Your Fitness

One of the ongoing debates in the fitness world today is which burns more calories: cardio or weight training?

You will find those on both sides of the argument offering data to support their position. As much as I would like to say that you can dispense with one or the other the truth of the matter is that you need both of them. I know, that is not what you wanted to hear but let’s be honest deep down inside you knew this was the case.

Trust me there is nothing that I would love more than to never have to due another minute of cardio training for the rest of my life. I despise treadmills, ellipticals and the like. However, I faithfully do them everyday that I go to the health club.

I know that there are other people who probably fell the same way about weight lifting. Much of it has to do with (in my humble opinion) the type of muscle fibers our bodies are composed of. My theory is that the more fast twitch muscle fiber you have the more you enjoy weight lifting. The more slow twitch muscle fiber you have the more you enjoy cardio. In other words, it boils down to personal preference since one form of exercise is easier for us since our bodies are better equipped to handle one or the other.

But the truth of the matter is that we need both. Cardio is essential for burning calories. I have tried to burn calories thru weight training programs but ultimately I fail to keep up the pace of the workout. If I workout at a pace that keeps my heart rate where I want it I do not have enough rest in between sets and my weight lifting performance and progress falters. If I give myself the rest in between sets that I require then my heart rate is too low to burn calories as I should.

Therefore, cardio becomes a necessity for me in order to burn the calories that I need to throughout the day.

Conversely, weight training is essential as well since the more muscle that you have the more calories that your body will burn in order to maintain this muscle. It takes more energy for you body to maintain muscle than it does to maintain the same weight in fat. The more muscle you have the higher your metabolism will be as well. This will benefit you in your overall weight loss and fitness program.

When you combine the two forms of exercise you have a powerful duo that provides you will a tremendous level of fitness and keeps your body weight exactly where you want. So do yourself a favor and spend time each week performing both cardio and weight training. You will be better off for it.

 Should you use a training partner?  I think the obvious answer to that question is yes but with a major condition on the “yes.”  Your training partner must be dedicated to your fitness success.  If you get stuck with a bad training partner then your progress will be severely limited.  With that in mind here are a few things that you can look for in a training partner.

1.  They must near your fitness level.  No matter what you are doing whether it is cardio or whether it is strength training they must be close to your level of fitness.  If you are going for a 5 mile run and they can only do 1 mile before collapsing to the ground they will not make for a good training partner.  If your strength levels are much different you will lose too much time between sets switching weights back and forth rather than keeping a good pace to your workout.

2.  Find someone who is passionate about working out.  If you are ready to go everyday and excited to see what you can accomplish each day but you pair yourself up with someone who is constantly dragging through the workout and is wishing he/she was somewhere else it is going to effect you. Find a training partner who matches your passion for fitness.

3.  Stay away from chatty training partners.  Remember you are there to get work done.  You can talk when your workout is over.  I am not saying that you can’t speak at all but I have seen training partners that have a love for telling stories and the other person feels sort of obligated to listen rather than train.   Talk all you want but when it is time to do your next exercise or set you want a training partner that will shut up and let you work.

4.  You only need one training partner.  Anything more than one training partner is counterproductive is you are in the weight room.  If you are just getting together for a run or to do some interval training then it is OK to have more than one.  However, in a weight room having more than one training partner will slow down your workout too much.

5.  Make sure you pick a training partner who values their time.  Their is nothing worse than agreeing that you will meet at the gym at 7 PM only to have them drag themselves in to the gym at 7:30 PM.  Make sure you find a partner who is punctual and who respects your time.

6.  Make sure you pick a training partner with whom you don’t have a personality conflict.  Some people are nice but too much of them can wear on you.  I take the train in to work with a guy who is quite nice and personable, however, I could never workout with him.  He is constantly talking about his injuries and an incessant complainer.  I can take this for the few minutes that I see him on the train but if I had to put up with it for an entire workout I would sooner or later look for an excuse not to go.  Find a training partner that you enjoy and who will motivate you to show up.

These are just a few of the things that you want to look for in a training partner.  When you pick one right it can be a big plus to your workouts.  A good training partner can provide motivation, friendship,  and , of course,  safety (spotting).  So pick your partner wisely.

Everyone should be doing weight training but I find that so many people are avoiding it.  I hear a
tremendous number of misguided excuses for not doing so.

Here are a few of them.

Weight training is too difficult on my joints.

If you are doing weight training correctly it should not be difficult on your joints.  In fact lifting weights will help strengthen your joints.  If when you are beginning you have some still joints then lower the amount of weight that you are lifting.  Don’t quit altogether.

I don’t want to get bulked up or muscle bound.  

This is often a concern of women.  Trust me you will not get bulked up unless you want to and even if you want to it is difficult to achieve.  What weight lifting will add is tone and muscularity.  You will not develop rippling biceps, big chest, big legs and shoulders overnight.  Many who have been trying to achieve this and have worked very hard to do so still can’t reach their goals.  Most women do not even have the genetics to get large muscles no matter how hard they try.

I have heard that muscle turns to fat if you stop lifting weights.

Whoever told you this lie needs to go back and repeat their high school biology class.  Muscle tissue cannot convert to fat cells.  It is biologically impossible.  Muscle will merely atrophy (get smaller) without use.  It cannot become fat.  What can happen however, is that the less muscle you have the fatter you can become.  You will burn more calories to maintain muscle.  Therefore the less muscle you have the fewer calories that you will burn.

I am too old to lift weights.

This is another falsehood.  You can benefit from lifting weights at any age and research has shown the
ability to increase muscle mass and strength no matter what the age.

Weight lifting takes too long.  

If you do it correctly your weight lifting session should not last any more that 20 - 25 minutes.  That is, unless you are walking around talking too much or taking long breaks in between sets.  If this is happening then you need to change how you workout.  Exercise first, socialize later.

Let’s look at some of the benefits of weight lifting.

You will build muscle strength.  

Not only will you build muscle strength but you will also build tendon and ligament strength.  This is
beneficial to your joints and will help prevent injury to these joints in the future.  And of course
we all would like to be a little stronger.

You will improve your appearance.

A toned, muscular body looks better than one that has no tone.  You will have more confidence to wear the
swimwear of your choice and will in general feel better about yourself.  Just don’t let others catch you
standing in front of a mirror and admiring yourself.

You will burn fat faster.

Weight lifting will fire up your metabolism.  As I mentioned earlier it requires more energy to maintain
muscle.  This means that the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn on an everyday basis.  The mere presence of muscle will do battle with your fat.

I could go on but I think you get the picture.  Everyone needs to be lifting weights.  So what are you
waiting for.  Get off the computer and head to the gym!