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Weight Training or Running?

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Xynthetic

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 12, 2010
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If one had do choose between the two, which would be the better choice to aid in sustaining a healthy body? Most importantly, why?
 
Why should you have to choose? Do both, alternating running and weight training ever other day.
 
For me it's simply about comparing: people who only run (very thin, not muscular, more feminine looking), and people who only lift (looka lika man!) I'd rather look like muscular, so I pick lifting.

Personally I lift and bike. Occasionally I'll dabble with getting on a treadmill, but I've never been an endurance runner, and I prefer not to add too much stress to my already abused knees!
 
If I had to choose, I go with weights. I like lifting more than I like running around.
The best choice for a healthy body is BOTH.
 
I would DEFINITELY say resistance training.

Resistance training allows you the opportunity to not only increase endurance, agility and stamina, but (in some ways) more importantly, to decrease body fat while increasing muscle mass, ostensibly encouraging a more attractive you.

In addition, you can sculpt a cardiovascular lifitng routine, but not the other way around ;)
 
Alot of people are crazed on weight training however you MUST find a suitable balance.

People who JUST do weight training & not enough cardio would collapse in a near heartbeat if they were to jog or sprint even 100 m with a person who does regular cardiovascular endurance exercise, like somebody who JUST did cardio workouts & no weight training would have trouble arm wrestling or lifting motherfuckers off the ground...

I personally mix it up with 100 press ups per day (50 so far!) & cycling. Also some back exercises to counter the loosening effect on back muscles from press-ups!
 
Personally I do both. Kettlebell weight lifting for strength gains and running for cardio.

If I was forced to choose on the basis of sustaining a healthy body I would choose running. Despite the fact you can improve your cardiovascular health with weight/resistance training it is nothing like the level you do with running.

People with high aerobic capacity always have far lower fat deposits around their organs which is the fat that'll kill you or at least damage you not the subcutaneous fat people worry about in regards to looks.

Long term long distance runners have much longer telomeres than regular people. Short telomeres at the ends of your chromosones are a sign that you have more cellular mutations going on. Translated this means more agining and increased risk of cancer if you don't run (any cardio)

On the other hand several peer reviewed studies have shown that in men at least strength is inversely correlated with mortality. ie. If you are strong you die less. But that holds true for high cardio too but way more evidence for cardio.
 
AfterGlow said:
Why should you have to choose? Do both, alternating running and weight training ever other day.
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i guess for "general health" that's ideal, but if you want to see significant gains in either area, you need to focus on one.

personally, i'm a bit of an extremist where exercise is concerned, so there's kind of a natural burn-out that occurs at a certain point in my training. i'll be a runner for 8 months or so, then use cross-training (body-weight exercises and swimming) to transition into weight lifting. then when my lifting gains start to plateau and my joints start to get angry (esp. my shoulders), i transition back to running.

it's not perfect in terms of consistency, but both my lifting and running have steadily improved over the years as i go through this cycle.
 
Well, I find that weight training is necessary past a certain point. I would like to remain strong enough to lift my own weight up a rope with my arms alone. I would also like to be able to carry 200 pounds for an extended period of time. But, I like to hike, rock climb and climb mountains. So, these skills are necessary. If I wanted to do none of that and just work at a job that doesn't require much strength, then I would simply focus on an exercise routine that increases happiness and efficiency.

It is very inefficient to have a body that can lift 300 pounds over it's head when one's lifestyle doesn't require it. The amount of money one has to spend on food and supplements for a somewhat intimidating frame can add up. Further, lifting weights is a time-sink, and if you work a monotonous full-time job, then lifting 1-2 hours a day just adds to the boredom. At least, I was completely bored with lifting weights after working a job that I hated. I wanted to do more mentally stimulating things during my free-time instead.

I find jogging 45 minutes at the fastest pace I can endure every-other-day to be the best exercise in respect to how I feel during and after the workout. I have more energy, am less moody (especially compared to when I lifted weights) and don't need to spend a lot of money on food or supplements.

The wear and tear on one's joints during a jog can be alleviated to a great extent by keeping one's weight down, and keeping a good running form (staying on the top of your feet, and never running flat-footed).
 
I'd say defenatley do weight trainging, but also dont forget that doing cardio exercise is just as important as alot of others already said. I like to warm up with stretching and 5-10 of cardio exercise, then weight train for an hour hitting a few different muscle groups, after that I cool down with 10 min on the treadmill at a light pace. Leave feelin great :)

Nice to mix it up basically with the fitness program, doing a day of just cardio would also be good, keeps things interesting also.
 
ask yourself this. when the zombie apocalypse comes, would you rather be able to outrun the zombies or beat them at arm wrestling?

but seriously, it all depends on what you are looking to do. yeah, muscle weighs more than fat, but muscle helps burns calories faster. i generally do both. run 3-5 times a week and lift 3 times a week. imo, i feel it to be a good balance.
 
You can improve cardiovascular health while lifting weights... you don't build muscle by running.

Not much of a debate here.


(of course I personally mix lifting, cycling, running, swimming, climbing)
 
One can get used to running after training in it. I'd prefer weight lifting as i'd never does entirely exclude cardio as you have to really huff air to lift
 
i was trying to figure this shit out lately and finally i settled into a good routine of running as soon as i wake up then lifting later on and glutathione supplemented to keep the cardio from consuming the muscle.
 
Changed said:
You can improve cardiovascular health while lifting weights... you don't build muscle by running.

Not much of a debate here.


(of course I personally mix lifting, cycling, running, swimming, climbing)
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You can build leg muscle with running alone. It's called sprinting.
 
neither take that much time, so there is really no reason not to do both.
 
Apostacious said:
You can build leg muscle with running alone. It's called sprinting.
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Sure, but when you go to the beach and your arms are 3" around and your stomach is hanging over your shorts and your lats are hidden under a layer of fat, what girl is going to swoon for your shapely hamstrings?
 
Changed said:
Sure, but when you go to the beach and your arms are 3" around and your stomach is hanging over your shorts and your lats are hidden under a layer of fat, what girl is going to swoon for your shapely hamstrings?
Click to expand...

Is the primary goal of training attracting women?
 
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