do Interval training where you do some weight training & cardio in the same routine. Fitness Blender has some workouts like that on their page if you're interested.

    Cardio isn't necessary to lose weight unless someone uses it to increase their expenditure so they can eat more, or to increase it so they can have a larger deficit without eating less food. But then that 2nd thing lends to the possibility of not eating enough to maintain lean body mass.

    As long as you have a small to moderate deficit and eat enough protein while lifting weights, you will lose body fat (and a bit of muscle probably), which then = defined muscle once you reach a lowish body fat %
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Whatever you like. I hate weights so typically it's what I will 'skip' (just do one day later).
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