Anybody else a cardionut?

M

MariaS

Cathlete
Hi,

just wondering if there are any other cardiofans out there? I mean if I only do a stregth workout I really don't feel very worked out (even though my muscles would be aching, so it's not about not working hard enough). I really need to feel like I get my body "going" first through a cardio workout, and then switching over to strength training when dripping with sweat. I feel like my body is too "slow" without the cardio, and lifting feels really heavy and not at all fun. The same effect is in circuit workouts; the cardio sections really need to be long enough so that I get my body "going", before it feels enjoyable to me. Then once I get going, I love to do really long workouts when time permits. Is my body just a slow type or what, does anybody else have similar experiences?

Have a great day!

Maria S
 
Hi Maria. I am the same way. I definitely need a little bit of a pump before I lift or else I feel "cold". I also noticed my HR stays up more during weights if I do some sort of cardio first. I don't know if that is detrimental as far as building strength, but I sure enjoy it and feel pretty good too. Although, about once a week I will go heavy on weights alone just for variety. It seems to be working well. Any one else have an opinion on this?

Lori

:)
 
Hi Maria...I am a huge cardio nut. I have also been a runner for about 25 years and started doing marathons 7 years ago. So I like to keep moving for long periods of time...:)...I have most all of Cathe's cardio workouts, and sometimes add on 10 to 15 minutes on my Nordic track just to increase the cardio time to one of her tapes! Many people have an opinion on what to do first cardio or weights. I believe you should do whatever keeps you exercising. I have been doing weights first for about the last 6 months and haven't gotten any different results than when I did cardio first. So to me it is just a preference....keep up the good work...:)...Carole
 
Me too. I hate lifting if I feel really tight. Almost like a rubber band if I don't do a nice cardio warmup first. If I had my way, I would do about 20 min cardio atleast before every lifting routine, but since I only have 1 hr to workout every day, I am limited in doing that...

Janice
 
If you are lifting heavy and slow enough and not leaving long breaks in between....you WILL get your heart rate up.

I wish I could say I like cardio....but I don't...I'm very impressed with you endurance cardio people, especially you runners. You go girl!!!

Briee (I admit to having a love affair with anything IMAXy though ;) so I guess I like some cardio!!)
 
Count me in baby, I'm a cardio junkie!!! Love step, ski machine, jogging, hi/lo, mini tramp workouts! YESSSSSSSSSSSS.

Love
Edith }(
 
Hi:

I love Cardio too. It keeps my mind busy so I don't think about all the work I'm doing for 60 minutes and I love the way it makes me feel when I'm all done. I have never really enjoyed weights, I have a really hard time doing a whole weight only work out.

Stacy
 
Hi Maria:
I'm right there with you on this one. I am a dyed-in-the-wool 'cardio nut'. I get a bit antsy if I don't get a full tilt cardio workout every 2 or 3 days. I love to lift but like you, much prefer it if my furnace is already fired up and humming away before I start.
One thing I have learned on this site (thanks A-Jock) is that the stronger your large muscle groups are, the more you can dig in on your cardio. I'll grunt through my squats and lunges motivated by the fact that with my stronger legs I can jump a bit higher and get a bit deeper on my plie or sumo squats. It's all about balance right!!
:)
Take Care
Laurie
 
I never thought I loved cardio before but after Cathe I crave the cardio high I get when completing one of her workouts... Then take a weight workout to "top" everything off. I ran for years but my knees have suffered so I try to avoid it now.

What is everyone doing for cardio though? I love MIC for its easy to follow "old fashioned" aerobics, but what is everyone else doing? I actually just posted this question w/the Blast the Blues group- I'm afraid I'm adjusting too much to the Cathe cardios I have (MIC, Step Blast, Imax2, AllStep, BootCamp).

I'm looking to add something that will challenge me again. Should I start looking into rebounding? Is there another tape that is as challenging as Cathe's cardio that I have now?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Brenda
 
Fun to hear there are others out there! I never thought I'd become a cardionut either, I used to really not even like it that much, but that was when I wasn't very fit to start with and before I ever tried Cathe. I do think you need to be in some kind of shape to actually enjoy cardio (or you end up trying to do too much too fast,like me, thinking you hate it 'cause you can't breathe...:D )

I'd be really interested to hear what others do for cardio, too. I've been doing pretty much just my favourite Cathe workouts, and some variation wouldn't hurt. MIC, Imax2, Step Blast, Power Max and Body Max rank right up there for me at this point. I especially love stuff that varies in intensity, I find a few blasts do wonders for those endorphin levels :D :D ! I haven't done very much Cathe's kickboxing workouts, I think I need to get into it more as I really haven't done any kickboxing before, and it seems like lot of you guys really love them for cardio?

