StrongLifts: Bad for obese people?
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I find lifting tightens the appearance of my body fantastically, but I also do do cardio. At my heaviest, I used to walk - a lot. Then I started using the cardio equipment at gym (elliptical and static bike, primarily). And now I run and cycle outdoors.
I think the combination of heavy lifting and good cardio is a winning one. But I wouldn't abandon the lifting (though as an earlier poster mentioned, there's plenty of alternatives to strong lifts, if you don't get on with that particular programme).
Best of luck with whatever you decide, and well done for getting moving.0 -
bump0
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I think I'll keep driving forward with StrongLifts 3 days a week, and doing cardio (mix of walking/jogging and swimming) 3 days a week, and having a rest day. My diet is pretty good for the most part, I slip once in a while, but it's very manageable.0
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I just started SL. I'm 5'2 169 lbs. I hope after the 12 weeks I show some improvement on my strength and my body.
You talked about being lazy. I was there for a long time. You have to force yourself not to be that way and eventually you'll have a thirst for working out. I know I do now. If I miss a day I go crazy.
If you need more of a 'easy' workout on the other days maybe take up swimming. Do you go to a gym? If so look into the lap pool and try that. That is a great way to work off the extra pounds. I'm taking my own advice with this and starting this weekend I'm going to do a little swimming. Its easy on your joints but a great workout.0 -
I think I'll keep driving forward with StrongLifts 3 days a week, and doing cardio (mix of walking/jogging and swimming) 3 days a week, and having a rest day. My diet is pretty good for the most part, I slip once in a while, but it's very manageable.
I think that's a solid plan. It's tough at first, believe me I know. But before you know it you start to really like the feeling of a heavy bar across your back. I feel myself getting stronger and that is all the motivation anyone ever needs. One day you'll be doing it with a smile on your face.0 -
I think I'll keep driving forward with StrongLifts 3 days a week, and doing cardio (mix of walking/jogging and swimming) 3 days a week, and having a rest day. My diet is pretty good for the most part, I slip once in a while, but it's very manageable.
Lol! You read my mind with the swimming.
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Right now I'm at 449 pounds. I want to burn down this weight. The thought behind this was that as I built up some muscle doing weights, that it would help burn off more weight as I did other things. Further, in the beginning when I started with weights (initially I was doing only cardio), my intention was to do just enough weights to retain muscle as cardio can also burn muscle. With this in mind, do you think that I could get good results from continuing forward with StrongLifts?
I use the StrongLifts 5x5 program, and it definitely giving me results in terms of strength gains, and the fact that it is all compound movements is great not just for caloric burn, but efficiency of the workout. The thing with aerobic and anerobic exercise is that you really need both. Cardio on its own will burn muscle first before it burns fat. I lost over 100 lbs doing mainly cardio, and I was skinny-fat, meaning I was smaller but not defined and doughy. Strength training on its own is effective, but you will actually likely gain weight as you do it, or not lose quickly. This freaks a lot of people outm and understandably so. Balancing the two will burn excess calories while preserving muscle mass, the reason is the body's evolutionary mechanism that says muscle is expendable, so you need to do some strength training to keep the lean muscle tissue you have (I have a friend who is a trainer and she says that the science is behind 3x per week of strength training to keep the body from burning muscle) in addition to cardio.
It's a matter of finding a balance between the two and being consistent.
Hopefully my ramble helps! 0 -
Suggestions, assuming you want to stick with stronglifts:
1) Get a trainer or tape yourself doing the movements. Trainers are expensive, so I never had that option, but I do regularly setup my ipod and record myself doing squats to keep my form in check. Being critical of your form, especially early on, is the most important component of ANY workout routine in my opinion. You can compare your lifts to those found on youtube, or go through the stronglifts website to find videos of how the lift should look.
2) Diet, not exercise, is what is going to get you to lose weight. I started at 315, so a bit lower, but the theory still holds. Since your primary focus is shedding pounds, the vast majority of your attention should be on your diet. Exercise is still great for you, and will pay dividends once you do lose weight, but to lose weight you need to make sure that your diet is in check.
3) Rest, I would actually suggest against 3x a week workouts if you're feeling tightness. Assuming your schedule can handle the alternating workout days, try putting 2 days of rest between each lift. It'll change the days you lift but should give you a bit more downtime between workouts. You could put your cardio workouts on your rest days from lifting, or do that after lifting. I find that, particularly when the weight gets heavier, the added rest time really helps.
4) Diet. Did I mention this was important?
5) Workout selection. As stated previously, StrongLifts is one lifting option, but it isn't the only one. If you don't like it, you'll be less likely to stick with it. Find something you like and can stick with.
