I despise cardio, but...

I don't like cardio so I don't do it, except for a couple of family walks each week during nice weather (2-4 miles of walking each week). I refuse to do something that I don't enjoy doing, because it won't be sustainable long term for me.

It depends on your goals. The medical recommendation for heart health benefits is 30 min of cardio, 3 days a week.

bettienuggs wrote: »

Great news! I thought I'd have to at least be doing a few miles on the treadmill every other day but i'd much rather strength train.

You don't have to get on a treadmill at all to do cardio. You just have to move enough to get your heartrate in the aerobic zone.

bettienuggs wrote: »

Great news! I thought I'd have to at least be doing a few miles on the treadmill every other day but i'd much rather strength train.

You should also broaden your idea of cardio...it doesn't have to involve droning away on some machine. I personally ride, do some hiking in the mountains, and enjoy swimming in the summer...and I lift as well.

I personally always recommend a mix of both cardio and resistance training for general fitness. Unfortunately, I do know quite a few people who have great physiques and do really well in the weight room...but their stamina and endurance is for *kitten*...hell, one of my best friends gets winded and tired on an easy hike...it's kind of hilarious because he looks fit as hell..but he's not at all.

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If you don't like it don't do it. You don't need cardio (or weight training for that matter) to lose weight. Don't dismiss it all together though, there are so many types of cardio some of which you may really enjoy and miss the opportunity to try because you've decided you don't like it. Have you tried kick boxing? Swimming? Indoor (or outdoor) rock climbing? Competitive sports? Kettlebell swings? Scuba diving? Martial arts? Orienteering? Obstacle courses? Dancing? Hiking?... and the list goes on.

I think cardio has just gotten a really bad rep. Any time anyone ever thinks of cardio it's of weight loss. But cardio is really, really, really good for your heart (and a bunch of other things). In a way that strength training, despite what anyone says, simply can't be. Yes, strength training can have cardiovascular effect if you push yourself hard enough but it can't be better cardio than cardio.

One thing I can't stand is the people who talk crap about cardio. You don't have to like it but don't say it's useless or a waste of time. The people who are all about strength training are all about training their muscles but guess what, your heart is a muscle as well! It needs to be worked. Just because it won't improve your physique doesn't mean it can be forgotten. Plus cardio can also help your recovery time after a serious strength training session by flushing out the lactic acid. That's in layman terms because that's as scientific as I get.

tl;dr Don't ignore cardio. It's important. Go swimming, dancing, kickboxing, hiking, play with children. The list is endless. The recommended amount of cardio by the NHS is 75 minutes of moderate-high intensity per week.

T_Ciku wrote: »

I think cardio has just gotten a really bad rep. Any time anyone ever thinks of cardio it's of weight loss. But cardio is really, really, really good for your heart (and a bunch of other things). In a way that strength training, despite what anyone says, simply can't be. Yes, strength training can have cardiovascular effect if you push yourself hard enough but it can't be better cardio than cardio.

One thing I can't stand is the people who talk crap about cardio. You don't have to like it but don't say it's useless or a waste of time. The people who are all about strength training are all about training their muscles but guess what, your heart is a muscle as well! It needs to be worked. Just because it won't improve your physique doesn't mean it can be forgotten. Plus cardio can also help your recovery time after a serious strength training session by flushing out the lactic acid. That's in layman terms because that's as scientific as I get.

tl;dr Don't ignore cardio. It's important. Go swimming, dancing, kickboxing, hiking, play with children. The list is endless. The recommended amount of cardio by the NHS is 75 minutes of moderate-high intensity per week.

Totally agree with @T_Ciku.
Cardio is good for you!
I can understand that you might find going on a treadmill at the Gym boring, but there's so many other forms of Cardio.
Any form of exercise where i can listen to Music is great to me!
I normally Powerwalk in the Park with my Headphones on, while listening to good Music.
Not boring at all.
Maybe try exercising outdoors.

I'll bite and say that moderate cardio 2-3 times per week is good. Even HIIT is beneficial, but it's not necessary to maintain good heart health. But on the flip side of that, I know people that run 5-7 days a week for 5-10 miles each session and I can't help but shake my head. I'm not going to go into reasons why I don't believe it's a good idea to do that much running, but that's not "moderate cardio". It's insanity.

I know this is going to bring out the the devil in the runners on this forum and that's fine, but to top the icing on the cake I even asked a guy at the gym why he never trained legs. His response was: "I don't need to, I run."

I left the building.

I loath cardio too, but I suck it up and do it 15 minutes before and after I lift...and I've really enjoyed hiking through the river valley lately. If you can borrow someone's dog, it always makes it more fun

Tinabob777 wrote: »

Emilia777 wrote: »

Tinabob777 wrote: »

joejccva71 wrote: »

I'll bite and say that moderate cardio 2-3 times per week is good. Even HIIT is beneficial, but it's not necessary to maintain good heart health. But on the flip side of that, I know people that run 5-7 days a week for 5-10 miles each session and I can't help but shake my head. I'm not going to go into reasons why I don't believe it's a good idea to do that much running, but that's not "moderate cardio". It's insanity.

I know this is going to bring out the the devil in the runners on this forum and that's fine, but to top the icing on the cake I even asked a guy at the gym why he never trained legs. His response was: "I don't need to, I run."

I left the building.

My running is the reason I train my legs! Gotta get them stronger!

To train my legs, I squat all the weight I can. Strength I believe comes from lifting heavy weights, and endurance from running. I do both, but my main focus is strength training. In my opinion, anyone who says strength training doesn't require serious cardio involvement hasn't lifted heavy enough.

To each their own though, at the end of the day.

That's what I was saying. The reason I squat and train my legs heavy is to improve my running.
I was mocking the dude who said he didn't need to train.

Oh, got it! I wasn't sure what you meant, thanks for clarifying. I just really love them squats and deadlifts.

bettienuggs wrote: »

Great news! I thought I'd have to at least be doing a few miles on the treadmill every other day but i'd much rather strength train.

A few miles on the treadmill every other day is one form of cardio ... but certainly not the only form.

Simply going for a brisk walk at lunch to take a break from the office is another. That can be a good way to get 30 min in while getting some sunshine and fresh air.

But there are many other things you can do too ...

-- cycling
-- spin classes
-- hiking
-- kayaking
-- dancing
-- swimming
-- cross-country skiing
-- snowshoeing

Perhaps you might like some team sports instead ...

-- hockey
-- soccer
-- basketball
-- netball
-- lacrosse


You might like the pace of sports like ...

-- racquetball
-- squash


Strength training is good ... but so is cardio, and you don't have to limit yourself to jogging on the treadmill ...

Look ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sports

joejccva71 wrote: »

I'll bite and say that moderate cardio 2-3 times per week is good. Even HIIT is beneficial, but it's not necessary to maintain good heart health. But on the flip side of that, I know people that run 5-7 days a week for 5-10 miles each session and I can't help but shake my head. I'm not going to go into reasons why I don't believe it's a good idea to do that much running, but that's not "moderate cardio". It's insanity.

I know this is going to bring out the the devil in the runners on this forum and that's fine, but to top the icing on the cake I even asked a guy at the gym why he never trained legs. His response was: "I don't need to, I run."

I left the building.

Haha! You, I like.
No, but seriously...weave your cardio into your strength training. For instance, perform a set of squats, then immediately perform a cardio burst (jump squats, sprint on the treadmill, jump rope) for 30-60 seconds. It will blow your mind (and be much more entertaining! ).