Im looking to get cut, and people keep telling me not to overdo it on the weight lifting because you simply overwork your muscles. I was wondering if the same thing applies for running. I lift & run 4 times a week, but could run 6 days a week. I was wondering if this is ok because im really trying to burn as much fat as possible. Thanks.
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Possible to Overdo cardio?
- Thread starter enz660
- Start date
Ive allways been skinny but if i had large amounts of body fat id rather just burn that of instead of trying to get muscle and lose fat at the same time i think those kinds of things are to complicated in my opinion. I am not a pro but just do cardio till u lose the body fat then once your slim and skinny work your way back up to the muscle....thats how id do it any way none of that 2 things at once bull****. and for to much cardio no i dont really think so...well your not going do to much cardio and gain fat unles u do it to the point where u cant move for weeks lol and u put it all back on. but yeah most people know when they have had enough when the heart is burning and they need to stop and catch there breath. i bet some one is gona dis me for this lol but seriously i think loosing fat and gaining muscle at the same time is farking dumb ! not to mention to hard to figure out and most the time those things are so complicated and probly confuse people to the point of what makes them want to quit ! but yeah if your trying to gain muscle and lose fat then yes there is such a thing as to much cardio because u could burn the posible muscle of instead of the fat but the one thing i dont know is what would go first the muscle or the fat or both together thats why i think its just better to stick to one unles u know u have a perfect diet and perfect workout routine and u stick to it like super glue haha
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enz, this is what you do
i'm not "dissing" the other post, but i am disagreeing with it. i know from experience that to get cut, you need to be doing strength training as well as cardio, along with proper nutrition. overdoing cardio won't hurt you like overdoing weights. your body can withstand doing cardio every day, even multiple times a day. the only downside is that it will slow down your muscle growth, if you're trying to gain lean mass. but if you monitor your weight, and if you can monitor your bodyfat, you can make adjustments accordingly.
and if you're not doing sprints, you should start. i used to do miles and miles of running, but i wasn't getting any more cut. then i started doing HIIT (high intensity interval training), and that's when the bodyfat starting melting. it's hard work...a lot harder than jogging, but it's much better at raising your metabolism. and that's what you need to burn fat...you need a fast metabolism. so do sprints along with your other cardio routine, eat a super clean diet, and lift heavy weights. that's the formula...good luck.
i'm not "dissing" the other post, but i am disagreeing with it. i know from experience that to get cut, you need to be doing strength training as well as cardio, along with proper nutrition. overdoing cardio won't hurt you like overdoing weights. your body can withstand doing cardio every day, even multiple times a day. the only downside is that it will slow down your muscle growth, if you're trying to gain lean mass. but if you monitor your weight, and if you can monitor your bodyfat, you can make adjustments accordingly.
and if you're not doing sprints, you should start. i used to do miles and miles of running, but i wasn't getting any more cut. then i started doing HIIT (high intensity interval training), and that's when the bodyfat starting melting. it's hard work...a lot harder than jogging, but it's much better at raising your metabolism. and that's what you need to burn fat...you need a fast metabolism. so do sprints along with your other cardio routine, eat a super clean diet, and lift heavy weights. that's the formula...good luck.
If you are looking to get cut, yes of course you will see the results of your efforts more if there is not too much body fat covering your hard-earned muscles.
But, you need to HAVE muscles!
If you overdo the cardio, you are in danger of burning lean tissue as well as fat. Don't forget that resistance training also burns energy.
I have always tended to try to incorporate as much cardio as possible for the same reasons as you, but my trainer told me to reduce it to 2-3 sessions a week, and to do good, solid work with weights for 3-4. But you need to work hard. There is no point in sitting at the chest press doing 3x8 at a resistance you can already cope with. You want cut? Then you must work muscle groups to failure.
If I were you, I would do three good weights sessions a week, (upper body + abs, lower body + abs and upper + for week 1, then week 2 is lower +, upper +, lower +) If you must do resistance and cardio in the one session, do your weights first, doing lighter weight warm-up set then working to the max. Use your cardio for your cool down - and that implies not overdoing it.
