Cardio?? Running...blah

T

treehugger

New member
I've been taking tae kwon do for about a year. Some classes kick butt and get the heart rate going, but some not so much (*I could be just getting in better shape...lol) Anyway, I'm thinking I need some more actual cardio during the week in addition to my TKD workouts. I've tried running, I'm up to 15 minutes and then walk on and off for the next 15, but truth be told I HATE running! Is there anything else that is comparable, like jump roping, working out on the heavy bag...anything??? I'm not sure why I hate it so much, I just do. If it's the absolute best, I'll suffer through, just looking for something a little more enjoyable.

Thanks in advance for any suggustions.:)
 
Heavy bag training is pretty intense, I would assume you could get the same results (heart rate wise). Plus a full body workout.
 
get yourself a timer, do a round of INTENSE heavy Bag, and then a round of jump roping, rinse, repeat.
 
i hate cardio with a passion. so i don't do it either. and as you can see from my pics in progress thread, i don't believe for one second it's needed for fat loss. hell, i think it's dam near use useless for fat loss (if we're talking steady state that is)

find more dynamic things to do. sprinting, boxing, jumprope if thats your bag. I like weights myself. Nothing turns my into a sweaty gasping heart pounding mess better than heavy squats. Thats all the cardio I need. lol
 
I won't say it's useless ... there are plenty of people who have lost a LOT of weight using ss-cardio in some form or another. I didn't know anything about any other kind of cardio until after I'd lost about 50 lbs. For me it was 30-45 mins on the elliptical every day ... and it made a HUGE difference.

But at some point your body does become accustomed. That's how our bodies work: we are genetically designed to adapt to our environment and become efficient. The problem there is that being "efficient" at exercising is counter productive, when you're trying to lose weight. ;)

So at some point you have to change up the ss-cardio (if you started out that way). That's why HIIT cardio or even just regular interval training is more efficient ... because it doesn't give your body a chance to become "efficient".

There are tons of different types of cardio besides running on the treadmill. Anything that gets your heart rate elevated and works your lungs and heart is going to qualify as cardio - whether ss or interval or HIIT. Running, elliptical, bike riding, swimming, roller blading, weight lifting, dancing ... the list could go on for a while.

A good bout of weight lifting that gets your heart rate going is most definitely a cardio workout as well as a strength workout. Like Jynus said, a serious set of squats can definitely count for cardio - so can jumping rope, going after the heavy bag ... all those things. The idea behind cardio (whether ss- or interval) is to keep it up for 20-30 mins.

Switching back and forth between jumping rope, hitting the heavy bag, doing squats, whatever ... it's all good. Just keep your heart rate up there and you'll be fine. :)
 
As a suggestion, do an exercise that you enjoy. Something that you can do "every other day". If its fun, one makes it part of their living lifestyle.

For example:
- Walk up 10+ flights of stairs instead of taking the elevator. If walking up is too much, try walking down for the first few weeks.
- Jump / skip rope - it that's your thing.
- Jog 1 block, walk 1 block, repeat - if that's your thing.
- Swimming - even having fun in public pool is good.
- Speed walk with 2 lbs or 3 lbs hand weights in each hand. Wave them from hips to lower chin during 1 block, then walk with arms over my head the next bloc, then walk while doing horizontal chest swings the next block and repeat. If wondering, I like doing this 4 mile exercise every other night. Works for me.
- Stationary bike while wearing cordless head phone while watching TV works great as well.

These tasks work on my body. Hopefully, these "fun to me" exercise tasks are enjoyable for you as well. As implied, if it's fun, people will do the tasks as a routine. Just like brushing one's teeth and having a shower every day. Thus, win-win in the long run...

.
 
Jynus said:
i hate cardio with a passion. so i don't do it either. and as you can see from my pics in progress thread, i don't believe for one second it's needed for fat loss. hell, i think it's dam near use useless for fat loss (if we're talking steady state that is)
Click to expand...

It seems you let your personal biases regarding steady state cardio impact the quality of advice you give. Generally I agree with things you advise people but you have a tendency to paint this ugly picture when it comes to aerobic exercise.

Are you a professional in the industry? I can't remember if you're a trainer or not... I'm curious though.

The nut of it is simple: There are many modes, intensities and volumes of exercise and, on their own merits, none of them are good/bad, useful/useless. Context is a powerful thing in the world of training.

"Useless for fat loss"

?

Fat loss isn't providing enough context. Are we talking about a brand spanking new, obese female who has never exercised a day in her life who's interested in fat loss or are we talking about a trained veteran looking to crank up the intensity a bit in his quest to single digit body fat?

The application of exercise and the associated advice must be tailored to the individual. Even with the same goal, what's useful for one may be harmful for another.

My concern is this: With your wording in a number of threads now pertaining to steady state cardio you paint an either/or proposition and that's not fair to those members who might actually need such exercise. Your words have the ability to leave the unsuspecting novice who doesn't know any better confused and thinking negatively about something that might actually be "just what the doctor ordered."

