Cardio or weights?

[jodes]

Cardio or weights ?

When it comes to getting the body you want do the girls choose strength training or cardio? Back in the good old days men went to the free weights room and women did aerobics. But recently, taking a cue from athletes, many insist that strength training is where it's at. Some even suggest stopping cardio altogether.

To resolve the strength vs. cardio question, I found the following info,

To keep the fat away,

Cardio's edge Calorie for calorie, cardio has a slight advantage. You'll burn 8 to 10 calories a minute hoisting weights, compared with 10 to 12 calories a minute running or cycling, says Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., director of research at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Strength's edge Lifting weights gives you a metabolic spike for an hour after a workout because your body is trying hard to help your muscles recover. That means you'll use an additional 25 percent of the calories you just scorched during your strength session, Westcott says. "So if you burned 200 calories lifting weights, it's really closer to 250 overall." And if you lift heavier weights or rest no more than 30 seconds between sets, you can annihilate even more.

. "For every 3 pounds of muscle you build, you'll burn an extra 120 calories a day -- just relaxing -- because muscle takes more energy to sustain," Westcott says. Over the course of a year, that's about 10 pounds of fat -- without even changing your diet. Yes, please.

Winner: Strength !!!!! Yeeeeeeey !

For me off season, weight training takes priority over cardio, pre comp I kick in the cardio….but in general I encourage all my female friends that strength training can only lead to benefit their goal of weight loss.

More women in the free weights area I say!!!

[Bugz]

From personal experience training with my girlfriend weights are a MUST! A huge problem of course is that alot of girls are scared of weight training and supplements because they think they will end up looking like Dorian Yates .

But my girlfirend followed my cousin's 12 week transformation book and got amazing results. She had a 4 day training split and started with 4 cardio sessions a week, starting with 10 mins a day! Then just upping it from there with a good nutrition plan saw her get alot leaner. There is hardly anything of her anyway, but still she managed to get leaner using a healthy route. TOO MANY GIRLS STARVE THEMSELVES WHICH IN FACT ADDS BODY FAT AND LOSES MUSCLE TONE LEAVING THEM LOOK SOFT AND SKINNY! Eat up, train hard and you can still look great, lean and feminine. Many celebrity's such as Jennifer Anniston has used a high protein diet and a solid training programme to achieve and maintain her physique.

Bugz

[treefrog]

Hi Jodes

Great post and it's a good debate weights versus cardio, I agree that the benefit from weights to help control body fat is far under rated by women.

Lets face it the simple fact is the greater the muscle mass the more calories required to maintain. I think Bugz makes a good point that women are scared of weights and think they will become too muscular, if only it were that easy!!!

I personally try to advocate the use of weights and the benefits it brings in weight control to the women who ask for advice. I'm with Jodes that more women should make use of weight training to help control their weight.

The above combined with cardio and a good nutritional plan will always give the best results! ;D

[Bugz]

PREACH!

Bugz

[rosannaharte1]

Oh yeah, I always try and convince my female friends to do some weights.
Not only for the body shaping and leaning up but for our bone density. I think with the increasing amount of mature women suffering with osteoporosis weights should be used instead of pounding away on the treadmill for an hour.

[Bugz]

For sure, continuous cardio is over rated and sometimes doesnt achieve much unless your specifically looking to increase your cardio capacity significantly.

Bugz