cardio vs weight training

"Meaghan" wrote in message
.. .
As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising, I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something regularily (more than
for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

What has worked for other people? Has pure cardio helped? What about
just
weights with no cardio, or is a combination the best approach?

I don't like sitting on a bike for a half an hour, but I am finding the
last
little while that I can do 20 minutes of weights, and feel like I've
accomplished something. I realize good cardio health is necessary, but in
terms of what is the most effective, does anyone have any ideas on the
matter?

I would suggest finding a cardio type activity you enjoy, like bike riding,
skiing, jogging, hiking, etc, and try to get 3-6 hours a week in of that. I
would also try to do the 20 min of weights 3-4 times a week. Perhaps a full
body workout 3 times a week, or an upper/lower split 4 times a week. I'm
not currently lifting weights, but in the past found 20-30 minutes to be
very productive, when I was doing a full body 3 x a week. I also didn't get
tired of it. These days, I get my cardio from marathon stuff on the
weekend - 6 hours of skiing, several miles of hiking, etc. Not too much on
the weekdays. Once I go back to work, I'm planning on buying an elliptical
so I can do 20 minutes every morning before my brain has a chance to
protest!

det

In article
,
"Meaghan" wrote:

As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising,
I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something
regularily (more than for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and
just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

What has worked for other people? Has pure cardio
helped? What about just
weights with no cardio, or is a combination the best
approach?


I have a four day split (back/chest/legs/shoulders)
that takes about 30 -40 minutes to complete, then I do
a half hour of cardio--either stepper, elliptical, or
treadmill, when it's nasty out, or walking/running at
my pace when the weather is decent. I also go to a
pilates class once a week.

Finding what you like and finding a way to follow
through are key. My daughter will start track practice
on Monday, so we made a committment to walk or run 2 to
4 miles every evening. To add to the fun, we've invited
several family members to tag along. We'll all meet at
5:30 and walk, jog, skip, run, skate--whatever you
want--for an hour. Our first meeting is Sunday--I'll
let you know how it goes.

Amy

Meaghan wrote:

As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising, I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something regularily (more than for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

What has worked for other people? Has pure cardio helped? What about just
weights with no cardio, or is a combination the best approach?

I find the most important thing is weights, because that has a
self-re-enforcing element to it for me. If I don't go back then I lose
my strength gains and get DOMS (muscle soreness) all over again. If I'm
really short on time I do a quick cardio warm-up (like run half a mile)
and then do a few lifts. Long-slow cardio is the first to go in my
exercise regimen. I work out four to six times a week, where I get in
two or three weight workouts and however many cardio days I can fit in.

Dally

As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising, I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something regularily (more than for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

What has worked for other people? Has pure cardio helped? What about just
weights with no cardio, or is a combination the best approach?

I don't like sitting on a bike for a half an hour, but I am finding the last
little while that I can do 20 minutes of weights, and feel like I've
accomplished something. I realize good cardio health is necessary, but in
terms of what is the most effective, does anyone have any ideas on the
matter?

Meaghan

--
You can either complain that roses have thorns, or rejoice that thorns have
roses - Ziggy


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Don't drop aerobics for weights. You can't be heart healthy
without aerobics.

Meaghan wrote:

As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising, I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something regularily (more than for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

What has worked for other people? Has pure cardio helped? What about just
weights with no cardio, or is a combination the best approach?

I don't like sitting on a bike for a half an hour, but I am finding the last
little while that I can do 20 minutes of weights, and feel like I've
accomplished something. I realize good cardio health is necessary, but in
terms of what is the most effective, does anyone have any ideas on the
matter?

Meaghan

--
You can either complain that roses have thorns, or rejoice that thorns have
roses - Ziggy

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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.590 / Virus Database: 373 - Release Date: 2/16/2004

"Meaghan" wrote in message
.. .
As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising, I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something regularily (more than
for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

What has worked for other people? Has pure cardio helped? What about
just
weights with no cardio, or is a combination the best approach?

The combination of both works best for me.

I don't like sitting on a bike for a half an hour, but I am finding the
last
little while that I can do 20 minutes of weights, and feel like I've
accomplished something. I realize good cardio health is necessary, but in
terms of what is the most effective, does anyone have any ideas on the
matter?

Find a cardio activity that you enjoy.

Jenn

On Thu, 4 Mar 2004 14:05:15 -0800, "Meaghan"
wrote:

As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising, I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something regularily (more than for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

What has worked for other people? Has pure cardio helped? What about just
weights with no cardio, or is a combination the best approach?

