Will 2 days of cardio be enough?

M

mediclover

Member
I'm sorry if this has been asked, but as much as I try to follow the rotations that Cathe sets up, I usually end up only being able to workout 5 days a week. Will I still be able to get great results with only 2 days of cardio? Or would I need to add cardio to one of the STS days?
Thanks,
Sandi
 
right now i too only workout 5 days a week. since STS will be 3 days of lifting i will be doing the same split i have been using with GS and S&H. I have had outstanding results with this
monday: chest and tris; 20 min interval runs
tuesday: 45 min cardio and abs
wednesday: legs and shoulders
thursday: 45 min cardio and abs
friday: back and bis; 20 min interval runs
sat and sun: off
This has given me the most definition. Since i workout so hard for those 5 days, i always feel overtrained when i add a 6th day. I've done it with cardio only on tuesday and thursdays but i like to add the intervals at the end of my strength days. hope this helps. sorry to butt in.
 
All the newest research in training journals and studies done by actual people who do the work - like Cathe.....long cardio makes your body VERY efficient...i.e does NOT burn more calories....short intense intervals - like the 4ds and the workouts of the past couple years are more efficient.....and anyway, Cathe's weight stuff will crank your heart rate into the zone I'll bet, if the weights are challenging enough....

Check out turbulence training, Body for life, anything by alwyn cosgrove, john bernardi, Jillian and Bob, - Cathe was ahead of her time in weaning us off those long cardio workouts, and making training more effective and efficient...
 
That's true about all the research and I'm seeing the proof on me. When I first took up serious weight training I was trying to also do cardio but then my work hours went up to 60-70 per week, I was (am) tired all the time, and something had to give. It wasn't intentional, I was just always so tired on cardio day so I often just didn't get around to it, though I always got the weight training in somewhere. Then an amazing thing happened: The fat I'd had for decades just started melting off and my muscles tightened up. I was fat for decades. I did cardio for years and got nowhere, did circuit after that... nothing, but weight training worked like magic. My ultimate goal is to train my abs 3 times per week, my lower body twice, each upper body group once per week, and get at least two short cardio interval sessions. Right now, I'm lucky to weight train everything once a week and I'm getting no cardio. Yet I can still see and feel the results. Amazing.
 
sirensongsomen, what is your body shape/type like? i know that each body type needs different amounts of cardio.
 
Kariev - that apparently is a myth as well....or at least, the research using real people in real life settings has NOT proved that out at all...that long cardio sessions are counter productive and cause more injury in fact.....makes sense when you think about it...same with lighter weights/high reps - you'll build endurance and likely injure yourself with repetitive movements...
 
>Right now, I'm lucky to weight train everything once a week and I'm
>getting no cardio. Yet I can still see and feel the results.
>Amazing.

SirenSongWoman, I'm having the same experience.

After YEARS of mostly cardio, thinking that's what it takes to stay lean, I've started doing heavy weight training, and simply can NOT do much cardio without over-training. Since my goal is muscle mass and strength, I let my cardio workouts go down to no more than 1 or 2 EASY cardio workouts per week. Some weeks, I don't do any cardio at all besides the warm-ups.

I'm totally surprised at the results. I'm even leaner than before, but much, much stronger. I'm REAL HAPPY about this.

Last year, I would have argued that cardio was what it took for me to stay lean, but I can't see it that way now.
 
Cardio seems to be becoming a dirty word.

No-one can answer the question of how much cardio is enough or what type of cardio you need except you yourself. These posters above are having great results, where results are measured in terms of increased leanness/losing body fat, through lessening cardio workouts to 2 per week. It doesn't work that way for everyone, in spite of the research. And leanness/losing body fat is not the only reason to do cardio. I would have thought cardiovascular health was the most important reason to do it, especially since heart disease is on the increase for women in the US. You can be slim and still have heart disease and high cholesterol. Then again, you might be someone who needs the long sweat session because it is a stress buster and you barely survive without it. I have tried so many different types of antidepressant and none of them work for me. I need my cardio sessions as a completely necessary stress and anxiety buster. No amount of research nor training with heavy weights, which I have been doing exhaustively since September, can replace the importance of cardio for me.

I think three cardio workouts per week are a must for everyone's heart and it's the number that works for me. Research also says that the heavy weights lead to leanness rather than cardio leading to it: I again have to disagree. Since doing heavy weight training with little cardio I have gotten bigger and have more body fat that I had before, withit changing my diet. It's disappointing. So, I am sticking with the heavy weights, but I am not giving up my cardio sessions, for several reasons.

The point is: you can read the research, read opinions on these forums, but only trial and error in your own case can determine for you how much weight training and how much and what type of cardio you need. What works for some women doesn't necessarily work for all women. I think you will have to experiment, once the STS comes out, and see whether you feel happy and healthy with 2 cardio sessions per week or whether you need 3. There's a formula for everyone.

Clare
 
>Cardio seems to be becoming a dirty word.
>
>No-one can answer the question of how much cardio is enough or
>what type of cardio you need except you yourself. These
>posters above are having great results, where results are
>measured in terms of increased leanness/losing body fat,
>through lessening cardio workouts to 2 per week. It doesn't
>work that way for everyone, in spite of the research. And
>leanness/losing body fat is not the only reason to do cardio.
>I would have thought cardiovascular health was the most
>important reason to do it, especially since heart disease is
>on the increase for women in the US. You can be slim and
>still have heart disease and high cholesterol. Then again, you
>might be someone who needs the long sweat session because it
>is a stress buster and you barely survive without it. I have
>tried so many different types of antidepressant and none of
>them work for me. I need my cardio sessions as a completely
>necessary stress and anxiety buster. No amount of research nor
>training with heavy weights, which I have been doing
>exhaustively since September, can replace the importance of
>cardio for me.
>
>I think three cardio workouts per week are a must for
>everyone's heart and it's the number that works for me.
>Research also says that the heavy weights lead to leanness
>rather than cardio leading to it: I again have to disagree.
>Since doing heavy weight training with little cardio I have
>gotten bigger and have more body fat that I had before, withit
>changing my diet. It's disappointing. So, I am sticking with
>the heavy weights, but I am not giving up my cardio sessions,
>for several reasons.
>
>The point is: you can read the research, read opinions on
>these forums, but only trial and error in your own case can
>determine for you how much weight training and how much and
>what type of cardio you need. What works for some women
>doesn't necessarily work for all women. I think you will have
>to experiment, once the STS comes out, and see whether you
>feel happy and healthy with 2 cardio sessions per week or
>whether you need 3. There's a formula for everyone.
>
>Clare


I totally agree with you Clare! I have done every type of training split based on what has worked for others. It took years of trial and error to find a split that works for me. I need a little extra cardio for myself to lean out and showcase my abs. For me, i do 2 long 45 min sessions and 2 short 20 min interval sessions. This way i get the best of both worlds.
 
>I think you will have to experiment, once the STS comes out, and >see whether you feel happy and healthy with 2 cardio sessions per >week or whether you need 3. There's a formula for everyone.

I totally agree!
 
I know everybody is different, and I know there isn't one set formula for everybody, but it's nice to hear what works for different people. Personally, I work a physically and emotionally challenging job where I work 12 hour overnight shifts, and I simply cannot spend more than 5 days a week exercising. I tend to get injuries with too much cardio and my job put together (knee and hip) - so, it might be nice to cut down on the cardio a bit.
As far as heart health - if cardio is described as sustaining an elevated heart rate for a set period of time, then the waking hours I spend chasing my 3 year old demon child should count...shouldn't it?
Kariev - I like your schedule, and it might be something I try. I'm actually still debating on whether or not to buy STS, but I'm leaning that way
Sandi
 
"Personally, I work a physically and emotionally challenging job where I work 12 hour overnight shifts, and I simply cannot spend more than 5 days a week exercising. I tend to get injuries with too much cardio and my job put together (knee and hip) - so, it might be nice to cut down on the cardio a bit."

Sandi, there's your answer right there. You do what works for you and it sounds like you already have made up your mind. Good for you!

Clare
 
>I know everybody is different, and I know there isn't one set
>formula for everybody, but it's nice to hear what works for
>different people. Personally, I work a physically and
>emotionally challenging job where I work 12 hour overnight
>shifts, and I simply cannot spend more than 5 days a week
>exercising. I tend to get injuries with too much cardio and
>my job put together (knee and hip) - so, it might be nice to
>cut down on the cardio a bit.
>As far as heart health - if cardio is described as sustaining
>an elevated heart rate for a set period of time, then the
>waking hours I spend chasing my 3 year old demon child should
>count...shouldn't it?
>Kariev - I like your schedule, and it might be something I
>try. I'm actually still debating on whether or not to buy STS,
>but I'm leaning that way
>Sandi

give it a try and see if you get results. this is what gave me great results. there are some weeks that i eliminate the interval workouts and just do the cardio on tuesday and thursday so thats an option too. good luck! and good for you for fitting your workouts in with a demanding job and kids! and yes, chasing them around is great for your heart
:p
 
>sirensongsomen, what is your body shape/type like? i know
>that each body type needs different amounts of cardio.

