Balancing weight training and cardio---Think I need to do more cardio for fat loss!

I’m always trying to find this balance too. I’m pretty much the opposite (distance runner) trying to add in more strength workouts to lose body fat.

nay0meh wrote: »

Hey ninerbuff--I was doing bro splits but just recently changed to total body. I do 5-6 exercises, 4 sets each, 6-12 rep range, depending.

Thoughts on total body versus bro splits or push pull legs or other suggestions?

I prefer full body work in that it is very efficient and you hit everything 2-3x per week which is optimal for building and maintaining muscle mass. But you shouldn't be doing total body 5x per week...total body workouts are typically done 2-3x per week which would enable you to easily work in and balance more cardio with your lifting.

Most of my cardio is cycling and I typically ride 3-4x per week and lift 2-3x per week. As cardio goes, three of those rides are fitness/workout rides and the 4th is typically just something fun like going mountain biking or riding to Bike-In-Coffee or something. I lift of Wed and Fri during my lunch hour pretty religiously...Sunday is my other lifting day and it can be more hit or miss, but my goals being where they are currently I am more or less fine as long as I get two solid days in the weight room.

nay0meh wrote: »

Total body 5 days per week....

My boyfriend is convinced we should not be lifting less than 5x per week. Everything I read though agrees with you @cwolfman13 which is 3x per week max....

Would you be willing to share what your workouts consist of?

Total body 5x per week gives zero time for recovery which is actually where the magic happens. Ideally you want to hit each muscle group 2-3x per week whether you're doing a split or total body. The most I've seen with a total body is 4x per week every other day like:

Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
Tues, Thurs, Sat, Mon
Wed, Fri, Sun, Tues, etc...even that is pushing it recovery wise...but I'm also going on 47 and don't recover the way I used to.

5x per week total body and you're really not getting much repair and recovery.

I've seen all manner of total body programs and they can be tailored to more or less volume. Mine is pretty basic and consists of 6 foundational movements of deadlift (or variation), squat (or variation), rows (sometimes BB, sometimes 3 pt, sometimes cable), chest press (I switch between BP and incline), Lat pulls or pull ups, and shoulder press.

I've seen people program their total body workouts such that they do those foundational lifts, but then add extra volume...like one day, more leg stuff to go with their squats and deads and the next more upper body supplemental lifts, etc. This can be good if you're lagging somewhere or you just want more volume to help increase mass.

When it comes to lifting, more is not always better. Hitting each muscle group 2-3x per week is optimal for development and allows for adequate recovery. And like I said, bonus with a total body program is that you can do a good cardio workout on non lifting days. A good, moderate steady state cardio workout between lifting sessions shouldn't impede recovery and will likely help. That said, more high intensity cardio and long duration stuff can. My rides are typically 45-60 minutes moderate pace. When I do more intense interval work, that can impact my lifts the next day, so I usually only do those on...say a Saturday or Sunday when it doesn't look like I'm going to make it to the weight room on Sunday.

nay0meh wrote: »

@cwolfman13 LOVE THIS! Ok I will definitely drop to 4 days and hit cardio one day.

I do similar training in terms of what you mention--I always do hex DLs though because I can go MUCH heavier and feel safe. I just feel funky with traditional barbell deads.

I am going on 43 in 2 weeks and don't recover the way I used to either!

Love how much you shared and it feels super informational!

What supplements, if any, do you take?

The only supplement I use is whey. I eat meat, but I also eat a lot of vegetarian meals and some of the traditional meals in my neck of the woods contain meat, but not in large amounts so I'm often a little low on protein if I don't supplement.

nay0meh wrote: »

Total body 5 days per week....

My boyfriend is convinced we should not be lifting less than 5x per week. Everything I read though agrees with you @cwolfman13 which is 3x per week max....

Would you be willing to share what your workouts consist of?

Yes you SHOULDN'T be training 5x per week on the same body parts. They never have a chance to repair and are "inflammed" the whole time. And that state is LIKELY what is keeping your weight up.

I would recommend you only train 2-3 times full body per week. A lot of my clients I train 2 times a week get great results and they don't feel like they have to bust it EVERYDAY to get losses.



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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition