Hey everybody, I need a new workout. Recently all I've been doing is cardio, mainly working on the treadmill for about 30 to 45 minutes. I want, no need something else to help out with what I'm doing. I hear people telling me to add in weight training but I'm not sure at what I should do. I'm grateful that the CPT that I work with is willing to help me out but as an NCO I'm embarrassed to have him help me. I know I should get over it but I want to show him that I can do things without having to have him help me all the time. So please if anyone out there can provide me something please do so.

Thanks all,
J

I wouldn't give up cardio, just mix it up before you get burned out. Try a stationary bike, rowing machine, stair master, elliptical machine, etc. Try jumping rope if you can handle it, but it's much more intense than it looks. For weight loss, cardio is still your best bet, but you need other things than the treadmill.

I agree with corndog, you shouldn't give up on cardio. Variety is the spice of life, though, so definitely mix it up. As far as strength training goes, it doesn't have to be complicated or perfect. Bodyweight squats with a full range of motion (get your butt all the way down to your heels) are an excellent full leg exercise. Good ol' pushups and situps work your upper body. Lunges, pull-ups...all good. There's a website called Body by Fish which talks about a ton of body weight exercises. You probably want to add in strength training two or three non-consecutive days a week.

Cardio makes your heart, blood and respiratory systems strong - it also makes you lean. In my humble opinion (I'm just a poorly informed fitness n00b), cardio is the most important exercise for long term health and for weightloss.

Having said that, strength training is great for enhancing your strength, looks, and metabolism. Strength training can help you maintain weightloss long after you finish cutting calories.

The more that I read about the issues of how to divide cardio and strength training, how often to workout, how often to exercise muscle groups, etc etc - the more that I feel that you should read as much as you can, take in as much advice as you can find - then design an exercise regime based on what you actually enjoy doing!

I enjoy cross-country running with my dog, but right at the moment I enjoy strength training more. I workout in the gym 3 to 4 times per week, each session lasting 45 to 100 minutes long. A short cardio warm up, then onto the free weights / machines for an hour. I usually try to hit most of my major muscle groups, but I try also for variety. Bench presses (dumbbells and smith), lat pulls, pull ups I do as a staple. I try to have a rest day in between workout days. I used to run on these rest days, but now I try not to run more than once per week - keeping my energy for the strength training. Every few weeks or so I have a three day bonanza - specialising on different muscle groups for three days without a rest day.

The dog? Well, on top of the weekly run, he also makes sure that I walk a few miles extra every day.

I don't mix too much cardio and strength training together on one day - but horses for courses, whatever suits you.

I would recommend more cardio to people who are actively aiming to lose weight. As corndoggy suggests - there are a lot of different cardio exercises and props. When I cut next - I will reduce the strength training programme to spare more energy for the running and cardio workouts, but I would recommend some regular strength training to weight-losers, in order to preserve and enhance that metabolism.