Cardio vs Strength?
spcr0428
Posts: 51
How much is too much? I'm a cardio person; I like to see my HRM go over 1000 calories a session, and I still have awful arms and a tummy, so that burns more fat.....
I haven't started weight training yet; was going to get to my goal weight to do this. I am on a VERY intense program, and have time for 3 hours a day at the gym.
In 6 weeks, we have a very special trip planned for the month of June, and I really want to hit my goal and zip those size 4/6 shorts; should I stick to cardio now or go ahead and add weights? Also, my highest weight was 310; I am now 183. When I weighed 150 last, I was a size 6 :-) which is my goal (well, actually 135 is, but that will take another year; just trying to make it to June now).
Any hints; I realize this is NOT healthy and NOT a long term solution; but I just have a very short term goal in mind. I have already changed my eating and actually am not worried about gaining anything back because I've grown to love the gym. THANKS!
I haven't started weight training yet; was going to get to my goal weight to do this. I am on a VERY intense program, and have time for 3 hours a day at the gym.
In 6 weeks, we have a very special trip planned for the month of June, and I really want to hit my goal and zip those size 4/6 shorts; should I stick to cardio now or go ahead and add weights? Also, my highest weight was 310; I am now 183. When I weighed 150 last, I was a size 6 :-) which is my goal (well, actually 135 is, but that will take another year; just trying to make it to June now).
Any hints; I realize this is NOT healthy and NOT a long term solution; but I just have a very short term goal in mind. I have already changed my eating and actually am not worried about gaining anything back because I've grown to love the gym. THANKS!
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Replies
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I think you know it already, but you are overtraining. Unless you are training for a specific sporting event you should really limit yourself to about 1 hour of cardio and give yourself rest days. Swap out some of the time at the gym with weight training and throw in some low intensity cardio (as well as cutting back on the cardio in general).0
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I love cardio also and wish I had started strength training sooner. I still do cardio but adding the weights has really helped me look better. I actually find my weight seems to take a drop the day after doing strength training which I did not expect. It is my understanding that the more muscles we have the more calories we will naturally burn. Good luck, you have come so far, don't be afraid to start srength training!0
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May I know your age? Happy to make a recommendation and it will be in favor of strength training.0
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Adding strength training before you get to your goal weight will help retain more muscle mass, giving a tighter / more toned look afterwards.
Also, seeing as you've lost a lot of weight already and are only 183 now, I would go a little slower on the weight loss front, you may be overdoing the cardio. Remember that faster weight loss is not always a good thing. Not just because of the extra muscle loss, but you will also be likely have more excess skin when you lose weight rapidly.0 -
losing 30 lbs in 6 weeks is a completely unrealistic goal. Can you maintain that type of workout schedule for the rest of your life?
Working out 3 hours a day is a good way to end up injured or completely burnt out. Adding weight training to your workout regime is a very good idea. As a diabetic myself, I was told that I should spend more time on the strength training than the cardio. The weight training is where you are going to find real change in your body. You should speak to your doctor and maybe a trainer at the gym about what is the best way to lose weight safetly.0 -
I love cardio also and wish I had started strength training sooner. I still do cardio but adding the weights has really helped me look better. I actually find my weight seems to take a drop the day after doing strength training which I did not expect. It is my understanding that the more muscles we have the more calories we will naturally burn. Good luck, you have come so far, don't be afraid to start srength training!
This. Additionally, don't be afraid to lift heavy. As a female, you won't "bulk up" or turn into She-Hulk, so don't be afraid to do things like Strong Lifts or at least go beyond the Barbie Weights.
The thing you have to remember about cardio vs strength training is that *during a session,* you'll burn fewer calories strength training, but then, if you've done it right, you will burn *more* calories over the next 12 or so hours than you did in the cardio session. Cardio only burns calories while you're doing it, and maybe shortly after. Once you stop, and your heart rate goes down, so does your burn. Additionally, sustained cardio burns lean mass as well as fat, so you should be weight lifting/strength training if for no other reason than to maintain the muscle you have (but if you want to get rid of that "awful tummy and arms," you should also be strength training to gain muscle).
That doesn't mean you have to pick one over the other. If you like a cardio based exercise, by all means, keep doing it. However, if you want to lose more weight, start picking up those heavy things a few times a week and balance your workouts (remember, too, that it's during the rest times that your body gets stronger, so make sure to rest!) between the two.0 -
I love cardio!! I am trying very hard to be a runner and I started strength thraining with that in mind this month! I feel stronger and fitter than I have in years and the strength training is really helping my cardio workouts!! Give it a go!! It is fab!! Also you don't want to lose too much muscle mass from over doing the cardio before trying to build it back up again!!0
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Thanks!!
