do you count strength training for calories burned?

Schwiggity
Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
I was just wondering what the scoop is with counting strength training for calories burned? I haven't been since there's a separate strength category, but I've noticed there's also a strength training exercise in cardio listing.

Replies

  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
    I do. I count 200/hr
  • mayasmom
    mayasmom Posts: 61 Member
    I use the generic "calistenics, vigoruos effort" for my weight training ...seems to be pretty close to what my HRM gives me. We do a LOT of body weight only stuff but also throw in some moderate weights for an exercise or two.
  • ChrisR0128
    ChrisR0128 Posts: 86
    I look at it like this, they have house cleaning and yard mowing (now thats a little extreme to me) but strength training should definatly count as part of cardio
  • Aesop101
    Aesop101 Posts: 758 Member
    I don't. Some do and I don't blame them. I just can't track the odd minutes from exercise to exercise.
  • SassyStef
    SassyStef Posts: 413
    totally count...I do jumping jacks or high knees, just things in between my sets to keep my heart rate up.
  • avenathus
    avenathus Posts: 113 Member
    I use the generic "calistenics, vigoruos effort" for my weight training ...seems to be pretty close to what my HRM gives me. We do a LOT of body weight only stuff but also throw in some moderate weights for an exercise or two.

    Thanks so much for this!! I didn't know that calisthenics were in there (never thought to look :P ) But that's most of what I do for my strength training so this is perfect. Definitely going to use this from now on.
  • Nomomush
    Nomomush Posts: 582 Member
    I count it because I do supersets and circuit training where my heart rate is 60-90% of MHR.
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
    i go right from the treadmill to the weights with no stopping so i keep my HRM going...i stop it as soon as i put the weights down.
  • carrie145
    carrie145 Posts: 297
    I look at it like this, they have house cleaning and yard mowing (now thats a little extreme to me) but strength training should definatly count as part of cardio

    House cleaning, maybe extreme, lawn mowing...not so much...I pushed mowed my lawn today and according to my HRM, I burned 683 calories in 90 minutes...Those are calories worth counting...
  • momogogo
    momogogo Posts: 159 Member
    Absolutely! It matters!
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    If it's circuit training I count it but not lifting, even for the 24h Body Pump class, it is all lifting and I don't get credit for it!
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
    hmm. I'm just wondering how with normal weight training this would work because most of the calories burnt doesn't happen during the training itself from my understanding, but rather during the time when the muscles are rebuilding.
  • mishelnkiki
    mishelnkiki Posts: 775 Member
    this is the new routine i do... 10 min light cardio then straight to weight training usually about 1/2 an hour and then back to the rest of my cardio. and yes, i most def count the weights as well! its said to burn more fat that way. i dont remember how it was worded, but it works for me!
  • coderedcoderedjkjk
    coderedcoderedjkjk Posts: 72
    I never count weights. I'm scared of overestimating, so I just do it as a way to build muscle, not lose weight.
  • decu68
    decu68 Posts: 78
    I'm new to this site and app but I will be adding strength training to my cardio. The workout I'm doing is Dorian Yates' "Blood & Guts" and you are to keep your heat rate up all of the time. You take 60 second breaks only between sets; it is go, go, go. I do not see why I wouldn't add it. If it was my previous strengthening workout with longer break then I would certainly reconsider as my heart rate dropped most times.
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
    hmm. I'm just wondering how with normal weight training this would work because most of the calories burnt doesn't happen during the training itself from my understanding, but rather during the time when the muscles are rebuilding.

    There is a very knowledgeable exercise physiologist that posts things every so often on MFP and I trust what he says implicitly. He gets a bit wordy at times, but his advice is to discount any strength and conditioning burns between 30-35% from whatever shows on an HRM (if you use one...if not, I highly recommend it). The reasoning (without getting too wordy) is that you burn 100% of calories shown on an HRM during cardio due to two main factors, your heart is working hard to pump VOLUMES of blood to the areas where you need it an the oxygen uptake (required oxygen to help fuel the workout) is needed in virtually 100% of your body as the whole body is moving. In strength and conditioning routines, your heart is pumping hard due to increased PRESSURE of exertion and the oxygen uptake is limited because you are limited to the oxygen needed in the key areas where you are working your body (lasered to where you pumping the iron). Discounting the burn accordingly will allow you to record a semi-accurate calorie burn count and stay within your lb/week lost goals. I have prescribed to this methodology and have lost an average of 1.8 pounds per week steady since last November with virtually no plataeus...

    Hope that helps...

    "Adzak" is the guy's MFP username and he is on my friends list...very knowledgable dude.

