Cardio vs Strength Training

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ayesha30
ayesha30 Posts: 43
in Introduce Yourself
Just trying to get an idea of how often to do strength training. I"ve only been doing cardio since I started working out (elliptical, treadmill, stationary bicycling and walking). I started strength training on yesterday and wanted to know what is best, should I do both in a workout or should I alternate days???:happy:

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  • peteb79
    peteb79 Posts: 386
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    I would alternate, strength training usually requires a day of rest between working a particular muscle group. So take that rest day for cardio. of course, I am not even close to being an expert.
  • icandothistrish85
    icandothistrish85 Posts: 116
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    Give yourself 36-48 hours of rest between ST days because you don't want to tear/pull a muscle. I do ST 2-3 times per week, each circuit is about 40 minutes long.
  • fridayjustleft04
    fridayjustleft04 Posts: 851 Member
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    I read an article once that said the most effective workout is 30 mins of strength followed by 30 of cardio. If you don't have time for that, though, maybe do 15 and 15. Or alternate days (I do that sometimes). Try boot camp/circuit training..you'll get both at the same time. I'd say do it at least 3 times a week, but be sure to take rest days..those are the days that give you muscle, believe it or not.
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
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    you can do both, if you choose to do cardio and strength during the same workout, do cardio last. partially because your form will suffer if you're tired from cardio and partically because the strength training will deplete your glycogen so when you start cardio your body will burn fat immediately.

    I do both and mostly i break it up. i do cardio in the mornings when i first get up and then do strength training in the afternoon after work 3 days a week. sometimes i sleep in and i'll do the cardio after a lifting session. if i break it up, i'm not in the gym for hours. i like going to the gym but i don't want to be there for hours at a time.

    i also do cardio every day. on the weekends i do it twice a day.
  • CindyWard4u
    CindyWard4u Posts: 40 Member
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    I would recommend following a good program...strength training should be done 3 times per week...every other day is best. Don't work the same muscle groups back to back...like if you work chest and back on Monday then on Wednesday you might do shoulders and arms...then Friday to Legs and back. The core should be worked briefly on your strength training days as well...probably 10 to 15 mins of some good core moves should do the trick. :)
    Personally I am a big fan of P90X because it works and it works well. :)
  • sangelic
    sangelic Posts: 207
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    I do strength training 2-3 times a week (usually Mon-Wed-Fri). I do some cardio those days also just not as intense and my non-strength training days.
  • adamcf
    adamcf Posts: 126
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    it all depends on what you want to get out of it. if you want to lose fat then do cardio until you are becoming satisfied with how consistent your weightloss is. The slowly start incorporating strength training. maybe 2 days a week.

    I started with cardio and kept going with it for a long time. I was running about 30 to 35 miles a week when I started strength training. my running suffered for it. I'm only able to do 15 miles a week at most.
  • syates83
    syates83 Posts: 87
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    I do circuit training...Jilian Michael's has some workout DVDs that use the 3,2,1 method....3 minutes of strength training, 2 minutes of cardio and 1 minute of abs. It just repeats 3,2,1...I love it!
  • mscutup
    mscutup Posts: 10 Member
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    Hi, I ST 3 days a week. I alternate, but I get in cardio every day.:smile:
  • ToningtheButt
    ToningtheButt Posts: 50
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    I suggest you do circuit training like the 30 day shred dvd
    combines cardio and strength in 25min. works wonders!
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
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    ayesha, for me, and again this applies to me, that Eliptical , the one with the retractable arms was a God send.........I couldnt do sit ups, too big, so I started using an eliptical for 3 mins, then 5, to 10 , to 15 , and so on

    now I use the eliptical for 65 mins, burn about 1100 cals at the highest resistance, and that did a number on my gut.........I havent done one single sit up and my waist size went from 52 to 34, which is about norm for a man my height