As far as stregnth; I think I've hard that you burn more afterwards. I have had 5 knee surgeries (yes, 5) and am only 37; played soccer my entire life up until I blew it out completely. Now, I have horrible range of motion, so can't do lunges or squats, and even the leg press my knee gives out; so what else helps quads?
Is 45 minutes, 3 times a week OK for stregnth, and can you still do an hour or 1.5 hours of cardio those days? THanks for all the responses!!! I know it's unrealistic this goal I have, but this intense cardio is not long term. I'm only doing this until June, then planning on 1 hour 5 times a week, plus 3 days of weights :-)0 -
Thanks!!
As far as stregnth; I think I've hard that you burn more afterwards. I have had 5 knee surgeries (yes, 5) and am only 37; played soccer my entire life up until I blew it out completely. Now, I have horrible range of motion, so can't do lunges or squats, and even the leg press my knee gives out; so what else helps quads?
Is 45 minutes, 3 times a week OK for stregnth, and can you still do an hour or 1.5 hours of cardio those days? THanks for all the responses!!! I know it's unrealistic this goal I have, but this intense cardio is not long term. I'm only doing this until June, then planning on 1 hour 5 times a week, plus 3 days of weights :-)
I would suggest you discuss the lower body workouts with your physio.
45 mins 3 x a week for strength is a great goal. You can do cardio on the same day but you should really limit it to no more than 1 hour.
EDIT: 30 minutes would be better than 1 hour, but 1 hour is better than 1 1/2 hours.
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Others have said it but I will say it to. You are over training re: cardio. A person needs approx 30 minutes of quality cardio (30 min of 70 % target HR) at least three times a week.
I used to do 45 min of cardio but I cut back to 35 minutes and added an extra 10 minutes of strength training for a total of 1 hour of gym/exercise time per day.0 -
How much is too much? I'm a cardio person; I like to see my HRM go over 1000 calories a session, and I still have awful arms and a tummy, so that burns more fat.....
I haven't started weight training yet; was going to get to my goal weight to do this. I am on a VERY intense program, and have time for 3 hours a day at the gym.
In 6 weeks, we have a very special trip planned for the month of June, and I really want to hit my goal and zip those size 4/6 shorts; should I stick to cardio now or go ahead and add weights? Also, my highest weight was 310; I am now 183. When I weighed 150 last, I was a size 6 :-) which is my goal (well, actually 135 is, but that will take another year; just trying to make it to June now).
Any hints; I realize this is NOT healthy and NOT a long term solution; but I just have a very short term goal in mind. I have already changed my eating and actually am not worried about gaining anything back because I've grown to love the gym. THANKS!
A body starts in the kitchen. Moderation and portion control is the key. Don't deprive yourself of anything that you like to eat, unless your doctor tells you not to eat certain things due to a health issue. Drink plenty of water, eat 32 grams of fiber a day, take rest days (no exercise) and get enough rest. The body will thank you.
I don't know how many days a week you workout, but you don't have to do 3 hours of cardio a day. I love cardio and I rather do cardio/strength workouts than to do just regular strength training/weight training. If I can suggest two workouts that you can incorporate into your workout routine, they would be Tae Bo Cardio Sculpt and Tae Bo Insane Abs. If you cut your gym workout short, you can fit these workouts into your routine. You will see a difference. Check your local library to see if they have the workouts. Walmart, Target, Barnes and Nobles, Kmart, etc. sell the workouts.
You can preview the workouts here:
Billy's Bootcamp Cardio Sculpt: http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/billys-bootcamp-cardio-sculpt-5969
Tae Bo Insane Abs: http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/billy-blanks-tae-bo-insane-abs-5939[/quote]0 -
I would go ahead and add weights. Too much cardio can actually be worse for fat loss sometimes. Weight training will help with fat loss. If your doing tons of cardio all the time, eventually your body adapts and burns less with the same workouts stalling the fat loss.. I wish I knew the link to the article I read recently. It was about how a lot of marathon runners still have fat they wish they could lose. When they picked up strength training as opposed to constantly running, they started seeing more results.0
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if aesthetics is the goal in order of importance it should be..
1. Diet
2. Resistance training
3. Proper rest and recovery
4. Cardiovascular exercise
cardio is extremely overrated0 -
cardio is extremely overrated
I always hate to read this type of comment. As someone in cardiac medicine I can assure cardio is NOT overrated. Like everything it should be done in moderation but to say it is overrated is irresponsible and ludicrous. There are people on here who will think you know what you are talking about just because you look like you are in shape and follow your advice as gospel. Please think about that responsibility when you are saying such things.