    Also, I read your forum post from earlier in the week and you are a true inspiration, dude. Keep up the hard work!!!
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    I always count it. The challenge is that it's very difficult to get an accurate estimate, unlike cardio.
  • feliciapeters
    feliciapeters Posts: 525
    I look at it like this, they have house cleaning and yard mowing (now thats a little extreme to me) but strength training should definatly count as part of cardio

    House cleaning, maybe extreme, lawn mowing...not so much...I pushed mowed my lawn today and according to my HRM, I burned 683 calories in 90 minutes...Those are calories worth counting...

    Tell you what, come ANY Saturday and do my weekly big cleaning (house with a husband 4 kids & 3 dogs) TRUST ME, you wont wonder why I COUNT those calories. LOL
  • neonpink
    neonpink Posts: 203 Member
    I do, I use my HRM but any exercise calories earned from strength training I drink back with a protein shake afterwards.
  • jennmoore3
    jennmoore3 Posts: 1,013 Member
    I look at it like this, they have house cleaning and yard mowing (now thats a little extreme to me) but strength training should definatly count as part of cardio

    I only add cleaning IF I am gutting a bedroom and working up a sweat. I do that from time to time. Or if I wash windows, something I do once a month. We have a ton of windows and my daughter and I crank up the music and do a little dancing as well.
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    totally count...I do jumping jacks or high knees, just things in between my sets to keep my heart rate up.

    Exactly. I have no down time between sets and I wear a HRM to montior my calories burned.
  • jennmoore3
    jennmoore3 Posts: 1,013 Member
    I look at it like this, they have house cleaning and yard mowing (now thats a little extreme to me) but strength training should definatly count as part of cardio

    House cleaning, maybe extreme, lawn mowing...not so much...I pushed mowed my lawn today and according to my HRM, I burned 683 calories in 90 minutes...Those are calories worth counting...

    Tell you what, come ANY Saturday and do my weekly big cleaning (house with a husband 4 kids & 3 dogs) TRUST ME, you wont wonder why I COUNT those calories. LOL

    Amen sister! I have 2 dogs and 3 kids. It IS a workout! I wish doing laundry and grocery shopping counted here. Loading bags in and out of the van and putting them away sometimes makes me sweat! LOL
  • feliciapeters
    feliciapeters Posts: 525
    it's the moving the furniture to vacumn that gets me. PLUS every week I steam clean at least one room. (One of the dogs REFUSES to potty train lol)
  • feliciapeters
    feliciapeters Posts: 525
    [/quote]

    Amen sister! I have 2 dogs and 3 kids. It IS a workout! I wish doing laundry and grocery shopping counted here. Loading bags in and out of the van and putting them away sometimes makes me sweat! LOL
    [/quote]

    The kids unload & put away.
  • mummum2
    mummum2 Posts: 415 Member
    I do, I use a HRM and with having little rest inbetween sets, I find this works out calories and especially fat burn very well!
  • harmonydubois
    harmonydubois Posts: 11
    I look at it like this, they have house cleaning and yard mowing (now thats a little extreme to me) but strength training should definatly count as part of cardio



    I don't think this is extreme at all. Maybe you feel this way because it's what is done on a regular to maintain our way of living...but if you put on a HRM and get going, you;ll be surprise at how many calories are burned doing 2 hrs of house work. :smile:

    as for counting strength, I do it under cardiovascular because it gets the heart pumping just like cardio /aerobics does. I do Chalean Extreme, and I document my workouts under that.
  • decu68
    decu68 Posts: 78
    Every daily activity that people do will burn calories that is a fact of life. Any movement a person does needs energy to move and the more movement the more calories are required. The problem is that people take in too much calories and take them in too high of dosages in one sitting instead of broken up over 5 to 6 meals a day where one's body is able to use them more efficiently.

    Now the questions it seems is what should one record?

    If one wants to get nit picky then they can record everything and anything. For recording house hold chores or loading groceries or shoveling snow or mowing the lawn or mundane daily activities I would personally say no. These are things that are done repetitively by yourself and your body has already adapted to these. Some people may find these strenuous but that is due to being out of shape.

    Actual cardio for sure should be recorded. Strength training where you heart rate is continually at its peak for sure should be recorded. There may be a few other activities that can be included but unless your heart rate is up over 20 minutes continually I would no record. Daily chores; not in my opinion. Nobody keeps their heart rate up that high doing those types of activities; no way. If they did then they wouldn't need exercise programs and we wouldn't have an obese society. Our doctors would then be prescribing daily chores instead of getting our fat a$$es to the gym and such. Exercise gimmicks wouldn't be a billion dollar industry.

    If those are recorded then perhaps anybody under stress should record that as well. People who are under high stress will have an increased heart rate. Are they burning calories? No but they are working towards an earlier grave.

    Sometimes common sense needs to be applied to this.
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