How necessary is strength training?

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  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    issiahs wrote: »
    So, I've been dieting since the beginning of this year and lost 50 pounds. Still got about 40 more to go, but I'm stoked with the results already. I'm still overweight, but not like I used to be. I have done zero strength training though. My only exercise is skateboarding about an hour to two hours about 5 times a week. I enjoy doing it and that's why I've stuck with it. Strength training on the other hand bores me to death and I can't keep the routine of dragging myself to do it. I was kind of hoping that down the line that I would be more down to do it, but I still have no inkling to get into it at all. Is there anyone with success stories that didn't incorporate strength training? I'm not naive and think that I'll just turn out looking lean without it, but if I'm not going to look terrible then that would be nice news.

    It really depends on your goals. If you simply want to weigh less then it's not needed at all. If you want to look pleasing in the mirror to yourself or to others (a girl perhaps?) then you're going to want to do some strength training. You don't have to lift heavy, simply do some bodyweight exercise if you want on a regular basis. Cover all of your muscle groups that you can and you'll be fine. Again, it all depends on why you wanted to lose weight. Is it the weight or health issues, or that you want to look better? All of the above? Food for thought.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    DX2JX2 wrote: »
    Alternatively, finish losing the weight you want to lose and then shift your focus from weight loss to body weight strength training to keep things fresh (and so you don't run into conflicting goals and lose focus). Once you're out of weight loss mode, it's nice to have something to keep you active to help you fall back into old bad habits.

    One of the real benefits of waiting to begin your strength training is that it's much more productive to wait until you're a reasonable weight before attempting push ups or sit ups, etc.     Not only will you have an easier time of the exercise, but the results will be more immediately apparent (both in appearance and in actual strength).

    Also, core/balance training will help with your skateboarding immensely. I know that core training easily added 35-40 yards on my drives when I was an avid golfer.

    The real detriment is that you'll end up losing more LBM than BF over the course of your weightloss journey.

    Build the habit while you're losing weight and it will be easier to maintain when you hit maintenance.
  • HockeyGoalie35
    HockeyGoalie35 Posts: 84 Member
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    Try a kettle bell workout, same benefits as lifting but works all your muscles together. Shorter workout time and to me alot easier to be motivated for
  • issiahs
    issiahs Posts: 55 Member
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    Thanks for all the advice! Hearing like 20 people telling me how important it is might be the kick I need to just really commit and check out different forms of strength training. I've just been ignoring it because I tend to skate to exhaustion and convince myself I don't need anymore exercise. It's an addicting sport. Haha. Hearing that I only need to spend half an hour to an hour 3 times a week is a relief. I thought of it as more of a commitment than what it was.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,484 Member
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    Glad to hear you heard what folks were saying.
    I take it you skate board at or near a park. Check out if they have out door gym equipment, that can be a fun way to get some strength training.
    Also a children's playground can give you a really good work out.

    I'm sure there are example programmes for both on YouTube.
    Think outside the box to find something that appeals to you.
    Cheers, h.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    issiahs wrote: »
    Hearing that I only need to spend half an hour to an hour 3 times a week is a relief. I thought of it as more of a commitment than what it was.

    Yeah, it doesn't have to take over your life. I cycle a lot (and hope to get back to running soon), but I try to make myself do 2 or 3 sessions a week of general strength training, plus 15 minutes a day of physical therapy for muscles that were injured when I slipped on the ice last December. As others say, it's easier to try to preserve your muscle mass than to have to build it up again later.

    If you don't object to Reddit, the Bodyweight Fitness sub has a useful FAQ and suggested routine: https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    issiahs wrote: »
    Thanks for all the advice! Hearing like 20 people telling me how important it is might be the kick I need to just really commit and check out different forms of strength training. I've just been ignoring it because I tend to skate to exhaustion and convince myself I don't need anymore exercise. It's an addicting sport. Haha. Hearing that I only need to spend half an hour to an hour 3 times a week is a relief. I thought of it as more of a commitment than what it was.

    Have you checked out skateboarding resources? You may be able to come up with a strength training plan that focuses on strengthening what needs to be strengthened for your sport, so you would feel like you are strength training for a reason and that reason is something you love.
  • AgentFlex
    AgentFlex Posts: 211 Member
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    Not that helpful, but I also skate and there is something about seeing a skater with some muscles rather than skin and bones ;)

    More helpful, strength training has great benefits aesthetically but also as you age, think osteoporosis prevention and such.
  • T0M_K
    T0M_K Posts: 7,526 Member
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    whitpauly wrote: »
    Off the main topic but I wanted to say that skateboarding is excellent exercise! My son lost 40 pounds when he and his friends started going daily,I was amazed

    I would suspect your son ate considerably less during that same time. skateboarding isn't going to nullify poor eating and consistent over eating. Weight loss is mainly calorie deficit. Cardio is helpful, but relatively less of a burn than you would think. an hour of jogging might nullify that donut you ate.

