Comments on: Say YES To Cardio

By: Jeffrey343

Jeffrey343 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:50:48 +0000

Good point about the age thing. I should clarify my remarks by saying that the vast majority of folks who are more “cardio-only” and look really good are the younger ones. Those under 30 can get away with it much more easily. I could, and I still can do OK at 43. My wife (now 42) used to be able to easily walk off a couple of pounds over a week. I think a big difference between her and me (other than her being a woman and thus naturally having a harder time losing fat for no reasons other than gender stuff) is that I have never gone too long without working out intensely. Just 2.5 years of nothing but very occasional running between 1999 and 2002; other than that, I’ve been good at running frequently and / or lifting weights pretty hard. She and I have been able to work out together with increasing consistency the past year (the kids are now old enough to stay at home alone, or they’re at swim practice). I think she needs the weight lifting more than I do, although I certainly benefit from it. And I had forgotten how much I enjoy lifting weights in addition to running.

I think I’ve hit upon a pretty good routine – do some bodyweight exercises (pushups, pullups, single-leg squats – stuff like that), then hit the weights hard for about 45 minutes (concentrating on the Big 7, although we may start doing lower body one day and upper body the next day), then run 2 – 4 miles. I’ve been very surprised how I actually run very well after weights. I’m definitely fairly zonked, but that doesn’t at all make me struggle to get in a good run – quite the opposite. I suspect it is partially because I’ve burned through all the muscle glycogen and have primed my body to burn fat. Plus my muscles are definitely warmed up. Whatever it is, it is working for me. As for my wife… I think she’s a bit more zonked than me, and she isn’t having that effect – yet.

By: Darrin

Darrin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:00:26 +0000

@Jeffrey343 – yeah, you never know who will comment on what! And I really appreciate your comments. I might disagree slightly with your conclusions about only cardio being sufficient for anyone (you mention that possibly someone who is already fit might not need weight training). Part of this has to do with how we define “fit” – I define “fit” as “look-feel-do”. You need to look good, feel (and be) healthy from a doctor’s point of view, and be able to do everything in life you want to do. For a while, you can achieve all of these with only cardio. And for a while you can make do with only weights. But long term (especially those of us over 40 and even over 60), you need both. Cardio won’t slow sarcopenia (the term for muscle loss as we age). A lot of cardio-only people start to really have problems as they age because they lack any muscular strength.

By: Jeffrey343

Jeffrey343 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:52:59 +0000

I’m surprised there haven’t been more comments here, since this has become such a controversial topic. I’ve given it quite a bit of thought. I do think someone who is fit – slim with reasonable muscles – can stay fit with nothing but cardio and a decent diet (nothing extreme, but not eating tons of calories day in & day out). I think cardio for someone who is fit will somehow allow them to keep decent muscle mass. But I do think it is hard to lose a lot of weight with just cardio or with just cardio & diet. That’s where I think the weight training becomes such a big factor. And I think that’s where the main controversy lies.

I did manage to lose 30 pounds in late 2002 primarily with running (along with pushups & slight improvement in diet). But I had been a runner (pretty decent) off & on since 9th grade, and I had lifted weights very regularly for six years until late 1999. So my starting point was pretty good. But I can definitely see where someone who is starting from a less-fit point would have trouble losing weight with only cardio.

By: Rodolfo

Rodolfo — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:50:05 +0000

Tha cardio that sucks are those 30min for fat loss and so on. People who say that cardio is good are those people that had stopped in the 70´s along with doctor cooper. After you feel the power of the endorphins, you become addicted to it and with adaptation you must run longer distances to feel it again. That is the real shit, the narrow minded people that only says:” do 30 or more for fat loss at low intensity d´oh”. Everytime that i do low intensity cardio my belly stays there and my muscles go away, that is completely shit. If you do it wisely, interval training and hihg intensity cardio, you´re fine. Otherwise, go home and…Here there is a running group, 90% of the runners are fat, and they are running since 2005, and the are still fat. Go figure

By: Jeffrey343

Jeffrey343 — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:05:21 +0000

It does get very confusing with all the articles and books about the uselessness of cardio. That does seem to be a big trend at the moment…

I look at fitness as being a triangle – one side diet, one side resistance training, and one side cardio. For me personally, the cardio side has been the “longest” side. I would categorize myself foremost a runner. When I’m running 25+ miles a week on a consistent basis, I’m at my leanest. I definitely tend to eat better when I’m in that zone, and I’ve always tried to do pushups on most days. So it’s still a triangle. I’ve had good results with that in the past. If I lift weights with no cardio, I bulk up (and it’s not all muscle…). I’ve not had problems because of a less-than-optimal diet in the past, but I’ve benefitted lately from a cleaner diet.

I’ve had better results the last few months with really focusing on eating, plus adding a good weight-training routine. Part of this is because I’m kind of being a personal trainer for my wife. Her body has not responded to a lot of running as well as mine has – cases like that are most likely why many “experts” are denouncing cardio. So she and I are making a concerted effort to eat better, and we’re lifting weights together. That is helping her, and I’m benefitting too.

By: Cameron

Cameron — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:33:28 +0000

Good post Darrin. I agree 100%. As the opposite side of you, I don’t do much cardio, because I can’t afford the calorie loss (You can only eat so much). I also find machines boring. So… I find ways of making what little cardio I do fun, like the speed ladder. But, I am an exception. Most people arent overactive 21 yr. olds, so some cardio is highly recommended. In fact, of all my clients only one of them have I reduced the amount they do.