Hopefully you don't view this as a personal attack... but my advice to you would be to use a more rigorous standard in terms of your advice to people. I only say this b/c I believe I remember you saying you're a professional in the industry and wearing that hat requires a higher level of critical assessment, unbiased thought, and individualized attention when dealing with the various populations we invariably deal with.

If you're not a professional, than I swallow my words. Then you're just "some guy" who's been successful with fat loss sharing what's worked for him.

But even then, nothing... and I truly do mean nothing in this industry is either/or.
 
KaraCooks said:
But at some point your body does become accustomed. That's how our bodies work: we are genetically designed to adapt to our environment and become efficient. The problem there is that being "efficient" at exercising is counter productive, when you're trying to lose weight. ;)

So at some point you have to change up the ss-cardio (if you started out that way). That's why HIIT cardio or even just regular interval training is more efficient ... because it doesn't give your body a chance to become "efficient".
Click to expand...

Have you read this article from Lyle?

 
A question regarding "the body becoming accustomed...." My husband runs 45 minutes per day, will his body get used to this thus making it seem like he's doing nothing? OR, is it if he wants to continue to lose fat, he'll need to mix it up to confuse the body. It won't ultimately become null and void of health benefits, will it?

My mind also wonders, what happens when he's (70 just threw that out there, he's 47) and he might not be able to run the 45 minutes, will the weight just pile back on? We're really "into it" right now and putting a lot of time in, what happens if we can't so much at some point.....just trying to look into our futures.
 
treehugger said:
My husband runs 45 minutes per day, will his body get used to this thus making it seem like he's doing nothing?
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hey hun, as long as your hubby is keeping his body moving (in this case with running), then he's doing great and in no way can it be equated to being 'nothing' as may have been suggested.
 
wow, thanks steve for the article, i just read it all and it really does clear things up. i'm next going to read his long series of 'steady state vs interval training' articles.

the one thing i like about him is that he's quoting from peer reviewed journals and not from some blog he read or something he heard...it's solid sources, and second i like the fact that he doesn't claim that his word is law but instead puts alot of stuff out there for people to think about.

i think the article should be put in the stickies because there's lots of unsuspecting newbies (and regulars) who are now under the impression that doing ss cardio is equivalent to doing 'nothing'.
 
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doing ss cardio is equivalent to doing 'nothing'.
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I'm a little frustrated that this statement keeps getting put out there.

I don't think at any point that I said ss-cardio = "nothing". I said it becomes LESS EFFICIENT, which is not anywhere near the equivalent of "nothing". Less efficient is still something ... and yes, I read the article by Lyle and I agree with most but not all of what he says. I've also read other articles (from reputable sources which I can find on my other computer at home if I need to) that talk about why HIIT works well for weight loss than ss-cardio ... not because ss-cardio is "nothing" but because it provides a more intense workout and a longer after-burn in a shorter period of time. It means that people aren't required to put in hours of cardio in order to get the same metabolic effect.
 
Jynus said:
i hate cardio with a passion. so i don't do it either. i don't believe for one second it's needed for fat loss. hell, i think it's dam near use useless for fat loss (if we're talking steady state that is)
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hey kara,
i guess i was trying to do the right thing and not call anyone out. i actually was talking about jynus who in his last very many posts to various users has repeatedly referred to ss cardio as "useless". the problem with making a blanket statement like that is because it's implying that one might as well be sitting down watching telly instead of doing ss cardio....

case in point, the user treehugger who started this thread comes back to ask if her husband who is currently doing 45mins of running is doing 'nothing'.
treehugger said:
My husband runs 45 minutes per day, will his body get used to this thus making it seem like he's doing nothing?
Click to expand...

i'm just saying that it's one thing to support one type of cardio over another...but it's another thing altogether to totally discard one over the other.
 
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Cardio Does Suck

i hate cardio more than anything til, i read about a technique called "guerilla cardio" its only 12 minutes and its very intense. minute 1-4 do a light jog, minutes 5-8: sprint for 20 seconds then rest for 10 seconds, sprint for 20 rest for 10. minutes 9-12 is the cool down, so do a light jog! This kicks butt!!
 
cherrygarcia said:
wow, thanks steve for the article, i just read it all and it really does clear things up. i'm next going to read his long series of 'steady state vs interval training' articles.

the one thing i like about him is that he's quoting from peer reviewed journals and not from some blog he read or something he heard...it's solid sources, and second i like the fact that he doesn't claim that his word is law but instead puts alot of stuff out there for people to think about.

i think the article should be put in the stickies because there's lots of unsuspecting newbies (and regulars) who are now under the impression that doing ss cardio is equivalent to doing 'nothing'.
Click to expand...

Lyle's one of the most well researched guys you're going to find out there.
 
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