How much cardio v. weight lifting do you do?

2

Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I do 4 days weights 1 day carfio, use to do 3 weights, 2 cardio. But I do bike to and from work (4.8 mile round trip, 2.4 each way)
  • docktorfokse
    docktorfokse Posts: 473 Member
    Lift four times a week, most of the time with about fifteen minutes of treadmill jogging beforehand to warm up. Also,
    Lift heavy weights 3 days per week (full body workouts), cardio 5 to 6 days per week. Always lift before doing cardio.

    Care to explain?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    I do bike to and from work (4.8 mile round trip, 2.4 each way)

    Awesome! I wish I could ride to work more often.
  • kuhndog61
    kuhndog61 Posts: 23 Member
    Wow guys! Thanks so much for the input. Right now I'm lifting twice a week - heavy weights to fatigue and cardio or some type of class (step, kickboxing) 3 times per week. Eating as clean as possible also, heavy protein.

    You guys rock
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Weights: 3 days a week 45 minutes.

    Cardio: 'uh, whenever I can make myself do it. Maybe twice a week for 30 minutes. Maybe less.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    4 days strength training with 2 days cardio. My cardio is not usually steady state.

    Ditto!!

    My cardio consists of 20 minutes of HIIT training on the treadmill.
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    I usually do 3 days of lifting, with 20 minutes of cardio after, on those 3 days. I also do about an hour of cardio, 3 days a week. One rest day.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    3 days of strength and I try to do 3 days of cardio (running) but sometimes less.
  • Devlyn_P
    Devlyn_P Posts: 294 Member
    3 days heavy lifts 2 days cardio and 1 day 10+ mile run/hike.
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
    at least 3 days of strength, at least 2 days of cardio... all of which are 30 mins to an hour long. sometimes both on one day, sometimes singly, sometimes I am a couchpotato and do neither :)

    I used to do mostly cardio (1st 8lbs lost or so) and I must say the strength has given me MUCH better and MUCH faster results. not to mention even when I technically wasn't losing weight, I still lost inches.

    edit to add - I say at least 2 days cardio but sometimes up to 4 days in a week. just depends on my energy level.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Lifting: Currently on a 2 days on, 1 day off schedule.

    Cardio: 10 min warmp prior to training, 20 min post-training
  • TeresaWash
    TeresaWash Posts: 283
    I do 4 - 5 days of cardio. My weight loss was at a complete stand still, my nutritionist suggested adding a "body pump" class (strength training) lost 8 pounds in the next 5 weeks.

    I now do 4 - 5 days cardio and 2-3 days of strength training.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    I mix all the time. I never do straight cardio unless I'm at home doing a dvd and even then some body weight strength is included like (planks)

    so both for weight loss and "toning" purposes. I have and will be losing over a 100pounds and I don't want loose skin or to lose to much muscle mass by doing just cardio
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
    Fat loss: 2 days heavy cardio, 2 days lifting and moderate cardio, 1 day lifting, 2 rest days.
  • Eleisabelle
    Eleisabelle Posts: 365
    Run 3-4 days per week, 4-5 miles generally with one longer run of 7-10 miles.
    Strength/lifting 2 days per week.
    Yoga (flexibility + body weight) daily.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Heavy weight lifting 4x a week
    Body pump (lifting, but more like cardio as it's endurance) once a week
    Specific cardio, never.

    Cardio is not necessary for losing weight, it just creates a bigger deficit, which I don't need since I eat all my exercise calories back anyway. A general deficit is all you need to make weight loss achievable, whether that's through food or exercise.
    Exercise is great in other ways though (fitness, strength, looking good naked / in a bikini (ie: less flabby!))
  • BeccaLevine
    BeccaLevine Posts: 315 Member
    I do 3-4X a week of lifting, 3-4X a week of cardio. Sometimes I do a lift session followed by some cardio (you burn more calories during your cardio work out when you do this.) Make sure you mix up your lifting and cardio exercises to give your muscles some rest! :)
  • MichelleRenee13
    MichelleRenee13 Posts: 363 Member
    what type of hiit are you folks doing? and what is your work to rest ratio?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I do 4 - 5 days of cardio. My weight loss was at a complete stand still, my nutritionist suggested adding a "body pump" class (strength training) lost 8 pounds in the next 5 weeks.

    I now do 4 - 5 days cardio and 2-3 days of strength training.