Well, before I started all this (when I was about a size 20) I was a really pudgy pear-shape. Now, I'm about a size 14 and... curvy. What I'm aiming for is the kind of shape you see on all the girls in the Bowflex ads. Since I started weight training with Cathe (The GS 3-day split, Core Max and Butts and Gutts) That Body is finally starting to happen for me. Still have a very long way to go but every change I've made to my workout (including longer rest periods between working the same muscle groups) has quickened my results.
 
>Cardio seems to be becoming a dirty word.
>
>No-one can answer the question of how much cardio is enough or
>what type of cardio you need except you yourself. These
>posters above are having great results, where results are
>measured in terms of increased leanness/losing body fat,
>through lessening cardio workouts to 2 per week. It doesn't
>work that way for everyone, in spite of the research. And
>leanness/losing body fat is not the only reason to do cardio.
>I would have thought cardiovascular health was the most
>important reason to do it, especially since heart disease is
>on the increase for women in the US. You can be slim and
>still have heart disease and high cholesterol. Then again, you
>might be someone who needs the long sweat session because it
>is a stress buster and you barely survive without it. I have
>tried so many different types of antidepressant and none of
>them work for me. I need my cardio sessions as a completely
>necessary stress and anxiety buster. No amount of research nor
>training with heavy weights, which I have been doing
>exhaustively since September, can replace the importance of
>cardio for me.
>
>I think three cardio workouts per week are a must for
>everyone's heart and it's the number that works for me.
>Research also says that the heavy weights lead to leanness
>rather than cardio leading to it: I again have to disagree.
>Since doing heavy weight training with little cardio I have
>gotten bigger and have more body fat that I had before, withit
>changing my diet. It's disappointing. So, I am sticking with
>the heavy weights, but I am not giving up my cardio sessions,
>for several reasons.
>
>The point is: you can read the research, read opinions on
>these forums, but only trial and error in your own case can
>determine for you how much weight training and how much and
>what type of cardio you need. What works for some women
>doesn't necessarily work for all women. I think you will have
>to experiment, once the STS comes out, and see whether you
>feel happy and healthy with 2 cardio sessions per week or
>whether you need 3. There's a formula for everyone.
>
>Clare

You know, I agree that everyone is different in what does/doesn't work. I say, If you've busted your tail doing cardio to the hilt and you're still fat try what I did, just to see. Or if weight training got you nowhere, amp up your cardio.

Dig this, when I was at my absolute fattest my doctor ran tests on me and said my stats (cholesterol, etc.) were excellent. I just sat there and thought 'I don't know how..." I LIVED on fast food and my stats were great? Also, I had a stress test performed at a local hospital and I scored great there, too. Both my parents had heart disease but both were smokers - I'm not. I would conclude that some people just luck out on the heart disease front and, evidently, I got lucky there. I DO have hypothyroidism and I'm on medication so the doc is always testing me to make sure. I have to say that, in addition to all the weight training, I eat really clean (about 85-90%). I could see excellerated results within a week of overhauling my diet.
 
I also have severe hypothyroidism. Some fun, huh. :(

I maintain my weight with portion control and better choices.

It is not easy for me to put on much muscle, so that's why I've limited my cardio. Since I've tried just about everything else to gain muscle mass, I thought I'd give REALLY HEAVY lifting and limited cardio a try. It's working great for me...so far.

My goal has not been fat loss, but that happened anyway when I changed to more weights, less cardio. Surprise!

Everybody has to find what works. Hey, it only took me 20 years to figure it out. :7
 
Opinions vary on what is the optimum amount of cardio to do each week, but just like in STS you can use periodization to schedule your cardio workouts. Perhaps while doing STS you will not have the time to do the amount of cardio you would like to. That’s fine, just do what you can and try to be consistent. After finishing the STS cycle you can then choose a program that is more cardio intensive if you prefer. Using periodization to cycle your cardio workouts is just as important as using periodization for your strength training workouts.
 
SNM,

How would one use periodization to cycle their cardio workouts? Would it be something like this:

Mesocycle One: Endurance based... longer steady state based on one's average heart rate.

Mesocycle Two: A mixture of steady state and high intensity

Mesocycle Three: High intensity interval training

I'm not well versed in regards to different types of cardio. So, talk to me like I'm two.:+
 
I love the rush of cardio and I do not intend to lessen my cardio training.

Weight training is great in its own right; however, for me the fun factor is not as great as with cardiovascular training.

Cardio is a great stress buster, helps depression, and yes, as Clare points out -- the heart and lungs need to work hard too.

Research changes all the time -- so I listen to my body while carefully assessing the research.

Every person is different in their goals and preferences.
 
Do any of you take Synthroid? I've taken it for years and it has controlled my hypothryodism.

Just asking......out of curiousity.

I have what is called Hashimoto's Disease.

I know this is off the actual subject.
 
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