I have been looking for to lose weight, increase strength and cardiovascular health. I've been eating "clean" for a couple of weeks now and wondered if a full body workout three days per week and cardio training for 30 minutes 5 days per week would be the way to go.
John
Answers:
John,
Three days of full body workouts Is not an easy task so I wouldn't do as many cardio workouts as you describe. Just one or two would be more than plenty. Better yet get outdoors and do some sport training for your cardio. Rest has to be included or your going to suffer.
Jim Bryan
John,
Three full body workouts a week? I would reduce that down to 2. I would recommend 2-3 times a week for cardio. Work hard, not long on your workouts as the rule. Most of your fat reduction will come with cleaning up your food intake. The workouts just rev up the engine and hopefully will help you retain or gain muscle during your fat loss.
Good luck!
Bill Piche
Hi John,
You've got the right attitude, but unfortunaly perhaps the wrong mix. Training your whole body, three times a week could be a recipe for disaster. You'll likely wind up overtraining, and so rather than see results, you could wind up at best, stagnating at one level. And at worst, you could reverse progress.
What you really should do is this. Train one half of your body one day a week, and the other half another day of the week. (That is, with the weight training part of your routine.) It's good to break it up. Say, train upper body on Monday, and lower body on Thursday.
Another possibility if you like the full body approach (which I don't really find to be an optimal way to train) is to do this. Train your whole body on day one (Monday) at about 70 percent of your full output ability. Then on day two (Thursday) you train your whole body, but give it a 100% effort.
The BEST way though, to maximize your efforts, and optimize your results if you're going to train full body style, twice a week, is like this. On the first day, train the upper part of your body at a 70% output level, and your lower body at 100%. Train your lower part, FIRST in your workout. On day two, reverse it; train your upper body at 100% output, and then your lower body at a 70% level. And again, train your upper body FIRST in the session. This way of training will allow you to
more evenly spread your energy so you can give each part of your body the level of stress for results it will need. And, it will help minimize your risk for overtraining.
Okay, now for the cardio part of your plan. I think 5 days MAY be overdoing it, as this could possibly impede your weight training goals by placing too much of a demand on your recuperative energy. My suggestion is to start by doing cardio work only 3 times a week. Then slowly test the waters as you move along in your program to a point where you feel your day to day energy levels are high, and then you can maybe add another day to total 4. After you've been training a while, then add another IF you feel your energy and recuperation ability is at a very good place. If you find your weight training results stagnate, or slip backwards, then seriously consider cutting back on cardio work to a level where you can still progress with weights. The trick is going to be in finding balance. It will require some trial and error by using close personal observation to assess your progress and results or lack thereof. Once you find that happy medium between cardio output, and weight training output, stick there, and you should sail toward your goals.
Good luck!
John Leschinski
Sounds like a plan - but maybe just perform cardio three days a week - on the days that you lift. Otherdays rest to allow for muscular growth. Keep up the "clean eating." Good luck !!!
Sunir Jossan
John,
The best program is one that you enjoy doing and can stick to. If you feel that daily training is the best approach for you than go at it. If you are making progress, however you want to define progress, and feel refreshed and start losing weight than it works for you. Only you can answer that question.
Good Luck
Doug Scott
