Run or walk? Gym or home?

It really depends on what your goals are (though of course zealots of certain things will say NO XYZ IS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING!).

Is your goal calorie burn? If so, then running burns more calories over the same distance, plus it's way faster. Lifting will almost certainly burn fewer calories than most cardio-based activities, though having a more muscular physique will increase your basal metabolic rate. At-home calisthenics videos are often a great way to burn calories and build a teeny bit of muscle.

If your goal is lifting increasingly heavier things, then no, at-home videos will not help you accomplish that goal (unless you have a massive set of dumbbells and do the videos with increasingly heavy loads each time). It is definitely possible to build muscle using bodyweight, but it takes a targeted program of increasing resistance (e.g. squats to single-leg squats, for example).

If your goal is just general fitness, then I'd recommend a combo of HIIT training (for cardiovascular health)--this could definitely be an at-home video if you go hard--and some weight lifting, along with something that emphasizes physical agility such as dance, yoga, calisthenics, etc.

I used to run when I was younger but now prefer walking. I know it takes longer to walk to burn the same amount of calories as running, but I enjoy walking and do it up to twice a day for an hour each time. I feel too heavy right now to run, about 20 pounds overweight. If I find myself losing I might start running again at a lower weight, just feels like too much on my joints. Good luck on your journey! Whatever you decide to do.

Do what makes you happy!! If it comes down to walking or just skipping the cardio all together.....go for the walk. And, 1 mile is 1 mile.....doesn't matter how you get there.

Wish I had more insight on the weight lifting.....good luck with whichever path you choose!

If you walk, keep a fast pace and try to incorporate terrain & hills.

At home bodyweight strength is more than adequate, however I would ditch the videos and fluff and stay on a more focused strength plan.
Check out convict conditioning, start bodyweight.com, strength unbound, Nerdfitness and the books by Al Kavadlo.

kessler4130 wrote: »

In my opinion, gym and walking. I know a lot of people who run, they are all dangerously thin, suffer joint pain, and barely have the strength to curl their tooth brush.

Do they have ebola, too?

I like walking, running & lifting. The days I walk, I walk far and walk very steep hills. I work most of the same muscles as running, but I feel it in some different places, so I'm working something else as well. I think it depends on what your goals are, what you would actually commit to, and what your body needs.

kessler4130 wrote: »

In my opinion, gym and walking. I know a lot of people who run, they are all dangerously thin, suffer joint pain, and barely have the strength to curl their tooth brush

That is like saying that I know a lot of people who lift, and they are all meatheads who wear do-rags and spandex, grunt at high decibels, slam weights, and shoot steroids in their *kitten* in the locker room. It is a naive generalization that is not based in reality.

I run a lot, and most of the thousands of people that I encounter at the races look like any other person, except there are less obese people. A great number (myself included) generally divide their time between lifting in the gym and running, as well as biking, swimming, etc – training 1 dimensional is antiquated and boring.

What are your goals?!?!

I don't exercise - I train. I run obstacle courses races, so my training is tailored to make me better at that. I do 1-3 hour workouts that include running, hill training, standard lifting, body weight exercises, carrying heavy buckets and logs around, boot camp style stuff, etc. I also play soccer and have trained for/done triathlons.

If you are just looking for overall health you would not need to do the kind of workouts I do....

Christismylife wrote: »

Is there any truth to the statement that walking is just as beneficial as running?

Generally no, but it depends what you want to achieve. Lower intensity so fewer calories expended and you won't improve threshold capacity or VO2Max.

It seemed to suggest that there is little benefit to steady state cardio compared to heavy lifting.

Every book you read will tell you the "One True Way" (TM), but that's comparing apples and pizzas. They're complementary to one another. Regardless of the demonstration of meatheaded knuckledragging upthread runners benefit from some resistance training, in a similar way to CV training of some kind is a more efficient method of driving out improvement in endurance and aerobic capacity.

kessler4130 wrote: »

In my opinion, gym and walking. I know a lot of people who run, they are all dangerously thin, suffer joint pain, and barely have the strength to curl their tooth brush. I prefer lifting heavy for the big 3 movements (Bench, Dead, Squat) and then all hypertrophy based 8-12 reps for almost all other movements with the exception of abs, delts, forearms, etc. However it is all personal preference, I want to be alpha, not average.

that is the only part of your post that made sense.

allieallieoxenfree wrote: »

It really depends on what your goals are (though of course zealots of certain things will say NO XYZ IS THE ANSWER TO EVERYTHING!).

Is your goal calorie burn? If so, then running burns more calories over the same distance, plus it's way faster. Lifting will almost certainly burn fewer calories than most cardio-based activities, though having a more muscular physique will increase your basal metabolic rate. At-home calisthenics videos are often a great way to burn calories and build a teeny bit of muscle.

If your goal is lifting increasingly heavier things, then no, at-home videos will not help you accomplish that goal (unless you have a massive set of dumbbells and do the videos with increasingly heavy loads each time). It is definitely possible to build muscle using bodyweight, but it takes a targeted program of increasing resistance (e.g. squats to single-leg squats, for example).

If your goal is just general fitness, then I'd recommend a combo of HIIT training (for cardiovascular health)--this could definitely be an at-home video if you go hard--and some weight lifting, along with something that emphasizes physical agility such as dance, yoga, calisthenics, etc.

This is really solid advice right here.

I do run/walk alternate and on the roads 5-6 days a week. Strength training 3 days a week.

I like walking much better and would rather do that for a longer period of time with perhaps the occasional light jog or shuffle mixed in. One of my friends used to do triathalons and was nationally ranked or something and she told me that no one likes running, they like how they feel after. I could kind of wrap my head around that because I REALLY HATE running I have quite a few friends who run marathons as well and I have to admit it's annoying to hear them constantly complain about what they have injured and Oh I just got better from that and OMG I just won't be able to take life anymore if I can't RUN! There are always other options. If you don't feel like lifting try some vigorous yoga, using your own body weight to strengthen your muscles is great. I recently bought a Piyo DVD and felt every muscle in my body!

A well rounded, general fitness routine is going to have elements of both cardiovascular work and resistance training.

How much of these things you do and to what intensity you do them is going to be dictated by your fitness goals and aspirations. Try to look at fitness as something that runs parallel to your diet and nutrition...but also it's completely own, independent "thing."

My primary cardiovascular work is my bike...I ride about 60 miles per week. I also run 3 miles once per week and do an interval run/walk once per week and I lift 3x weekly. I take one rest day per week...but I also walk my dog on rest days.

As to whether walking is as effective as running...this would largely depend on your goals. Walking is a great low impact, light activity...I would consider running more of a moderately strenuous activity. You are going to burn more calories running than you are walking and do it in a shorter amount of time...the more miles you do, the more difference there is here. Running is also going to further have a greater impact on your overall level of fitness than walking alone would.