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-   -   Cardio is mostly useless. (https://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=116508)

Aquila King 27-08-2017 05:35 PM

Cardio is mostly useless.
 
Don't get me wrong, it will definitely burn calories and help you to lose weight. And it's certainly useful for staying in shape. But if you're trying to lose weight, the best thing is to build muscle.

Now, if you don't really want to build any more muscle then yeah, stick with cardio. But what people don't seem to understand is that fat is basically your body's fuel, while muscle is the engine. The bigger the engine, the more fuel you burn through at a faster rate. Therefore by building muscle, you burn fat a lot quicker.

Trust me on this, I've been overweight for years now (and it got even worse over a year ago when I went on some medication). I spent a long time doing cardio workouts, running on a treadmill, very slowly getting results. But any real weight loss was barely noticeable. It was when I got fed up with it all and started pumping iron that I'm now finally getting results and fast!

It just seems to me that people greatly over-emphasize so many cardio workouts for losing weight, when they'd really be better off doing some push-ups or something to build muscle.

Idk, that's just my 2 cents worth for the day. :cool:

Silver 27-08-2017 06:00 PM

I've certainly read where the latest from some health gurus say cardio isn't good for you, basically because it is too much and ends up hurting people who do it too much and damage their heart because of it. I agree.

In the 80's I was in the best shape ever, and what I take away from that experience, is that to do a variety of activities is really best. I learned yoga from a book - a 30 day program and I did it religiously every night after work - along with lifting a little free weights (another routine I learned from a book by Gold's Gym), also did a few calisthetics including crunches. And then topped it all off with a little dancing to modern songs.

I also did a little horse-back riding every day.

Btw, I really love your signature poem/saying...did you write that? It's nice.

ambiebambie 27-08-2017 07:15 PM

I agree with you to a point. I don't think you need to do hard core cardio to be in shape. But weight lighting, yoga, and a lot of walking has helped me lose a lot of weight and I just feel stronger.

Aquila King 27-08-2017 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver
I've certainly read where the latest from some health gurus say cardio isn't good for you, basically because it is too much and ends up hurting people who do it too much and damage their heart because of it. I agree.

In the 80's I was in the best shape ever, and what I take away from that experience, is that to do a variety of activities is really best. I learned yoga from a book - a 30 day program and I did it religiously every night after work - along with lifting a little free weights (another routine I learned from a book by Gold's Gym), also did a few calisthetics including crunches. And then topped it all off with a little dancing to modern songs.

I also did a little horse-back riding every day.


I don't necessarily think cardio hurts you unless you do it too much. But that's true with any exercise. There's only so much the body can take. You wanna do some damage so the body can come back stronger, but you don't want the damage to be irreparable. I'm just saying if you want quick fat burning results (and you don't mind gaining a little muscle), cardio is more often than not a waste of time and energy.

I like what you said about variety. I think balance is the key to most things. I'm simply saying that in regards to people trying to lose weight fast, it isn't gonna happen fast if you have low muscle mass. Bodybuilding alone is much more conducive to burning fat than cardio, and therefore when it comes to burning fat, cardio is mostly useless.

That being said, I'm not suggesting we scrap cardio altogether. Gotta work out the heart as well and keep it strong. I just think that given our culture's fitness obsession with losing body fat fast, it makes no sense to have everyone do non-stop cardio workouts. I mean, yeah you'll get results if you keep at it, but it'll take you a lot longer than it would if you just build muscle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver
Btw, I really love your signature poem/saying...did you write that? It's nice.


Thank you. :D Yes I did write it a long time ago actually. I've always had a strange obsession with staring at the moon. My mother thinks I'm a werewolf.

baro-san 27-08-2017 07:21 PM

car·di·o /ˈkärdēō/ noun informal
noun: cardio
cardiovascular exercise
from Greek kardia ‘heart’


So that's what cardio is for: your heart's health.

Cardio exercising isn't intended neither to build muscles (as it doesn't exercise most of your body's muscles), nor to significantly lose weight (as it isn't an efficient calorie burner).

To build muscles, you need muscle targeted exercises (using dumbbells, your body weight, etc.).

Just building muscles isn't enough to lose weight, as they only marginally increase your metabolism. To lose weight you need to intake (eat and drink) less calories.

1 pound of fat = 3500 calories

Men burn more calories than women, young people more than older, active people more than sedentary.

Bottom line: to lose weight you have to intake less calories (it's physics, thermodynamics).

Being overweight is a burden to your body, so it's bad for your health. Don't believe those that tell you to "love yourself fat"! That's bad, irresponsible advice.

WhiteWarrior 06-12-2017 10:47 PM

Cardio has its part in a fitness routine. For one thing you feel you are actually achieving something; doing the body good, does the mind good in turn. For another it firms up your body; after a period of running the weight needle might not move much but you notice the belt is somehow getting longer. There are plenty of muscles that benefit from a good run. And the activity makes your body burn for the rest of the day get a bit higher too. None of this will benefit someone who are eating like Caligula, but combined with some lifting or similar and improving your diet a bit your health will benefit. For some, a little cardio will be just the start they need.

