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Gym or just Running?

drugfukkdrockstar

drugfukkdrockstar

Bluelight Crew
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Jun 18, 2003
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Okay so there is something i am tossing up over and just simply can't decide on which is better.

I want to get fit and trim up again like i used to be. In the past i have done a LOT of gym work, and was in great shape back then. Now days i am a lot busier, with working long days, having a fiance to cook for and a house to up keep and dogs to walk. I feel i don't have a lot of time for the gym even though i have started going and done a couple weeks already. I have already started toning up, but i am leaning towards not going to the gym anymore and just taking up running.

Running = 30mins
Gym = 1.5 hours.

Now i love doing weights, but is running a good all over body work out? or will i still need to do some weights also?

Is going to the gym the better option? At the gym i do 40 mins of cardio, then a split program with my weights and i tend to go 3 - 4 times a week.

Will i get the same good results from just running each night after work? I will be able to fit it in better in my schedule, but at the end of the day i want to do what is most effective.

Help meeeee. I need all the help and advice i can get. I just can't decide on what to do :(
 
im one of those people who doesnt believe in 'toning up'. you either build muscle, or you cut fat. if youre looking to 'look toner' a good way is to lose some body fat, which exposes the underlying muscle.

if you want that underlying muscle to be more defined, and larger, then you can the weights but in heavy weights and less reps to encourage mass growth.

i vote for ditching the weights even if theyre fun, and just spend the time on the cardio. watch the calorie intake and you'll trim off any excess bodyfat to expose the muscle underneath. if its not defined enough, drop the cardio, hit the weights to build some mass, then cut (cardio) again.


this is what id do - being a male - might be different for females. goodluck!! :)
 
i'm soooo interested in responses as well. I've recently been ditching the gym for running outside usually only about 30-40min. Trying to get fitter so I can run for longer!
 
Interesting fact - there was a study done on people who regularly ran outside vs people who regularly run on treadmills. The people running outside had developed stronger bone density, makes sense I guess; and there were some other findings that I can't seem to recall just now.
 
At the moment Im trying to ditch the body fat. I've upped the cardio, really started checking my diet, and Im only doing two weights sessions a week. Both are full body workouts, with lower weights and higher reps. One of those is with a personal trainer and he pushes me a bit harded the day Im with him, and we do a mixture of weights/endurance stuff on that day.

So my advice would be to have two weight days with low weights/high reps and make them all over body workouts, and hit the cardio on the other days.
 
Hi all,

I am going with gym and i want to discuss benefit of gym here,

Balancing of the body is an important part of our physical conditioning, irrespective of age, or sports participation. Attending a gymnasium or setting up a strength circuit is one way to approach this problem. If you don't use it you lose it, so they say!

Unless we can play squash using both our arms/hands it is impossible to develop equal strength on both the left hand and right hand sides of the body.

In fact when I was on court a lot coaching (I am right handed) the only way to save my muscle tension was to use my left hand whenever possible. The methods for the coaching of the strokes definitely work! Wooh! However, there was limited power in the shots, proving the strength was not there.

Playing with the opposite hand is a fun thing to do. It is good therapy - pity about the volleying, it was a disaster for me
.
Give it a try, you will now be more sympathetic towards your child's learning! Be patient.
There are many advantages in good muscle/body balance and muscle strength, ie:

Prevention of injury.
The strength in the muscles will support the joints.
Repetitive movements in sport can cause RSI.
Over time the predominant side of the body tends to pull the spine and hips out of alignment causing unnecessary wear and tear on the joints.
Enhances performance.
Makes you feel good.
Assists maintain body weight, and good health.
Adds variety to the exercise regime.

If a gymnasium is not financially viable, and convenient, it is possible to set up a strength circuit at home or at the squash courts, using your own body as the tool, without the fancy equipment.

A skipping rope, a step-up, hand weights, and the like will add a few more stations to the workout.
Maybe get your playing partner to join in and make it more competitive.

Try it! Tell us about it.
 
What are people's opinions of running with wrist/ankle weights? Is that a viable option to increase the intensity of cardio or a recipe for disaster & injury?

I'm kind of in a similar posistion d.f.r.s. - I'm running a few times a week at the moment and tossing up joining a gym or doing martial arts or somesuch as well. That or I could stop being lazy and look at resistance training without weights...
 
