Is cardio/weights alone enough?

[Reese777]

Hi Everyone,

I have gone thru some really dark times the past few months with my workout routine and I've gained enough weight that I only have a few items in my wardrobe that fit me. It's inCREDIBLY deflating..(well I WISh it were deflating - haha- it's dePRESSING!). I have had some pain in my left ankle that my physical therapist says is due to extreme lack of mobility in my calf muscles...apparently they are way under stretched....so, I'm working on that. In the mean time, I find myself frustrated over working out in general because I don't know how to balance the cardio and weight training. I feel almost like I gravitate to one or the other because I don't know how to intermingle them in a week. Does that make sense? I guess I'm wondering if it's enough to just do one or the other for a week at a time. Anyone out there that could give me some tips would help me out alot.

Also, if I make a list of the Cathe workouts I have, would anyone be willing to help me put a rotation together? I've looked at a lot of them on the forum, but I can't do any of them becuase I don't have all of the workouts.

:7

 

[kathryn]

Hi, Reese.
First, I don't see how the question in your title really relates to the quesitons in your post?

Please do post the workouts you have and want to use, and we can give you some ideas for rotations.

In the meantime, here are some basic templates for both cardio and weights:

You can alternate days of cardio and weights:

Day 1: lower body weights
Day 2: cardio
Day 3: upper body weights
Day 4: cardio (interval)
Day 5: full body weight workout
Day 6: cardio
Day 7: stretch

or
Day 1: full body weights
Day 2: cardio (interval)
Day 3: full body cardio
Day 4: cardio
Day 5: cardio/weights circuit workout
Day 6: stretch/yoga
Day 7: off

Or you can work more with cardio/weight circuits:
Day 1: cardio/weight circuit
Day 2: cardio
Day 3: cardio/weight circuit
Day 4: off/stretch
Day 5: cardio/weight circuit
Day 6: cardio
Day 7: off/stretch

There are many ways of setting up a rotation, and they don't always have to be over 7 days. You can take more days off, or have more 'stretch-only' days. For now, make sure you do the stretches at the end of the workouts (when you are warmed up), maybe adding in some calf stretches.

HTH!

 

[Reese777]

Hi,

I guess I just wondered if it was enough to do one or the other? Just weights or just cardio...does that make sense? Like break it up a week at a time...but I guess weight training every day (unless one body part a day) is too much, right? I get so confused that I do nothing!

In your second option you listed "cardio and weight circuit" - do you mean one body part when you say "weight circuit"?

Sorry so many questions!

 

[allwildgirl]

Reese - a circuit is a workout like Bootcamp, where you alternate doing some cardio and then some weights. Usually it goes:

Cardio segment
Lower Body segment
Upper Body segment

Then you repeat that sequence a few more times, until you've hit all the muscle groups.

I wouldn't suggest doing a week of cardio followed by a week of weights. You need to balance them out more, as in the rotations that Kathryn has suggested above.

 

[kathryn]

>In your second option you listed "cardio and weight circuit" -
>do you mean one body part when you say "weight circuit"?

No, a 'cardio and weight circuit workout" is one that alternates between cardio and weights, like Cardio and Weights (!), Low Impact Circuit, Circuit Max, BodyMax, etc., so you end up getting both forms of exercise in one workout.

I definitely wouldn't do weeks of 'just cardio' or 'just weights.' You can, however, do weeks in which you focus more on one than the other. For exemple, a 'cardio-focus' week could contain some cardio that also tones (step for lower body, kickboxing for upper and lower), and maybe one full-body weight workout. A 'weights focus' week could be working one body part per day, with a bit of cardio (10-15 minutes, maybe) as a warm-up.

Don't apologize for too many questions. That's how we learn things ande get better, isn't it?;-)

 

[aschendell]

The only thing I would like to add to the rotations and advice you have already gotten is that you may want to add a day of yoga into your workout week.....perhaps on a stretch day. This will help you will your flexibility and in turn help with your calf problem.

Good luck...and keep asking questions...we are all here to help!

Debra

we do not remember days....
we remember moments
--Cesare Pavese

http://www.picturetrail.com/aschendell

 

[dorothyrd]

>Hi,
>
>I guess I just wondered if it was enough to do one or the
>other? Just weights or just cardio...does that make sense?
>Like break it up a week at a time...but I guess weight
>training every day (unless one body part a day) is too much,
>right? I get so confused that I do nothing!
>
>In your second option you listed "cardio and weight circuit" -
>do you mean one body part when you say "weight circuit"?
>
>Sorry so many questions!
>

One reason you could be having problems with your calf is because you did not include flexibility training in your routine. Now you have problems. It is the same with cardio and weights. It takes all pieces of training to make a complete healthy routine. Leaving out one, flexibility, strength, cardio, does your body a disservice. You are getting good advise for routines here.

The final element for getting your clothes to fit is diet. For me, I can work-out until the cows come home, but if I don't watch what goes in my mouth carefully, I am one of the cows coming home.