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Fashionable Gaian

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Strength training is in no way comparable to a real cardio workout.

It is a combination of both and diet that gives the best results in fat percentage and body shape.
Akriltoh

It's true that it burns more calories than cardio (cardio only burns calories while you are doing it, as opposed to weights which increases metabolism for the next 48 hours). However you'll still want to do cardio for your heart health.


Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

Your metabolism doesn't see a significant increase for 48 hours after lifting weights. Where did you hear such nonsense? Pretty sure that it doesn't matter if you're doing cardio or weight lifting, but the majority of the calories are burned while performing either and the extra calories burned shortly after your workout is negligible.

With that, the average cardio session burns more calories than the average weight lifting session. Even if you upped the levels to more advanced exercises the cardio equivalent still most likely wins out in an equal time frame.

As for the OP

If you just want to be healthy then cardio is going to be the route to go. That doesn't mean to not lift weights, but just from a "yeah I wanna stay healthy" standpoint then cardio is definitely the better option.
Absolute Virtue
Akriltoh

It's true that it burns more calories than cardio (cardio only burns calories while you are doing it, as opposed to weights which increases metabolism for the next 48 hours). However you'll still want to do cardio for your heart health.


Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

Your metabolism doesn't see a significant increase for 48 hours after lifting weights. Where did you hear such nonsense? Pretty sure that it doesn't matter if you're doing cardio or weight lifting, but the majority of the calories are burned while performing either and the extra calories burned shortly after your workout is negligible.

With that, the average cardio session burns more calories than the average weight lifting session. Even if you upped the levels to more advanced exercises the cardio equivalent still most likely wins out in an equal time frame.


No sorry that's just not the case. For one, dong weight training is equivalent to running a 7 minute mile if you did each for the same amount of time. And yeah, your metabolism DOES increase immediately after weights for 48 hours due to the need to repair the muscle tissue and grow.
Please do some research before telling me I'm wrong.
Akriltoh

No sorry that's just not the case. For one, dong weight training is equivalent to running a 7 minute mile if you did each for the same amount of time. And yeah, your metabolism DOES increase immediately after weights for 48 hours due to the need to repair the muscle tissue and grow.
Please do some research before telling me I'm wrong.


You're seriously a troll, right? I really hope you're a troll.

Your average weight lifting session is not the equivalent of running a 7 minute mile. Lifting a moderate weight for 8 reps and then resting for 30 seconds between a set is not the equivalent of a 7 minute mile. Doing a moderate superset and then resting for 2-3 minutes before the next is not the equivalent of a 7 minute mile.

Where the hell are you getting this information from? The guys doing broscience at the gym? Any bodybuilder worth their salt will tell you that when it comes to burning calories that cardio is going to much better meet that demand than lifting weights.

Whatever metabolic demands you think you're talking about are negligable at best. Seriously, it'd be like me saying that you should go roll around naked on a wool rug because for the next 30 minutes you'll burn more calories due to the need to scratch yourself.

But here you go

Quote:
J Sports Sci. 2006 Dec;24(12):1247-64.
Effects of exercise intensity and duration on the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.
LaForgia J, Withers RT, Gore CJ.

School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA. joe.laforgia@unisa.edu.au
Recovery from a bout of exercise is associated with an elevation in metabolism referred to as the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). A number of investigators in the first half of the last century reported prolonged EPOC durations and that the EPOC was a major component of the thermic effect of activity. It was therefore thought that the EPOC was a major contributor to total daily energy expenditure and hence the maintenance of body mass. Investigations conducted over the last two or three decades have improved the experimental protocols used in the pioneering studies and therefore have more accurately characterized the EPOC. Evidence has accumulated to suggest an exponential relationship between exercise intensity and the magnitude of the EPOC for specific exercise durations. Furthermore, work at exercise intensities >or=50-60% VO2max stimulate a linear increase in EPOC as exercise duration increases. The existence of these relationships with resistance exercise at this stage remains unclear because of the limited number of studies and problems with quantification of work intensity for this type of exercise. Although the more recent studies do not support the extended EPOC durations reported by some of the pioneering investigators, it is now apparent that a prolonged EPOC (3-24 h) may result from an appropriate exercise stimulus (submaximal: >or=50 min at >or=70% VO2max; supramaximal: >or=6 min at >or=105% VO2max). However, even those studies incorporating exercise stimuli resulting in prolonged EPOC durations have identified that the EPOC comprises only 6-15% of the net total oxygen cost of the exercise. But this figure may need to be increased when studies utilizing intermittent work bouts are designed to allow the determination of rest interval EPOCs, which should logically contribute to the EPOC determined following the cessation of the last work bout. Notwithstanding the aforementioned, the earlier research optimism regarding an important role for the EPOC in weight loss is generally unfounded. This is further reinforced by acknowledging that the exercise stimuli required to promote a prolonged EPOC are unlikely to be tolerated by non-athletic individuals. The role of exercise in the maintenance of body mass is therefore predominantly mediated via the cumulative effect of the energy expenditure during the actual exercise.
Not doing both.
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Hilarious Smoker

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3nodding
Do both! lift weights but do it so you can make it cardio. like when I do my arms I start with flyers then go to curls and then tri ext maybe even do some low pull but alternate things so you aren't working the exact same muscle and just keep doing it with short breaks. Just my opinion smile

Lunatic

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Both are quite beneficial and play hand in hand with each other. If anything a proper workout would be mostly focusing on the weights then dedicatinng a little time to tending to cardio.