    Just an FYI: Body pump class is a cardio class that utilizes weights, it is not strength training. Anything over 15 reps is endurance training, not strength training. Even a body pump instructor on MFP admitted this. Same with all JM videos, they are cardio based with added resistance, not strength training.
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    Usually 2-3 days of weight training, and 4-5 days of cardio, usually running. But I mix it up from week to week, because it gives me a break and challenges different muscles.
  • spazofthedead
    spazofthedead Posts: 175 Member
    I lift heavy 3x a week and run, cycle or play some sport 5x a week. I used to do primarily strength training, but I missed running so added it back in. I have about 15lbs to lose but I'll get there when I get there.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    all weights, no cardio. well, except for walking. i have a knee injury (BUT ITS GETTING BETTER) so weights it is! and its making me CUT! :D

    Me too, well...other than an 8 minute (recently upped) tabata style warmup on the rowing machine.

    3x a week, full strength training, usually at the gym...but, I have a fallback bodyweight routine I can use if I can't get there.

    By the way, the bodyweight routine alone, with heavy bag work on off days...lost me 40lbs in 3mos.
    what type of hiit are you folks doing? and what is your work to rest ratio?

    Anything that gets your heart rate up can be used for high intensity interval training...even weight lifting. That said, I like the rowing machine, or the heavy bag. I follow the tabata format, 20 seconds on...10 seconds rest, 8 sets. I will usually do this for 3 or so rounds if I'm actively doing HIIT. That's how I used to do my heavy bag work (3 rounds, 8 minutes each with 1 minute full rest in between, 20 seconds full out, 10 seconds rest).

    It was...brutal.
  • aj_31
    aj_31 Posts: 994 Member
    I'm trying for weight loss or at least a loss of inches.

    I lift heavy 3x a week sometimes 4 but the program I'm doing calls for 3 days right now.

    I also do cardio - usually elliptical intervals for 30 to 40 min about 3-4x a week as well. Yesterday I ran again for the first time in months and I plan to start doing that to switch things up a little for my cardio.

    As far as weight or inches I'm kind of at a stand still right now. Not seeing much progress so I'm trying to make my diet cleaner and I'm upping my protein to see if that works.
  • VanessaFaith
    VanessaFaith Posts: 171 Member
    3-4 days of strength (30 - 40 minutes each) and 5-6 days of cardio (1 - 2.5 hours each). This is the way I've lost weight and kept of being 'saggy' and still getting tone. Def do your cardio, but don't neglect strength training!
  • laurcampbell
    laurcampbell Posts: 54 Member
    Lift 5x a week and cardio 2-3x.. But I only do HIIT so as not to lose the muscle I'm building

    If you are lifting 5x a week are you doing target lifting each day and working certain muscle groups with heavy weights, or light full body toning? I am a runner and probably do cardio 5-6x a week but I am what some would call skinny fat because I have hardly any muscle definition so am really trying to work on that...any advise would be great!
    Thanks!! P.S. your arms look fantastic in your pic, great work!
  • jaysonhijinx
    jaysonhijinx Posts: 663 Member
    I'll do some form of cardio 5-6 times a week be it a 30 minute brisk walk to 2 hours of basketball training/shootaround and games. I've just started with lifting recently and lift Mon/Wed/Fri with Saturday as an optional extra if I'm up for it after my comp game.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Monday I teach step (1 hour)
    Tuesday: Lift with a 1 mile warm up (1 hour)
    Wednesday: teach body pump (1 hour) run in the PM (45mins - 1 hour)
    Thursday: Lift with a 1 mile warm up (1 hour)
    Friday rest
    Saturday Lift (1 hour) step (1 hour)
    Sunday rest

    I'm pretty even with a little more cardio.
  • annabanana1786
    annabanana1786 Posts: 48 Member
    Currently lifting 2-3 days a week but thinking about upping it to 4 because I really want to tone up and reshape my body. I do cardio 4-5 days a week depending on my schedule.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I am a runner and probably do cardio 5-6x a week but I am what some would call skinny fat because I have hardly any muscle definition so am really trying to work on that...any advise would be great!
    Thanks!! P.S. your arms look fantastic in your pic, great work!

    My advice would be to do less cardio and start a heavy lifting strength training routine, eating a lot of protein on a slight caloric deficit (no more than 0.5 lbs/week)

    Check out Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5, and New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROLFW)
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    4 days of weight lifting 5 days of cardio which I am going to cut to 4 when I start my next phase in my weight training program since I am going even heavier and less reps.