    again, I hate....hate hate doing sit ups , so for me, the eliptical did a great job on my legs and stomach. I do both, Im not crazy about Core, but I do it becuase Im now almost at goal and want to lose the little extra skin I have from the weight gain
    also, again, I heard this from Dr Oz, but when you do cardio , thats fine, but when you stop doing the cardio exercise , you stop burning cals
    but when you do strength training , you keep burning cals after your stop exercising...........kinda nice to know

    that eliptical is your friend.......use it, esp if you can use it on max resistance, it did me wonders.............Lloyd
  • ashleycarleton
    ashleycarleton Posts: 3
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    I work with a personal trainer who does 60min of strength training with us 2 days a week, and then we are on our own for cardio 4-5days a week, with an optional rest day. You definately want to take it easy following a strength training session to avoid injury. Good luck!
  • ShrinkingNinja
    ShrinkingNinja Posts: 460 Member
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    Every other day is best. Do cardio on your none weight training days.
  • achampionsheart
    achampionsheart Posts: 1,020 Member
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    i have been doing weight training for several months now....i do cardio 5 days a week....on mondays, wed. and fridays i do weights as well so my schedule looks like this

    Mon-1 hr. of cardio/30-35 min. weights
    Tues.-60-80 min. cardio
    Wed.-same as monday
    Thurs.-same as tues.
    Friday-same as mon./wed.
    Sat.-cardio
    Sun-rest

    it is important to take a rest day...from both cardio and weights....your body has to rest and recover
  • leilani♥
    leilani♥ Posts: 579
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    I do both...

    Day 1- 30 mins (tread/stairmaster) 30-40 mins arms
    Day 2- Zumba
    Day 3- 30 mins (tread/stairmaster) 30-40 mins legs
    Day 4- Cycle
    Day 5- 30 mins (tread/stairmaster) 40-50 mins full body workout
    Day 6- Zumba
    Day 7- Rest


    sometimes I swap things around but this is what I do in a weeks time.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/guides/ has decent guides.
  • Coltsman4ever
    Coltsman4ever Posts: 602 Member
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    You can do cardio every day. No harm in that.
    As far as working out, it depends on what type of workout you're doing. I work out every day but I only do 1 muscle group per day. If you're doing circuit training (several muscle groups in one workout) you'll definitely need a day or 2 of rest in between, depending on how hard you're working out. Your body does not build muscle while you're actually working out. It builds the muscle during recovery on those rest days.

    Good luck and have fun.
  • Melky06
    Melky06 Posts: 9
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    comes down to preference. If you do cardio on ST days I would do it after not before.

    I like dedicated days for each, not together. you can do some cardio on ST days with some non stop moving during rest periods after resistance. for example run in place, jumping jacks, to keep your heart rate up. It depends on your fitness level of what you can handle. I would try to stick with a plan for 4 weeks to see how you like it, switch it up. You decide what you like more and that way you will keep doing it. if someing is boring or becomes routine then you will lose motiviation. Just my 2 cents
  • ayesha30
    ayesha30 Posts: 43
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    ayesha, for me, and again this applies to me, that Eliptical , the one with the retractable arms was a God send.........I couldnt do sit ups, too big, so I started using an eliptical for 3 mins, then 5, to 10 , to 15 , and so on

    now I use the eliptical for 65 mins, burn about 1100 cals at the highest resistance, and that did a number on my gut.........I havent done one single sit up and my waist size went from 52 to 34, which is about norm for a man my height

    again, I hate....hate hate doing sit ups , so for me, the eliptical did a great job on my legs and stomach. I do both, Im not crazy about Core, but I do it becuase Im now almost at goal and want to lose the little extra skin I have from the weight gain
    also, again, I heard this from Dr Oz, but when you do cardio , thats fine, but when you stop doing the cardio exercise , you stop burning cals
    but when you do strength training , you keep burning cals after your stop exercising...........kinda nice to know

    that eliptical is your friend.......use it, esp if you can use it on max resistance, it did me wonders.............Lloyd
    I just started really using the elliptical more and I can finally do 30 minutes and it does seem to burn more calories thant the treadmill.

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