Part III Cardio or Weights? My 60 Days of No Cardio Challenge

Part III

This week concludes week # 7 of my challenge. I did not feel the need to wait until the end of this newest 60 day challenge to provide an update on how this experience has been for me thus far.

To read about how this all started. Here are the links to my blog posts discussing the challenge:

My Personal Thoughts

I am officially going to continue this indefinitely. I love it. Simple as that. It has been almost two whole months. There is no turning back for me. This has been such a great experiment I am so glad I did this.

Weight training can be an aerobic alternative. This involves moving rapidly from one strength exercise to the next with only a few seconds of rest.

I only had one instance last week where I thought I was not benefiting from this but I was totally in my head. I was out of breathe after chin ups but as I should because I was completing such a strenuous exercise.

What have I been doing?

Week # 1: Tues (full body 3 x 15 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Wed (upper body 3 x 12), Thurs (lower body 4 x 8 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Sat (Chin Ups, Deadlifts, Rows & More) & Sun (full body 3 x 15). Monday & Friday are full rest days.

Week # 2: Tues (full body 3 x 15 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Wed (upper body 3 x 12), Thurs (lower body 4 x 8 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Sat (Chin Ups, Deadlifts, Rows & More) & Sun (full body 3 x 15). Monday & Friday are full rest days.

Week # 3: Tues (full body 3 x 15 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Wed (upper body 3 x 12), Thurs (lower body 4 x 8 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Sat (full body 3 x 15 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5) & Sun (upper body 3 x 12). Monday & Friday are full rest days.

Week # 4 Tues (full body 3 x 15 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Wed (upper body 3 x 12), Thurs (lower body 4 x 8 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Sat (Chin Ups, Deadlifts, Rows & More) & Sun (upper body 3 x 12). Monday & Friday are full rest days.

Week # 5 Tues (full body 3 x 15 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Wed (upper body 3 x 12), Thurs (lower body 4 x 8 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Sat (Chin Ups, Deadlifts, Rows & More) & Sun (upper body 3 x 12). Monday & Friday are full rest days.

Week # 6 Tues (push day 3 x 12 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Wed (legs 4 x 8), Thurs (pull 3 x 12 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Sat (Chin Ups, Deadlifts, Rows & More) & Sun (full body). Monday & Friday are full rest days.

Week # 7 Tues (push day 3 x 12 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Wed (legs 4 x 8), Thurs (pull 3 x 12 & eccentric chin ups 4 x 5), Sat (Chin Ups, Deadlifts, Rows & More) & Sun (full body). Monday & Friday are full rest days.

Highest Heart Rate for Week 1 (171 BPM), Week 2 (165 BPM), Week 3 (176 BPM), Week 4 (165 BPM), Week 5 (160 BPM), Week 6 (174 BPM) and Week 7 (163 BPM)

I have also tracked my highest heart rate to share that you can achieve a high heart rate through weight training and not just through cardio. During my supersets I made sure to move quickly from one exercise to the next without taking a break for rest in between the two.

Do I notice a change?

Please note these are just my observations. There is no science to back my personal observations. However it is important to share how I felt and what I noticed as changes for myself.

I am currently in maintenance meaning that I am not looking to lose weight. I am currently maintaining my weight. During week # 3 I was in a small caloric deficit. I am no longer in a deficit and have continued to maintain my weight.

I feel stronger. I achieved my first full chin up. I am now deadlifting 155 pounds. Aesthetic wise I feel like my legs are noticeably different like in my quads. Over the past two years I have gained muscle. These two months is the first time where I have been solely dedicated to just strength training. I am looking forward to how I will progress within a year.

Will I Continue Beyond 60 Days?

Yes! Indefinitely! This experiment became something I can be consistent with and now has become a lifestyle where I just do it and do not think about it further. I want to continue to lift heavy. So far the heaviest I have lifted is 155. My form is getting better overall and I am always practicing. I am also going to make a transition where I will train in the gym (in order to lift heavier) and no more home workouts. I have many fitness goals and so many things I want to learn. I cannot wait.

Cardio or Weights?

My answer is the same as before. There are benefits to both cardio and strength training. Finding a balance that works for you is what matters.

Conclusion

I hope that sharing my personal experience can aide in your own personal journeys with aerobic exercice and strength training as you continue to work on your own personal fitness and nutrition goals.

If you have any questions, comments and/or want to discuss further please contact me. I would love to chat.

xoxoxo,

Jess

“Never be afraid to try something new, because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know”