6) Diet. Did I mention this was important?0 -
Bieng obese, I started near your weight.. Here's my impression..
Stronglifts works for me because my form is better for my joints. I thought I would never squat again, hurt too bad, but following his guidelines, I can now squat again without knee pain. I know if my knee hurts now, my form is not good.
The OHP.. will do wonders for building strength you will need, I tore both my rotator cuffs trying various other programs, split/full body/ you name it, I tried it. Bieng our size we need to be EXTRA careful of our joints. carrying that weight around has already done some damage.
Deadlifts. They used to be murder on my back. Again, following his guide for form etc: Has taught me to use my other muscles to do the work. From an obese persons standpoint. This is the best thing out there.
Weight training in general at our size will help with the loose skin. No matter what, we WILL have a lot, but TRUST me, the awfulness of the saggy triceps, the belly skin to your knees.. Dude.. trust me.. coming from a beginning weight 400+ lb. woman, that got down low into the 200's and had to stop the weights for injuries,,,,, lost definition, strength and sees what the body could REALLY look like.. duuuuuudddddeeeee... strength train... all Imma say....0 -
Right now I'm at 449 pounds. I want to burn down this weight. The thought behind this was that as I built up some muscle doing weights, that it would help burn off more weight as I did other things. Further, in the beginning when I started with weights (initially I was doing only cardio), my intention was to do just enough weights to retain muscle as cardio can also burn muscle. With this in mind, do you think that I could get good results from continuing forward with StrongLifts?
I use the StrongLifts 5x5 program, and it definitely giving me results in terms of strength gains, and the fact that it is all compound movements is great not just for caloric burn, but efficiency of the workout. The thing with aerobic and anerobic exercise is that you really need both. Cardio on its own will burn muscle first before it burns fat. I lost over 100 lbs doing mainly cardio, and I was skinny-fat, meaning I was smaller but not defined and doughy. Strength training on its own is effective, but you will actually likely gain weight as you do it, or not lose quickly. This freaks a lot of people outm and understandably so. Balancing the two will burn excess calories while preserving muscle mass, the reason is the body's evolutionary mechanism that says muscle is expendable, so you need to do some strength training to keep the lean muscle tissue you have (I have a friend who is a trainer and she says that the science is behind 3x per week of strength training to keep the body from burning muscle) in addition to cardio.
It's a matter of finding a balance between the two and being consistent.
Hopefully my ramble helps!
Excellent information! Thank you!0 -
Bieng obese, I started near your weight.. Here's my impression..
Stronglifts works for me because my form is better for my joints. I thought I would never squat again, hurt too bad, but following his guidelines, I can now squat again without knee pain. I know if my knee hurts now, my form is not good.
The OHP.. will do wonders for building strength you will need, I tore both my rotator cuffs trying various other programs, split/full body/ you name it, I tried it. Bieng our size we need to be EXTRA careful of our joints. carrying that weight around has already done some damage.
Deadlifts. They used to be murder on my back. Again, following his guide for form etc: Has taught me to use my other muscles to do the work. From an obese persons standpoint. This is the best thing out there.
Weight training in general at our size will help with the loose skin. No matter what, we WILL have a lot, but TRUST me, the awfulness of the saggy triceps, the belly skin to your knees.. Dude.. trust me.. coming from a beginning weight 400+ lb. woman, that got down low into the 200's and had to stop the weights for injuries,,,,, lost definition, strength and sees what the body could REALLY look like.. duuuuuudddddeeeee... strength train... all Imma say....
I get you. I think I've got a good plan to follow through with now thanks to you and other replies. Thanks!0 -
Disagree. I use weight lifting ALL THE TIME when I take a client on to help them lose weight. I don't emphasize dieting, but reducing calorie intake.Diet is for weightloss, lifting weights is so you dont look like crap once you lose all the weight. Dont use weightlifting to lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Stronglifts is 3 days a week. Do cardio the other 3 days and take one day off. I think doing that is the perfect combination of strength training to work on muscle and cardio to burn fat.
^^^ THIS ^^^
Also SL 5x5 will also increase your balance, your spacial awareness, your flexibility, and your form. You will gain so much confidence in your body it will help empower you to drop the pounds. It's a simple, straight-forward routine that pretty much covers the whole body. As you gain strength and lose pounds you can also work in some accessory work or isolations.
Arnold himself said SL5x5 was a great system for beginners (although he wished it had pull-ups LOL)
So, M-W-F do SL5x5, T-Th-Sa do cardio, Sun rest and prepare meals for the week.
BUT YOU MUST STICK WITH IT AND BE CONSISTENT!
Also make sure you are eating clean and healthy and getting your 8 hours of sleep in.0
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