If your only
If you want to improve your health, lose inches, and have more energy, weight lifting is the way to go. Certainly there are advantages to cardio and I do do cardio about 3x a week but I see that as something that I'm doing for my heart/lungs and because I enjoy it. Not something related to shaping my body and weight loss.
So it's okay to lift because you like how it looks, among other reasons, but it's not okay to run because you like how it looks, among other reasons?
Your house is glass, too.
You missed the point.
Nobody is saying it's bad to run just because you like how it looks, the problem is that women are often chased away from lifting weights because they're afraid they're going to bulk up and look like men.
In reality weight lifting will not necessarily do that and while you CAN bulk up if you want, you'd probably have to consciously want to do that, go on a special diet, etc.
To get the best results, it's good to mix both cardio and strength training anyway. I have a good mix of both in my exercise routine and I personally like what it's doing for me.
I do both also. I have been an athelete, was on swim team, on track and field and I lead aerobics back in my day. When I was doing aerobics 2 times a week with the majority of my workouts with strength training I looked 100 times better! Leaner, sexier then I ever did as a runner, or a swimmer. Depends on what you like and if you have time to run all day. I don't. My strength training I'm done in 30mins. Carido is great for lung and heart, but it doesn't work ALL your muscles. Like your back for instance. The health benefits you gain from strength training alone is why I do it. I do cardio for my heart and lungs and because I like it. But when I FEEL tight when I dance in my core or when I need to carry a ton of groceries....man flexing those muscles and using them BEATS it ALL!!!!!
I believe in doing primarily strength training. I do interval training where you move quickly from one exercise to the next and so I get both strength and cardio benefits because by not stopping for breaks I keep my heart rate up in the cardio zone. Additionally, studies have shown that you have a higher caloric burn for up to 3 *days* after an intense strength training session. It's called after burn. You don't get that benefit from cardio. Finally, muscle is metabolically active, so the more you have of it the more calories you burn even just sitting around. I do believe in doing a little cardio- I do about 5 hours of strength training and 2 hours of cardio a week.
And for what it's worth, when I was at my absolute skinniest (130) I could lift twice what I can lift right now. I never bulked up, I looked insanely skinny. The bulk in my photo, unfortunately, is of the fat variety.
Last edited by EagleRiverDee; 10-27-2011 at 07:29 PM.
when I need to carry a ton of groceries....man flexing those muscles and using them BEATS it ALL!!!!!
Haha I totally love feeling strong! I accidentally smashed a glass jar the other day and I'm sure it wouldn't have happened before I started weight training!
I don't know which posts were in response to mine, but I'll just clarify the point I was trying to make in general.
#1: What I had a concern with is the fallacious logic that "well, the prototypical runner looks like X, the prototypical body builder looks like Y, I like X so I'm only going to run."
Lifting doesn't make you look like a body builder, and any smart runner incorporates lifting into his/her regimen to cross-train and avoid injury.
#2: There is nothing wrong with preferring one body type over another. What I have a problem when health is sacrificed for vanity. If I eat 800 calories a day I'll probably get down to an 'ideal' body size, but I will sacrifice nutrition in the process. If I completely avoid lifting because I want to look like a very skinny runner, I sacrifice muscle, joint, and bone strength in the process.
To me, skipping out on calories/nutrients for the sake of achieving a certain body type is the same as skipping out on fundamental exercise our body needs for the sake of achieving a certain body type. It is not treating your body well.
i think you all blew my comment way out of portion. i run and do lifting. and i was talking about body builders. and i think a feale body builder is MANLY.. i think a pro runner is SEXY thats all i was saying.. and theirs a difference between me and a runner and most of you who claim to lift and a bodybuilder so take a brake from ranting.....
and running has toned my whole body amazingly.. i lost inches that i havent seen gone since jr high and that was before i started light weight training....
brillmama thanks for clarifying your comment. I'm sorry some of us took out of proportion. It did it elicit further discussion and elaboration on a topic that hopefully was useful to the OP and others. It sounds like we're actually all on the same page...