I don't think running with ankle and wrist weights is ideal as running can be severe on the body as it is in the long term regardless of added weights. I believe those weights are designed for more walking, if that. But definitely for the slower and more controlled exercises.

Why are you tossing up about doing martial arts and gym? Do you feel the running isn't enough of a work out for you?

If i had the time and the money i would definitely go back to kickboxing. I know it's not exactly martial arts, but you can't beat fighting fitness.
 
belarki said:
What are people's opinions of running with wrist/ankle weights? Is that a viable option to increase the intensity of cardio or a recipe for disaster & injury?
Click to expand...

recipe for injury. definitely. running is stressful enough on the body as is.

and OP, i completely feel your dilemma. whether i can run or not, i'm always an active person . . but i identify primarily as a runner. so i can handle a few months of weights and machines, but whenever i get healthy again i'm right back to running. i try and tell myself i'll keep the weights in my routine, but then when it comes time for my workout, i always just want to run. the convenience factor is a big part of it too.

i dunno . . if you can keep a balance between the two activities, i'm sure you'll be healthier for it. but it's always been my experience that, while the gym is rewarding, running is addictive.
 
If it comes down to having to run on the treadmill, and being able to lift weights as well VS. just jogging outside; I'd take the gym.


IMO weights are defintely important for achieving the goal(s) you had in mind. Building up muscle+running is going to burn fat a lot quicker than just running. Plus, it's a combination of two things instead of just running. Anytime you can mix things up, it adds up to better gains and less boredom IME.

If you're just going to run, I'd suggest going as soon as you wake up instead of after work if at all possible. Pretty much kickstarts your metabolism for the day.


Good luck with whatever you choose! ;)
 
All she has to do is lift weights and eat less for physique purposes.

Fuck cardio, unless you just want to be aerobically fit or your metabolism crashes.
 
Swimming gives a cardio workout and also exercises all the muscles. I do running, swimming and gym work and always feel best after a long swim. It tones you up more naturally than weights do too.
 
weights/getting big (eating loads) are no way as near as good for your health as running is.

running is the best thing for your heart - so it is better for you, but in terms of physique you will be lean like a boxer (featherweight/ flyweight depending on height/build)

I no longer care about getting big, its all about vanity and still you are never fully satisfied with how muscly you are.

Theres no doubt doing weights make you feel strong, i have definatly noticed my strength has decreased since doing lots of running.

But seriously what is the point of being strong anyway? Nowadays if you get into a fight you will only end up getting stabbed or end up in jail for hurting the other person. I'd much rather run away.

Being muscly is all about vanity. PERIOD. Its all aload of bollox to try n make yourself feel more like a man,. do some ketamine and then tell me what being a man is all about.

each to there own but I just want a fit and healthy body which makes me live easier until the day i die.

I no longer suffer hunger cravings which i used to get chronic when i was heavy into lifting weights n eating loads.

Being a man is all about surviving on as little food as possible. Anyone can stuff there faces and get fat/big... thats easy.
But how many men can actually fight off hunger pains and survive on as low calories as possible and overall make your body use EVERY bit of food the way its supposed to be.
 
What's with all this "being a man" talk? She's a girl. Erroneous...erroneous on all counts hooter.

Everybody already knows you're the biggest man on this board. No need to go there man.

I bet you rail a gram of Ketamine before your morning jog(real man 2009)..am i right??
 
I guess it depends on what you mean/want when you say "good results". If you want to build muscle and strength then you will want to incorporate weight lifting into your workouts, running won't help much there. If you just want to lose some unwanted pounds, build cardiovascular endurance, and feel great then you can't beat the convenience of running. A mix of both would probably be best.
 
If you only have a half hour a day to exercise, then running will get you in better shape.

But I don't understand why you must limit yourself to doing just one or just the other. I would try and get in some weight training when I could work it into my schedule in addition to running most days. Just because you can't do 1.5 hour weight workouts as often as you'd like doesn't mean you can't do them at all.
 
Thank you so much for your time and advice everyone - you have all put me on the right track. I am in agreement that mixing it up would be the best option - so definitely will keep up with my gym work outs which will involve the cardio and weight training, and running on the days i don't go to the gym. I need to organise my routine now :) and make it happen.

I'll do it like Nike - just do it! :D
 
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