Question for Educated Crowd About Breathing During Exer...

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This may sound silly, but here goes... oh, and I warn you this may be long ....!!! : ) My background is that I have been working out for the past 14 years. I've had periods where I've slowed down my workouts, but typically, in the past two years, I've worked out at least 6 days a week, for at least an hour. I do Cathe tapes, I do Hollywood Trainer, Slim Series, P90X ....but always come back to Cathe. : ) I try to mix up my weights & cardio, so I am getting the benefits of both. I try to do SOME cardio every day. I am doing Cathe's January 2004 rotation right now.
My husband, on the other hand, lifts weights 3 days a week, and rides his bike maybe 1-2 days a week. He just started bike riding about a year ago.
Yesterday, I did a body fat measurement test and was disgusted at how bad my results were, bordering on the "obese" classification.
So, this morning, I decided I would start jogging. My husband went with me, and as we were running, I noticed how AWFUL and WINDED I sounded, yet he was fine. My breathing sounded like I was going to pass out on the spot!!!
So - finally - my question: Why is it, with all the cardio conditioning (approximately 240 minutes a week) I have had, my breathing is so labored; yet my husband, who maybe does a maximum of 90 minutes of cardio a week, sounds fine???
I was hoping someone out there in the educated crowd might be able to answer my question. Thanks in advance!!!
Courtney

 

[Pellmel]

From personal experience it is not that you aren't conditioned - it is that you are not conditioned to that type of exercise. You gasping for breath because your body isn't used to that kind of exercise. You also are new to it, so you may not be very efficient and that will blow you out quickly.
My husband used to be a runner and is now a cyclist. I made him a bet about a year ago that he couldn't finish Boot Camp - guess what? I was right! It was do different from the repetitive stuff he does that he was sweating and gasping after only a few minutes. My husband also talks about his "running legs" and how he didn't have them when he first starts out in the spring. Getting running legs makes you more efficent.
I love to climb mountains and hike in the summer and fall. During the first hour of a climb I am literally DYING. My breathing is off, I feel awful and I wonder why I went out that day. As I get into a cadence, I stabilize. Sometimes I don't go back to stepping or weights for a few days after a big climb and bingo - I'm struggling there.
Just like Cathe points out when she is shocking your body with changing the speed or the exercise, you are going the "home game" version by running.
So, you will get used to running - but here is a caveat. My husband is 40 and one knee is gone and the other is going. It is very tough on your body and may limit your enjoyment of other sports later in life. Don't measure yourself by someone's body fat standards - if you feel good and look good than try to make that enough. I fall where you do - borderline obese - but I can kick the butt of any man, woman or teenager on a climb and often carry more group gear than most of the men. I also have fun doing it and that payoff is worth more to me than what some body fat chart says.
Hope this helps - Melissa

 

[spottyd]

RE: Question for Educated Crowd About Breathing During ...

Melissa - Thanks so much for your response. It actually makes sense that my body isn't in RUNNING shape yet - it still annoys me that my skinny-as-a-rake husband can outshine me there, but then I can always look back on the time he tried to do a Cardio Kicks with me and was flailing his arms & legs this way and that, giving up after 10 minutes! : )
As for the effects of running on my knees, joints, etc. - I definitely won't be running much - just to supplement my current routine, try to mix things up a bit. I'm in my cousin's wedding in mid-OCtober, so am trying to shock my body into SOME sort of shape!
And my body fat - I'm definitely not where I want to be, and yes, I do need to lose some major body fat - but your points were well made. I can certainly lift more and move for longer periods of time than almost any other woman I know. Some men, too. I am the only person I know among all my friends who regularly works out. Sometimes it is hard to be objective and see these as positive things in my life when my scale, body and clothes are not where *I* want them to be.
But every day is a new day, right? : )
Thanks again -
Courtney

 

[Pellmel]

RE: Question for Educated Crowd About Breathing During ...

You are welcome. I feel that way when I get on a bike. My 4 and 5 year old are zipping past me and I'm not in bike shape. It is a great quad workout, and I have great quads, so why am I getting ready to dial 911!

Good luck with the wedding - it is tough because there is so much food around, you are off schedule and you know that pictures last forever!!!! Run on, my friend!!!!!

It does help me out to be working out for an event. Helps keep the fitness or weight loss goal at the top of my list instead of at the bottom.

Melissa