Weights beginner

mrsjefa
mrsjefa Posts: 20 Member
edited November 11 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm trying to incorporate weights in my fitness, any recommendations on how often and how much cardio to include?

Replies

  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    edited January 2015
    If you're new to weights a beginner full-body 3 day a week routine is probably best (Stronglifts, Starting Strength, All Pro's, etc).

    You could either do cardio between weight days (say lift M-W-F and cardio Tu-Th). Or you could do a session post weights 2-3 days a week.

    It also depends on what kind of cardio you're doing: HIIT has the same recovery demands as weight training and probably is best scheduled after lifting so you have a full day off before your next session. Steady-state cardio shouldn't trouble your recovery too hard and can be sandwich in on non-lifting days without problem...

    ETA: you don't actually need to do any cardio at all if you chose not to. Depends on your goals. If you list your goals more completely, then it's easier to recommend a schedule.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    Lot’s of variables:
    - What are your overall goals?
    - Are you lifting for strength or mass (see goals question above)?
    - How much are you eating and what are you eating?
    - How well do you recover?
    - How well are you trained at other modalities?
    - How good is your movement (flexibility, agility, speed, balance, mobility)?
    - How do you define cardio (HIIT, long hard steady state, slow steady state, mixed)?
    - Do you have any health concerns?
    - How is your sleep?
    - How much stress do you experience in your daily life?
    - How strict do you want to get with diet, food timing and supplements?

    My point is, the answer is different for each of us.
  • mrsjefa
    mrsjefa Posts: 20 Member
    Cardio like jogging also insanity. I like that recommendation I will alternate days! I've done body pump before, this time it's just me and the weights so that's new to me. Thank you
  • ajwall3
    ajwall3 Posts: 187
    I'd like to know what responses you get as well! I'm starting a lifting routine M/W/F not sure when I'll incorporate cardio...
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    mrsjefa wrote: »
    Cardio like jogging also insanity. I like that recommendation I will alternate days! I've done body pump before, this time it's just me and the weights so that's new to me. Thank you

    Insanity is HIIT/plyos - this kind of training places similar demands upon your body and recovery as weightlifting. Unless you are highly adapted to this kind of training and have some experience lifting, then mixing them will likely lead to excessive soreness, overtraining and injury.

    Jogging - that's probably LISS (depends on how near your fastest pace you're going at it).

    You could try something like M-W-F lifting on a recognised full-body beginners routine (don't try to make your own up!).

    Go for moderate->medium runs on Tu/Th

    Do some soft tissue/stretching/recovery work on Sat

    Try that for a month or two. It's going to be taxing all kinds of energy systems and will require adaptation and improvements in work capacity.

    If you cope with that ok, then try to swap out one of the run days for a recovery day and put a HIIT-style workout on the Sat.

    Most beginners (especially those who don't really have a wide-base of GPP) try to do too much too soon and end up tired, hungry, pissed off and injured.

    Slow and steady, with identifiable and measured improvements build a better foundation and set you up for the longer term.
  • mrsjefa
    mrsjefa Posts: 20 Member
    What's does hitt and Liss mean
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    mrsjefa wrote: »
    What's does hitt and Liss mean

    High Intensity Interval Training

    &

    Low Impact Steady State
  • JustCallMeSugar
    JustCallMeSugar Posts: 9
    In for info!
  • mrsjefa
    mrsjefa Posts: 20 Member
    jimmmer wrote: »
    mrsjefa wrote: »
    Cardio like jogging also insanity. I like that recommendation I will alternate days! I've done body pump before, this time it's just me and the weights so that's new to me. Thank you

    Insanity is HIIT/plyos - this kind of training places similar demands upon your body and recovery as weightlifting. Unless you are highly adapted to this kind of training and have some experience lifting, then mixing them will likely lead to excessive soreness, overtraining and injury.

    Jogging - that's probably LISS (depends on how near your fastest pace you're going at it).

    You could try something like M-W-F lifting on a recognised full-body beginners routine (don't try to make your own up!).

    Go for moderate->medium runs on Tu/Th

    Do some soft tissue/stretching/recovery work on Sat

    Try that for a month or two. It's going to be taxing all kinds of energy systems and will require adaptation and improvements in work capacity.

    If you cope with that ok, then try to swap out one of the run days for a recovery day and put a HIIT-style workout on the Sat.

    Most beginners (especially those who don't really have a wide-base of GPP) try to do too much too soon and end up tired, hungry, pissed off and injured.

    Slow and steady, with identifiable and measured improvements build a better foundation and set you up for the longer term.

    Awesome! I got it I had to read this a few times
  • cromulus
    cromulus Posts: 17 Member
    May I suggest that if weights are somewhat new to you, you spend some time learning proper form on the exercises you're going to perform? That really ought to be step number one for anyone starting up on weights, just to minimize the risk of injury...
  • mrsjefa
    mrsjefa Posts: 20 Member
    Thanks
  • ajwall3
    ajwall3 Posts: 187
    Found www.stronglifts.com 5x5 from a member's suggestion in another post and I LOVE it! There's a great app too.
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