Going to work on your muscles might as well tend to the heart as well for a little per each passing gym visit. ;3

I commonly spend between 5 to 15 minutes per gym visit to tend to cardio - lift for an hour then revisit doing cardio for 5 to 15 more minutes.
yeah but do toning not heavy lifiting

Ursine Comrade

What Barbie weights done for high repetitions can do however is to contribute to occupational overuse syndrome, as repetitive movements with light weight would stress the tendons more than the muscle bellies that you want to stimulate.

So for goodness sakes, don't go much more than over 12 reps per set, lower even, depending on the muscle.

EDIT: There are cases of very strong people doing high reps with seriously heavy weights, but those instances are mainly due to them not being able to find weights that challenge them for that particular movement, like when Matt Kroc does Kroc rows.

Shy Genius

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Weight lifting is better.
Both are good, but weight lifting accomplishes many more goals.
If your doctor said weightlifting is better then running, you need a new doctor.

Tipsy Millionaire

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Oh wow, there is so many ******** retards here that don't know what they're talking about or they preach bro-science.

Basically,

Weightlifting will burn more calories than cardio generally, also, the more lean body mass you have (muscle) the more calories you will burn at rest.

The only difference with cardio is that it trains your cardiovascular endurance (your heart).

So technically your doctor is completely correct. Although some cardio is advise-able just to keep your heart healthy.
Weight lifting is better then cardio because you burn alot of fat while lifting wieghts. Also once you start to develop muscles your metabolism goes up and you burn more calories while resting.

Magnetic Explorer

Hey Hey Beautiful
I got into weight lifting because my best friend is into it. My doctor also said it's better than cardio, burns more calories, and builds muscle. I don't want to be ripped, just healthy.

Is it truly better than cardio?



Hey hey beautiful,

Okay first off, your doctor is insane too even mention something like that. My thoughts on doctors is that they are regular people like you and I, granted---they are constantly dealing with case after case about colds, disease etc.. They also have access to your medical/family history to narrow down these variables. I'm not saying they don't know what they are doing but they do however need to "guess" whenever you get a cold or flu or some illness and narrow down whatever you have by asking questions and connecting the symptoms etc. Not any one doctor nor person in the matter can be 100% positive about it because the human body is just amazing in its functionality and how it responds and triggers things. Anyway i'm getting off topic here---my point is they have a great sense of general health and wellness but don't ask them something you'd ask a personal trainer or a fitness expert

Continuing on I think a lot of people here are giving out personal opinions which is completely fine but whichever advice you take, I'd still recommend you caution yourself and do which is better for you and not jump into something until you do some research of your own.

my opinion on the matter:
like a few people have already mentioned, strength training, cardio, and stretching all have its benefits as well as its differences in how they effect the body but what is it that you are trying to achieve? what i get for your response is a general overall healthy condition so.....
weight lifting is great---lift light to moderate weights in repetitions of 15-20 for 3-5 sets 2x a week to get toned, you won't really have to worry about bulking up, but remember more mass = more burning of calories throughout your day
cardio is awesome---not only does it strengthen your heart and lungs but it also helps your body use oxygen better which in turn makes breathing easier, increases your endurance for day to day activities AND reduces your heart rate and blood pressure. aim for doing cardio for a minimum of 20 mins, 3x a week. work your way up too---do 10 mins for the first couple weeks until you are comfortable. H.I.I.T. (high intensity interval training) will help you get that leaner look by burning fat but take caution if you are practicing this for the first time.
stretching is amazing---not only does it feel good to have a great stretch, your body needs it! stretching helps to prevent muscle strain and injuries. it also helps your body's ability for motion and increases flexibility! a good stretch in the morning after a hot shower will get you roaring to go, a nice gentle stretch at night that includes your back will help you sleep better! ---stretching used to be done only before working out, now there's support for static stretching before a warm up as well as after a workout has been completed, but during (in between sets) ballistic stretching is great too.
nutrition---overall, how your body will feel, is very dependent on what you EAT. I personally believe in the 80/20 rule, meaning 80% is dependent on your diet, 20% on exercise. i can write forever on nutrition as well but lets keep it simple by saying.... WATCH WHAT YOU EAT.


again this is just another piece of advice---from a fitness enthusiast, avid user of p90x, crossfit, the daily 10 etc.. with all the new things we are learning and discovering about the body and its responses and its variations from person to person---its hard to say which is best so a combination of the 3 is great, remember all great things come in 3's...ignore the third wheel thing biggrin

and of course, get your doctor's approval before starting an exercise program since he/she will know your medical history and will know if there are things you should AVOID.

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