I have seen many muscle bound "healthy" people suffering from cardiac disease because they felt cardio was "overrated". I would rather be not toned and heart heathly vs.some ripped Jersey Shore wannabe who gets shortness of breath walking from the kitchen to the bathroom.0 -
cardio is extremely overrated
I always hate to read this type of comment. As someone in cardiac medicine I can assure cardio is NOT overrated. Like everything it should be done in moderation but to say it is overrated is irresponsible and ludicrous. There are people on here who will think you know what you are talking about just because you look like you are in shape and follow your advice as gospel. Please think about that responsibility when you are saying such things.
I have seen many muscle bound "healthy" people suffering from cardiac disease because they felt cardio was "overrated". I would rather be not toned and heart heathly vs.some ripped Jersey Shore wannabe who gets shortness of breath walking from the kitchen to the bathroom.
Pretty sure you're taking that line out of context. Note the "if aesthetics is the goal" line. Cardio is great for improving the heart, no one is arguing that, but cardio is not the end-all for weight loss and *looking good* that a lot of people think it is. If all you do is cardio for exercise (ie - no strength training), then you end up "skinnyfat" and losing muscle/LBM. It's also proven to be less efficient at burning calories than a good strength training program.
Yes, cardio is overrated. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it ever. It just means people put more stock into it than they should when their goal is weight loss. Do cardio for the sake of your heart, not your waistline.0 -
Adding strength training before you get to your goal weight will help retain more muscle mass, giving a tighter / more toned look afterwards.
This.
But it'll slow your 'weight loss'.
Strictly cardio will lose fat and muscle, making it easier to get lighter.
A cardio + weight routine will slow the loss, but in the end benefit overall body composition.
Do you wanna lose (any) weight, or do you wanna lose (mostly) fat?
It's give and take, baby.0 -
I think you know it already, but you are overtraining. Unless you are training for a specific sporting event you should really limit yourself to about 1 hour of cardio and give yourself rest days. Swap out some of the time at the gym with weight training and throw in some low intensity cardio (as well as cutting back on the cardio in general).
^^This. I feel like it's super important to have VARIETY in your workouts. Doing the same thing over and over creates muscle memory which will cause you to plateau. Keep your muscles constantly guessing by changing it up form cardio to strength to a combination. Maybe even join an amateur sports league.0 -
3 hours of training a day is not going to make you lose more weight. Unless you are 300lbs. With the amount you want to lose the safest is going to be about a pound a week. If you want to increrase your metabolism you need to build muscle. Cardio helps to burn calories in the time you are doing it only. To increase your body's ability to burn more calories all day you need to build muscle. Think of it this way. Cardio is like carbs fast calorie burn. Strength training is like protein more sustained calorie burn over a longer period of time.0
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Cardio is not overrated. Cardio burns fat. A person doesn't have to lift weights in order to lose weight. Strength training is good, but it's not all that.0
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Thanks!!
As far as stregnth; I think I've hard that you burn more afterwards. I have had 5 knee surgeries (yes, 5) and am only 37; played soccer my entire life up until I blew it out completely. Now, I have horrible range of motion, so can't do lunges or squats, and even the leg press my knee gives out; so what else helps quads?
Is 45 minutes, 3 times a week OK for stregnth, and can you still do an hour or 1.5 hours of cardio those days? THanks for all the responses!!! I know it's unrealistic this goal I have, but this intense cardio is not long term. I'm only doing this until June, then planning on 1 hour 5 times a week, plus 3 days of weights :-)
I do about 45 minutes to an hour of strength. I'm the opposite of you, for the most part, I hate cardio and I love strength. Yeah, it doesn't burn as many calories, but it makes me feel like a bad @ss.0 -
If you're happy with the results you're getting and you're still seeing the scale move, keep doing what you're doing.
As other people have said, you really should be doing weight training and cardio, but once you start weight training you could actually see a weight gain for a while. In my experience, once I get into a good rhythm I try to keep doing that for as long as it works. When I plateau or get bored is when I start to change it up.0 -
if u have 3 hours in a gym get a trainer to design a full body circuit program this should take an hour,when this is done do your cardio .bring a protein shake with u and sip it all through the session.so your body has quick access to protien and will not burn muscle as well as fat .your weight loss might slow down but your body shape will become leaner and tighter and that is what you are aiming for
p.s i think 3 hours in one go is to much if u could split it into 2 sessions morning and evening you will get better results0
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