Don't overlook nutrition. On weights days, eat some good carbs an hour before work-out, and be sure to get some protein into you afterwards. (All that has a calorie cost, so keep that in mind.) On cardio days, work first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Re-fuel afterwards, and whatever you are doing, keep well hydrated.
Get some expert advice from your trainer - a trusted member of your gym staff or somebody who works and gets results. There is so much sound advice available on the internet - and some rubbish that is essentially advertising for dubious products.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Alison
But, you need to HAVE muscles!
If you overdo the cardio, you are in danger of burning lean tissue as well as fat. Don't forget that resistance training also burns energy.
I have always tended to try to incorporate as much cardio as possible for the same reasons as you, but my trainer told me to reduce it to 2-3 sessions a week, and to do good, solid work with weights for 3-4. But you need to work hard. There is no point in sitting at the chest press doing 3x8 at a resistance you can already cope with. You want cut? Then you must work muscle groups to failure.
If I were you, I would do three good weights sessions a week, (upper body + abs, lower body + abs and upper + for week 1, then week 2 is lower +, upper +, lower +) If you must do resistance and cardio in the one session, do your weights first, doing lighter weight warm-up set then working to the max. Use your cardio for your cool down - and that implies not overdoing it.
Don't overlook nutrition. On weights days, eat some good carbs an hour before work-out, and be sure to get some protein into you afterwards. (All that has a calorie cost, so keep that in mind.) On cardio days, work first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Re-fuel afterwards, and whatever you are doing, keep well hydrated.
Get some expert advice from your trainer - a trusted member of your gym staff or somebody who works and gets results. There is so much sound advice available on the internet - and some rubbish that is essentially advertising for dubious products.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Alison
alright, how does weight training, then HIIT right after, 4x a week sound? And I do abotu 10-12 reps for weight training, 2-3 sets with that, but yes, I lift to the point where I cant lift anymore, hitting the limit with the amt of weight I can do w/ the desired reps. Thanks for the input though, Ill make sure to do HIIT more often. I can feel abs & pex muscles under whatever stomach fat I have, I cant wait to shed the flab!
ps. this forum is awsome, keep up the good advice.
ps. this forum is awsome, keep up the good advice.
From MY expereince, burning body fat while gaining muscle is one in the same... For about 5-6 months, I have been working with a trainer for hour long sessions 2x/week doing core work and pretty heavy weights. During this time, I do approx an hour of cardio almost everyday.. I also do a kickboxing or bootcamp-style session about once a week and do different sets of the weights I feel confident doing without the trainer on cardio days.
In this time, I have lost about 20 lbs, 7+% body fat, and gained lean mass...I have gone down from pant size 9 to a 3/4...my face shape has changed and all my clients at work are shocked each time they see me.
Granted, I have incorporated a whole foods diet (I am vegetarian and allergic to wheat and gluten...egg whites and whey are big staples in my diet) with high protein, good carbs and good fats- -5-6 small meals a day
From what I have learned so far.. and advice from my trainer, when you have a considerable amount of fat to lose, you DO need cardio, BUT you have to incorporate weight training for fat loss..because MUSCLE BURNS FAT! I have "worked out" my whole life..mostly cardio and I never ate BAD..but I never felt like I looked good- it wasn;t until I incorporated a VARIETY of intense 45min-1hr cardio sessions with weight training with heavy weights. I did not bulk up, as a matter of fact, I have continued to get leaner... I have smaller arms, but they are more"cut" and I even have a "2-pack" lol PLUS my legs/thighs that have ALWAYS been large, are finally proportional and toned.
I was told that the amount of cardio I am doing is fine- sounds like yours is too- everyone is different and I'm no expert, (why I hired a trainer) but this was my experience..good luck
In this time, I have lost about 20 lbs, 7+% body fat, and gained lean mass...I have gone down from pant size 9 to a 3/4...my face shape has changed and all my clients at work are shocked each time they see me.
Granted, I have incorporated a whole foods diet (I am vegetarian and allergic to wheat and gluten...egg whites and whey are big staples in my diet) with high protein, good carbs and good fats- -5-6 small meals a day
From what I have learned so far.. and advice from my trainer, when you have a considerable amount of fat to lose, you DO need cardio, BUT you have to incorporate weight training for fat loss..because MUSCLE BURNS FAT! I have "worked out" my whole life..mostly cardio and I never ate BAD..but I never felt like I looked good- it wasn;t until I incorporated a VARIETY of intense 45min-1hr cardio sessions with weight training with heavy weights. I did not bulk up, as a matter of fact, I have continued to get leaner... I have smaller arms, but they are more"cut" and I even have a "2-pack" lol PLUS my legs/thighs that have ALWAYS been large, are finally proportional and toned.