I don't like sitting on a bike for a half an hour, but I am finding the last
little while that I can do 20 minutes of weights, and feel like I've
accomplished something. I realize good cardio health is necessary, but in
terms of what is the most effective, does anyone have any ideas on the
matter?

Meaghan

Well, speaking as someone who loves weightlifting and who has
gradually come to enjoy cardio, here's my advice:

When you ask "Which is most effective?", the question I'd ask you is
"Effective for what?". This is something of an apples vs. oranges
comparison.

Weightlifting per se will not take a pound off your body. It will
make your body look much better, though. It will also increase your
metabolism some. If you don't eat more than before it will help you
lose weight. But with the increased metabolism will come increased
hunger, so you need to not increase your eating to compensate.

Cardio burns calories, and also causes an increased rate of calorie
burning for a few hours after you do it. It's not much of a
substitute for decreased calorie consumption, since it would take a
heck of a lot of cardio to burn off a single pound. But it is an
effective tool in combination with diet -- the other side of the
"calories in, calories out" equation. It also does not tend to raise
appetite as directly as building muscle does.

Both of these types of exercise are really good for you for a whole
lot of reasons apart from weight loss. I'd really recommend that you
split your exercise time to allow for both.

Chris
262/155/ (holding in 152-165 weight class)

I do a combination of cardio and weights. I aim for 30-45 mins of cardio
and 30-45 mins of weights every time I work out.... I work out 4-5x a week.
I also do a lot of stretching and abwork.

"Meaghan" wrote in message
.. .
As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising, I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something regularily (more than
for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

What has worked for other people? Has pure cardio helped? What about
just
weights with no cardio, or is a combination the best approach?

I don't like sitting on a bike for a half an hour, but I am finding the
last
little while that I can do 20 minutes of weights, and feel like I've
accomplished something. I realize good cardio health is necessary, but in
terms of what is the most effective, does anyone have any ideas on the
matter?

Meaghan

--
You can either complain that roses have thorns, or rejoice that thorns
have
roses - Ziggy


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Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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On 15 Mar 2004 19:36:28 GMT, Ignoramus21819
wrote:
I think that avoiding injury during exercise is something that is
merely common sense and applies to any exercise, regardless of
choice. So, my point about any exercise (done safely, as you suggest)
is better than none.
You would think... and yet, so many people injure themselves. In
particular (but not limited to) New-Years-Resolution-ers, and Weekend
Athletes.


Okay, show me some exercise that is a waste of valuable time such that
it would be better not to exercise at all. Stick to reasonable stuff,
not contrived esoterics.
A slow paced 15 minute walk, for example, can be beneficial in other
ways... but as exercise, is pretty negligable... especially if, say,
through a high polutant area (such as a downtown core during busy time
with lots of exhaust fumes, etc.)

At the other extreme, a 90 minute high impact arobic class first time
out can be a waste of time totally giving the newby a bad impression
of exercise ('enough of this - exercise is not for me')

And in between those two extremes you have all sort of things where
the risk (of injury, slipping on ice, being mugged, being run over by
a car, etc. etc.) just doesn't outweigh the benefit. IE. the risk is
minimal, but the benefit is even less so.

"Meaghan" wrote in message
.. .
As one who hates exercising for the sake of exercising, I have been
pondering how to effectively incorporate something regularily (more than
for
a week or two before I get sick of it, bored of it, and just plain don't
want to do it) and will show results.

Maybe you should try exercise that is complex enough to be interesting. A
lot of regular sports have a cardio component. Like, playing soccer can give
you a pretty intensive workout, many team sports do. Some martial arts can
be very intensive as well (I remember my kimono being soaked with sweat and
litterally smoking after randoris). And since you're not working only the
cardio aspect, but also strength, coordination and speed, they're not as
dull as pure cardio.

I don't like sitting on a bike for a half an hour, but I am finding the
last
little while that I can do 20 minutes of weights, and feel like I've
accomplished something. I realize good cardio health is necessary, but in
terms of what is the most effective, does anyone have any ideas on the
matter?

You mean, some people actually enjoy sitting their butt on a static bike at
the gym? :-o At least take the bike out of the gym and go ride some If
you live in a urban area, you might consider stuff like rollerblading, this
can be extremelly intensive (not to mention it's pretty good for leg and
buttocks muscles). Even jogging might feel better than the bike deal. You
might even jog or ride to the gym and arrive pre-heated for the
weightlifting ;-)
Since you seem to like stuff that push your limits (that's what you seem to
hint with weightlifting), maybe slow intensity long duration cardio is just
not for you. You might consider something shorter but higher intensity (just
make sure you heart can stand it, check with your doctor), that gets you
wind up and exhausted... This kind of cardio training is still better than
no cardio at all...