Gem 07-12-2017 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila King
Don't get me wrong, it will definitely burn calories and help you to lose weight. And it's certainly useful for staying in shape. But if you're trying to lose weight, the best thing is to build muscle.

Now, if you don't really want to build any more muscle then yeah, stick with cardio. But what people don't seem to understand is that fat is basically your body's fuel, while muscle is the engine. The bigger the engine, the more fuel you burn through at a faster rate. Therefore by building muscle, you burn fat a lot quicker.

Trust me on this, I've been overweight for years now (and it got even worse over a year ago when I went on some medication). I spent a long time doing cardio workouts, running on a treadmill, very slowly getting results. But any real weight loss was barely noticeable. It was when I got fed up with it all and started pumping iron that I'm now finally getting results and fast!

It just seems to me that people greatly over-emphasize so many cardio workouts for losing weight, when they'd really be better off doing some push-ups or something to build muscle.

Idk, that's just my 2 cents worth for the day. :cool:


I do about 10 minutes on the rowing machine for cardio warmup, and it also mobilises all the muscle groups and joints. I also use it as a mobility drill emphasising dorsi flexion (ankle movement) and scapula retraction.

I train for strength, so it's all barbell - squats, deadlifts, benchpress and overhead press, and other exercises mostly for back.

You're obviously doing he right thing because you are losing fat, and using muscle to work is indeed the 'calorie burner'. Weights provide that intensity and lifting is probably the best fat burner, though high intensity interval cardio training is also excellent.

Building muscle mass... for a new beginner they can build some muscle, gain significant strength and lose fat at the same time, but that's short lived and probably won't be possible after 4-6 months. Building muscle requires a caloric excess, eating more than you burn, so the process of building muscle unfortunately also involves putting on fat.

So, we can only 'burn fat' with the muscle we currently have, and aren't actually building more muscle to burn more fat all at the same time.

After you come down to being lean and cut, if you are interested in continuing with muscle and strength building, you'll need to go on cycles of 'bulking' and 'cutting' - eating a lot to 'bulk' muscle and strength, then eating less to 'cut' the inevitable fat, but getting a lot of protein and eating really clean is the critical thing.

Well, you're doing a great job, and what a positive way to move forward.

blackraven 22-12-2017 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila King
Don't get me wrong, it will definitely burn calories and help you to lose weight. And it's certainly useful for staying in shape. But if you're trying to lose weight, the best thing is to build muscle.

Now, if you don't really want to build any more muscle then yeah, stick with cardio. But what people don't seem to understand is that fat is basically your body's fuel, while muscle is the engine. The bigger the engine, the more fuel you burn through at a faster rate. Therefore by building muscle, you burn fat a lot quicker.

Trust me on this, I've been overweight for years now (and it got even worse over a year ago when I went on some medication). I spent a long time doing cardio workouts, running on a treadmill, very slowly getting results. But any real weight loss was barely noticeable. It was when I got fed up with it all and started pumping iron that I'm now finally getting results and fast!

It just seems to me that people greatly over-emphasize so many cardio workouts for losing weight, when they'd really be better off doing some push-ups or something to build muscle.
Idk, that's just my 2 cents worth for the day. :cool:



Aquila King - I think both cardio and weight training (as well as flexibility) are all equally important. Cardio is the best way to get ones heart rate elevated for a sustained amount of time which is good for ones heart, circulation, blood pressure and brain chemical all firing away. Weight training on the other hand helps one battle the signs of getting older, which usually starts with a lose in muscle mass. It's imperative to keep strength training up every year to continue to be strong all over and prevent such thing as osteoporosis. Then there is flexibility where working on being limber helps to keep joints from stiffening up. I think exercise has to be approached from a holistic approach in order to reap the best benefits from it.

Lucky 1 24-12-2017 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackraven
Aquila King - I think both cardio and weight training (as well as flexibility) are all equally important. Cardio is the best way to get ones heart rate elevated for a sustained amount of time which is good for ones heart, circulation, blood pressure and brain chemical all firing away. Weight training on the other hand helps one battle the signs of getting older, which usually starts with a lose in muscle mass. It's imperative to keep strength training up every year to continue to be strong all over and prevent such thing as osteoporosis. Then there is flexibility where working on being limber helps to keep joints from stiffening up. I think exercise has to be approached from a holistic approach in order to reap the best benefits from it.


I agree.....I'm a weight lifter and very muscular. ...but I also do a lot of cardio that really pushes my heart and breathing.

Why??? Because nobody dies prematurely from NOT having big muscles. ....but people die everyday from NOT taking care of there cardiovascular system.

blackraven 25-12-2017 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lucky 1
Why??? Because nobody dies prematurely from NOT having big muscles. ....but people die everyday from NOT taking care of there cardiovascular system.


Exactly! :smile:


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