I was told that the amount of cardio I am doing is fine- sounds like yours is too- everyone is different and I'm no expert, (why I hired a trainer) but this was my experience..good luck
From MY expereince, burning body fat while gaining muscle is one in the same... For about 5-6 months, I have been working with a trainer for hour long sessions 2x/week doing core work and pretty heavy weights. During this time, I do approx an hour of cardio almost everyday.. I also do a kickboxing or bootcamp-style session about once a week and do different sets of the weights I feel confident doing without the trainer on cardio days.
In this time, I have lost about 20 lbs, 7+% body fat, and gained lean mass...I have gone down from pant size 9 to a 3/4...my face shape has changed and all my clients at work are shocked each time they see me.
Granted, I have incorporated a whole foods diet (I am vegetarian and allergic to wheat and gluten...egg whites and whey are big staples in my diet) with high protein, good carbs and good fats- -5-6 small meals a day
From what I have learned so far.. and advice from my trainer, when you have a considerable amount of fat to lose, you DO need cardio, BUT you have to incorporate weight training for fat loss..because MUSCLE BURNS FAT! I have "worked out" my whole life..mostly cardio and I never ate BAD..but I never felt like I looked good- it wasn;t until I incorporated a VARIETY of intense 45min-1hr cardio sessions with weight training with heavy weights. I did not bulk up, as a matter of fact, I have continued to get leaner... I have smaller arms, but they are more"cut" and I even have a "2-pack" lol PLUS my legs/thighs that have ALWAYS been large, are finally proportional and toned.
I was told that the amount of cardio I am doing is fine- sounds like yours is too- everyone is different and I'm no expert, (why I hired a trainer) but this was my experience..good luck
In this time, I have lost about 20 lbs, 7+% body fat, and gained lean mass...I have gone down from pant size 9 to a 3/4...my face shape has changed and all my clients at work are shocked each time they see me.
Granted, I have incorporated a whole foods diet (I am vegetarian and allergic to wheat and gluten...egg whites and whey are big staples in my diet) with high protein, good carbs and good fats- -5-6 small meals a day
From what I have learned so far.. and advice from my trainer, when you have a considerable amount of fat to lose, you DO need cardio, BUT you have to incorporate weight training for fat loss..because MUSCLE BURNS FAT! I have "worked out" my whole life..mostly cardio and I never ate BAD..but I never felt like I looked good- it wasn;t until I incorporated a VARIETY of intense 45min-1hr cardio sessions with weight training with heavy weights. I did not bulk up, as a matter of fact, I have continued to get leaner... I have smaller arms, but they are more"cut" and I even have a "2-pack" lol PLUS my legs/thighs that have ALWAYS been large, are finally proportional and toned.
I was told that the amount of cardio I am doing is fine- sounds like yours is too- everyone is different and I'm no expert, (why I hired a trainer) but this was my experience..good luck
Of course it is possible to overdo "cardio." I have a tendency to overtrain, but you are young. When you are 18, you recover way quicker than someone like me. If you do what call "cardio" 6 times per week, you are probably not overdoing it. I do aerobic activities 6 times per week, but being a triathlete, I work out hours per day doing it, and also lift weights a couple times per week. Enjoy it when you are young, because when you are much older, you can still do it 6 time per week, but you learn that you cannot push it as much. You are probably still in the building of endurance phase so you probably will not over-do it. The key, as with anything is moderation, in that you need to ramp up slowly to get your body accustomed to the increased workload. It would be the same if you started lifting weights twice a weelk for thrity minutes and then switched to a 6 day program of 2 hours, you would be "hurtin" but you would be ramping up too soon!!! Just keep this in mind as you increase your "cardio" as you call it. Make sure you are eating a diet rich in healthy carbs and lean protein, and cut out the extra empty junk calories except oocasional splurges.