|   Which exercise will improve cardio fitness the quickest? | Echo
Jan 8, 2003 9:54 AM | | I'm looking to get back in shape. Increase overall streght, improve cardio fitness and loose about 20 lbs in the process. I was wondering which would be better to burn calories and gain carido fitness; running (treadmill), eliptical trainer, or stationary bike?
My concerns are:
Running - the pounding the knees and lower back take.
Elip trainer - since I'll be strenth training is the arm motion really neccessary?
Stationary bike - will the other two exercises get me to cardio fitness faster?
Thanks,
Ed |
| Depends on intensity...there's no magic short cut. | Silverback
Jan 8, 2003 10:59 AM | | I've been in and out of shape more times than almost anybody, I think, so I can speak with a little amateur authority. Feel free to discard anything you don't want to hear, but...
Treadmills suck. Can you really stay interested and motivated long enough to make a difference? Why not run/jog/even walk outside? Plus there's the injury issue you mention. I was a runner for years, did several marathons and probably 100 or so shorter races, but I never could stand running on the treadmill.
As for the ellip trainer...the arm motion may not be necessary because you're also doing resistance training, but it DOES boost the calorie consumption, which is what you need to lose weight. Don't see how it could hurt anything, and the chance of injury is probably lower than running.
I'm about as bored on a stationary bike as I am on a treadmill, but at least I can read or something while I do that. It's easier on the body but, at least for me, doesn't seem to get my heartrate up as well. Of course you can change that by going harder, which is really sort of the key here: You need a given, specific, unchangeable amount of exercise to burn the calories you need to burn. There are about 3600 cals per pound of fat. How fast you use them depends on how hard and long you work, not so much on what you do. You'll also benefit from reducing the number of calories you take in--it takes a long time to work off a Whopper or a couple of beers. |
| re: Which exercise will improve cardio fitness the quickest? | Jrm
Jan 8, 2003 12:30 PM | | Running and pushing yourself as the level of fitness increases. Its gonna hurt..but it will get you there |
| Choose something that you enjoy doing | Duncan!
Jan 8, 2003 2:30 PM | | while you burn calories, whether its running, cycling, swimming, skiing, raquetball etc. It adds that extra push to your motivation and the more you do the better (within reason). Also, watch what you eat. Especially, lay off snacks. Don't underestimate the discipline it takes to get into shape. |
| Running is the quickest. | JoeBob
Jan 9, 2003 6:06 AM | | Try running on trails instead of the road and use a good pair of running shoes. Expect to spend at least $75 on a good pair of shoes. Go to a running store to get the right kind. |
| Some suggestions for weight control | BH
Jan 9, 2003 10:17 AM | | First off, treadmills, elliptical trainers and stationary bikes can be great tools for building cardiovascular fitness but are poor choices for building strength. If you need to train indoors, mix up some cardio with weight lifting. The key is working large muscle groups to burn the most number of calories. The key is hard work, intensity, using the proper technique and working large muscle groups to their max. The key is finding something that you like and sticking with it. The key is eliminating saturated fat and refined sugar from you diet and eating the foods that make you feel strong for your workouts. It takes a lot of keys to open the weight loss lock.
As far as weigh loss, when I was big and actively trying to lose, I was lifting 4 days a week and spinning 2, I lost the most. I was running on a 1000 calorie per day deficit which was maintainable because I was eating large volumes of low calorie complex carbos and lean protein. I was training as hard as I could, every lift was a challenge to do more than the last time. My muscles were in constant soreness. Some weeks I lost as much as 2 pounds/week. I went from 287 to 197 in about 18 months.
Last year, when I was riding 10-13 hours and 150-200 miles per week, I went from 210 to 202 between the beginning and the end of the riding season. I was trying to lose but not at the expense of my riding performance.
It is hard to simultaneously lose weight and gain strength because one requires excess calories and the other a deficit of calories. Once you have been big (fat), your body is a very efficient machine at storing excess calories as fat and to stay thin will require constant attention to either eating less or exercising more. Don't expect the results of years of neglect to instantly evaporate aside from cutting off a body part. Weight control is a long term process that involves a lifestyle change to the lifestyle of a fit person. It is far easier to maintain your weight than to lose. It is far easier to burn fat than to put on muscle. |
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