Is not doing cardio worn like a badge on honor for you?

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MrBiggiesworth
MrBiggiesworth Posts: 846 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
It seems like many weight lifters are proud of the fact that they do little or no cardio exercise? Why is this?
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  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
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    I didn't do cardio the first 45 years of my life started last year ago and in the best shape of my life..
  • mikevandewetering
    mikevandewetering Posts: 155 Member
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    cause loads of people are misinformed
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    I ain't got time for that...

    No, I think being cardio fit is important, but I'd rather be able to lose /maintain my physique with as little output as possible, and as much input (food) as possible. I think bodybuilders promote doing little cardio in opposition to the "traditional" 2 hours a day... Which is ridiculous. If you need to do that to lose weight there's something wrong.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,908 Member
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    I think part of it is that some people just don't enjoy cardio exercises. Why would you want to torture yourself doing something you don't love if you don't have to? Also, if you are bulking, doing more cardio means you have to eat even more to get the desired result. I really don't see very many people saying they don't do cardio at all though. Most say a good balance between cardio and lifting is preferable.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I think it has to do with the pervasive myth that in order to look good- or cut- you have to do Cardio.

    So yeah to an extent it is- they have achieved their body without having to spend hours grueling out cardio workouts- that they didn't need or like.

    A well rounded over all fitness program should include both elements- but the more specific you get in your goals - the more the pendulum will swing to one side.

    But there isn't anything wrong with being proud of the fact you got an amazing body without having to run yourself into the ground.

    Why does it matter to you at all?
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,325 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Our heart and cardio vascular system health is critical to our fitness. Some people don't really want fit...they want "don't I look good"

    Do not attack me for my post. You can disagree with my opinion without reposting me and without attacking me. Thank you.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    I do both cardio and lifting, but I do enjoy doing both. ;)
  • CoffeeNBooze
    CoffeeNBooze Posts: 966 Member
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    I'll be the contrarian and say that I love cardio, and that's mainly why I do it. I think the idea people are getting at is you don't have to spend hours in a gym doing cardio ( I only do one hour tops) and you can get a more sculpted look varying your exercises and incorporating weight training.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    I think it has to do with the pervasive myth that in order to look good- or cut- you have to do Cardio.

    I think this is it.

    I do cardio but I will admit that when people say "you look good, do you run a lot?" it bugs me a bit because I know that my overall body shape is more due to lifting weights than it is to running or walking. And also I am kind of bugged because I feel like most men would be told "you look good, do you lift weights?" but I'm expected to do more cardio because I'm a woman. That's how it is and I get over it but it makes me a bit eyeroll-y (internally at least.)

  • glevinso
    glevinso Posts: 1,895 Member
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    MrBiggiesworth wrote: »
    It seems like many weight lifters are proud of the fact that they do little or no cardio exercise? Why is this?

    Mostly due to "bro-ness". People just get caught up in their own "thing", it doesn't really matter either way. I usually counter those guys by "bragging" that the heaviest thing you will see me lift is a beer glass.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Nope I do both and will continue to do both. They give me different benefits. If I had to pick them im more bothered my heart stays in good shape.

    A lot of lifters here do less because they arent in the weight losing mode that the dieters are.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I'm still testing out exercises to figure out what I like. For me the big difference is that with lifting there isnt' any instant gratification for me. After a month of working my arms I loved that I lost some of the bye bye arms I had hanging on (you know, the part of the arm when you move it and it waves at someone). But it took a long time. I also like feeling strong. Again, that takes some time.

    However, cardio is like instant gratification. Within 15 minutes of my heart rate getting up in the 150-160s I feel euphoric. Its like a zen state.

  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
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    Personally, I improved my cardio workouts by doing strength training. I like doing both.

    Whatever works for someone is what works.
  • suruda
    suruda Posts: 1,233 Member
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    I'm afraid of cardio and need to get my butt in there. I hate it, it's hard for me, I have horrible cardio fitness on walks, hikes, etc... I know it gets better when I push it (via a cardio class that forces me to push myself).

    I will walk back in there and start improving my cardio health... but not today
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    I willingly and with minimum grumbling do all the cardio my coaches want me to do. But most weeks that is short warm ups and that is all. My body gets heavily pushed on the weights side of things, and that's what I need to hit my goals - hours of cardio isn't.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I think a factor is that the myth that "cardio burns muscle" is still alive and well in certain circles.

    In truth it's inactivity, huge calorie deficits or inadequate nutrition that result in muscle loss. It's actually extraordinarily difficult to actually burn muscle as fuel. As anyone who has bonked/hit the wall will know once your glycogen has depleted you certainly know about it.

    Now if those huge calories deficits come from a lot of cardio on insufficient intake that's a problem - but it's the deficit not the exercise that's really the problem.

    (And can we avoid the usual strawman argument of "what about those skinny elite marathon runners" please!)
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    Because so many people thing that "looking fit" equals "being fit" and, for them, it is all about the externals rather than the total body. To each his own.
  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
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    mikevandewetering wrote: »
    cause loads of people are misinformed

    This
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    I think it has to do with the pervasive myth that in order to look good- or cut- you have to do Cardio.

    So yeah to an extent it is- they have achieved their body without having to spend hours grueling out cardio workouts- that they didn't need or like.

    A well rounded over all fitness program should include both elements- but the more specific you get in your goals - the more the pendulum will swing to one side.

    But there isn't anything wrong with being proud of the fact you got an amazing body without having to run yourself into the ground.

    Why does it matter to you at all?

    This. Especially the first part.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    urloved33 wrote: »
    Our heart and cardio vascular system health is critical to our fitness. Some people don't really want fit...they want "don't I look good"

    Do not attack me for my post. You can disagree with my opinion without reposting me and without attacking me. Thank you.

    What's wrong with looking good?

    What I want to know is why people are so effing hung up on people wanting to look good?

    why is wanting to look good a crime?

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