It is very true also that strength training really helps with the cardio (and the other way around). And the fitter you become, the more enjoyable it all becomes, too. And like I said before, the best feeling is doing a tough cardio and topping it off with a tough strength workout. I actually did I max2 (with only a few modifications, which I'm very proud of:D ), and topped it off with legs and glutes the other day, and boy did I feel worked out for quite a while! I felt extremely accomplished, for me at least that was quite a workout!:), something I couldn't have dreamt of being able to do say a few years ago. Gotta say it again, Cathe is the greatest!

Enjoy, get those endorphins up,

Maria S
 
Cardio addict here. I haven't been able to workout since my little peanut was born (3 weeks ago). I had a Csection, so I'm trying to wait the full 6 weeks... It's a good thing I got a good kickboxing workout in the day of delivery. ;-)

Melanie
Baby Justin born 1/17/04

" Take care of your body like it will last a lifetime. Take care of your soul like it will last for eternity"
 
Oh, I am SO a cardio nut!! I would happy to do only cardio but I know weights are good for me, esp with my family history of osteoperosis.

I have a confession to make- I was forced to take 6 months off working out (due to complications during pregnancy. My baby is now 2 months old and I started to work out 4 weeks ago and I've only been doing cardio and ab work. Every week I tell myself- I'll do weights next week and the week passes and I do all cardio workouts. I own a stairmaster, treadmill, bike, and tons of step tapes, all of cathes and some others. I've been doing cardio 4 days a week and feeling great and the weight is just melting of from my baby. I have lost 35 lbs so far in 2 months and only gained 30 lbs while pregnant. I keep telling myself since I'm losing so well I'm just goingto stick with this routine for a while. But in the back of my head I know I should add weights eventually. I'm going to stick with cardio only unitl the loss slows down. I have trouble fitting in 4 workouts with all my kids (I have 4 small children including the baby and also a toddler)

So Maria- you are not alone, I love, love, love cardio and it makes me feel so GREAT!

Hi Briee!!! Nice to see you posting over here. I owe you an email. I've been offline a while!

Marci
 
Okay miss amynicole...yes you owe me an email, mostly to tell me that you have lost so much weight!!!! Man you are doing great!!!! All this from Cardio (I say this with a choke in my voice). Let me tell you I have been starving myself (literally) and lifting, lifting, lifting and the scale is STUCK. I thought it was just the hormonal disheavel after having a baby, but maybe I just have to.....

DOOOOOOO CARDIOOOOOOO x( x( x( x( x( x( x( x( x(


Blechhhhh! I hated even saying the word. I did IMAX II today after reading this to the point of ALMOST hyperventilating (I kid you not) because I am determined to get this FAT off. And while I'm doing this I am telling myself "I love cardio, I love cardio, I love cardio, because if this many people love cardio, it can't be all bad"

I'll let you know when and IF it works

Briee (thanks for getting me going Marci!!)
 
Briee,
did not mean to get you all charged up! But maybe thats a good thing? How much have you lost? I'll ask you by email if you don't want to share here.

Its 2:15 am and I'm holding dear Rachel. Just fed her and she asleep on me but if I put her down within 15 minutes of eating I then have to change the sheet due to major reflux issues.

As for the loss, cardio, cardio, cardio, and this is the part most people don't want to hear but 1,200 calories a day. I hope nobody lectures me about so little because I won't listen but I'm telling you I'm DESPERATE to get thin again. Everyone is different and I know people sometimes say you need to eat more to lose but I don't find that true for me at all. I have to eat less to lose. Weights shape me but don't help me drop fat as fast. I have not been truly skinny since before my first baby. I was very thin my whole life up until him and I plan on getting that back. This is the FIRST pregnancy I have actually gotten below my prebaby weight. My first 3 kids, I gained HUGE amounts and then kept on many of the lbs as souvanier to only add too with each baby.

You said you are starving yourself, what is starving in your mind- how many calories a day are you eating?

How is Noah doing?? Rachel is starting to get a true baby look and lose that newborn look. She is so beautiful and smiling all the time. I love it when the older kids get right in her face and she just beams at them.
 
Edith--
Sorry to get off the subject here, but I am trying to find a GOOD mini tramp workout. I have FitPrime but it is not very tough. Any suggestions?

Thanks
 
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