    Weight training builds lean muscle. muscle burns more calories at rest, more muscle can help in appearance, slightly higher maintenance calories and just the ability to live a more robust life long term.

    Calorie restriction for weight loss does lower stored fat but unfortunately it also lowers lean muscle mass. You just don't lose the fat! The thing people don't get is they restrict calories and add no weight lifting and they lose the pounds on the scale and most likely look slimmer, but they also are now burning fewer calories at rest because they lost muscle in the process. Then they go back to "normal" or even less calorie intake levels than when they gained thinking they should be ok..but they aren't because their maintenance level is reduced.

    weight lifting of some sort...is crucial..in my opinion to any weight loss program. IMHO.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,981 Member
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    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    Strength training is often really misunderstood and narrowly defined. It's not necessarily lifting weights or doing squats or push-ups. I do yoga and a TV program called Classical Strength, which both use strength but also flexibility and a lot of other things as well.

    Other things can work as strength training: walking on the beach, yardwork, gardening, practicing your "pull" in swimming, climbing, walking up stairs, and more.

    I think MFP exercise tracking helps promote this, because it forces you to put in so many reps and sets. But not all strength training can be broken into "x sets of y".

    What I would have you think about is:

    1) Are there strength exercises that will help you develop your skateboarding? I'm sure that there are, and I would bet there are YouTube videos, blogs, and more about how to develop your physical skills.

    2) Doing strength exercises that work for you. I don't particuarly like free weights, so I don't do them. I like to do yoga, so I do that.

    Lots of great points here.

    I'll second the cross training benefit - one of the reasons I like weight lifting is that it helps me strengthen my arms for swimming and yoga - otherwise my arms give out far sooner than my legs.
  • BettyM1017
    BettyM1017 Posts: 616 Member
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    I do strength/resistance/balance work mostly to prevent injury and to make activities of daily living a lot easier. I prefer to run for my cardio, but I also do at least 3, sometimes 4, 30 minute strength workouts a week. I've lost 45 pounds and have been running injury-free for 2 years. I've fixed posture issues, which means no more backaches and no more chiropractor. I have great range of motion and flexibility for a 50-year-old woman, and I don't have any joint issues, in spite of the fact that I'm a server on my feet all day hoisting heavy trays of plates and food over my head.

    Think outside the box for your workouts. Compound moves like a front lunge with a shoulder press or a side lunge with a sword pull work a lot of muscles along with your core. A single-leg squat to a knee up or kick also works balance. Body weight moves like push ups, pull ups, planks, and bear crawls work a lot more than you think. Work smarter, not harder, and you'll accomplish a lot in a short time.

    To me, resistance training is important for weight loss, but it's even more important for quality of life.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    As a matter of general fitness, I'd say some form of resistance training is essential...it doesn't have to be your life...you're not wanting to be a body builder, so you don't need to be in the weight room doing 5x per week splits and whatnot.

    I primarily cycle and that's where my fitness passion really lies...but I realize the necessity of doing resistance training to help preserve my muscle mass as I age...bone density, etc. I'm not old, but I'm also no spring chicken either. A solid bonus has been that lifting has made me a better cyclists and it's basically my main form of cross training.

    I typically run a full body program a couple of times per week. Occasionally I'll throw in a third day, but it's usually 2x per week and right now it's a pretty basic full body horizontal/vertical push/pull kind of deal. I spend about 45-60 minutes a couple times per week.

    I spend a bit more time in the winter lifting, but that's because it's cold outside and I hate the cold...
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,459 Member
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    I'd second those suggesting targeting strength training that helps you achieve better skateboarding performance. (I do an analogous thing, using my desire to row better as a motivation to cross-train in health-improving ways that also help improve my rowing, like weight training & swimming (I really don't enjoy swimming, but a rower's gotta swim)).

    Or, since you enjoy skateboarding, you might want to consider some bodyweight training that leads you into some parkour stunts (Google it if you don't know what it is) or so-called "street workouts" (check out the competition videos on YouTube).

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