Running "eats" away at your muscle?

[kellyf]

Hi guys,

Wanted to get your thoughts on this:

As said by Jennifer Nicole Lee (fitness model) on bodybuilding.com, "Don't run or try to embrace another form of low impact cardio. Believe me, your muscle mass and your joints will thank me! Fitness models and other professionals lean towards the "no running" principle because it's known to "eat away" at the muscle you work so hard to gain.

Don't work against yourself and defeat your progress by running. It takes a lot of energy with no real gains, except for cardiovascular. You can receive cardiovascular benefits from other low impact versions such as using the Elliptical, Nordic Track, Air Stepper, and the Stair Master."

I pretty much enjoy my sessions on the treadmill but lately have been turned off because of what i have read. What do you guys think?

[Rhone]

I'm not sure what she is trying to say by "low impact", but from what she says it sounds more like an argument against long and slow cardio. It applies to jogging long distances (though to say flat-out that you can't arrange a workout and nutrition schedule that includes some jogging and builds muscle over time is false, IMO), but I think running with sprint intervals is great (and is what I prefer to do for my cardio).

[bluexj]

We had similar discussion in another thread earlier today.

If you want to run, then run. Eating your 6 balanced meals a day along with weight training you'll be fine. I really don't think running will "eat away" at your muscles. It might inhibit muscle growth though.

[yakubu]

Originally Posted by kellyf

Hi guys,

Wanted to get your thoughts on this:

As said by Jennifer Nicole Lee (fitness model) on bodybuilding.com, "Don't run or try to embrace another form of low impact cardio. Believe me, your muscle mass and your joints will thank me! Fitness models and other professionals lean towards the "no running" principle because it's known to "eat away" at the muscle you work so hard to gain.

Don't work against yourself and defeat your progress by running. It takes a lot of energy with no real gains, except for cardiovascular. You can receive cardiovascular benefits from other low impact versions such as using the Elliptical, Nordic Track, Air Stepper, and the Stair Master."

I pretty much enjoy my sessions on the treadmill but lately have been turned off because of what i have read. What do you guys think?

she is right, running does eat away at your muscles but here's the thing - 20 mins is fine. 20 minutes of hiit does not have any negative effect on your muscle gains. doing more than 20 minutes is taking a risk but if you stick with 20 mins then its fine.

by the way its not just running, its all cardio. if you do any type of cardio at a high enough intensity such as the intensity used in the hiit training then this will eat muscle.

20 mins is fine , just dont overdo it. cardio is great for you, it burns a lot of fat and improves your fitness so it would be foolish not to do any cardio what so ever

[sshultz]

If you enjoy running, run. I enjoy cycling which is usually long slow cardio. But that's what I like to do. Not just for the exercise but because it clears my head, and well, I just like it.

[yakubu]

Originally Posted by yakubu

she is right, running does eat away at your muscles but here's the thing - 20 mins is fine. 20 minutes of hiit does not have any negative effect on your muscle gains. doing more than 20 minutes is taking a risk but if you stick with 20 mins then its fine.

by the way its not just running, its all cardio. if you do any type of cardio at a high enough intensity such as the intensity used in the hiit training then this will eat muscle.

20 mins is fine , just dont overdo it. cardio is great for you, it burns a lot of fat and improves your fitness so it would be foolish not to do any cardio what so ever

and by the way the only type of cardio i EVER do, have ever done and will ever do is RUNNING. this is because running takes the most out of you, its the hardest of all cardio. anyone can sit on a bike and start peddling but just try and get out there and run and you'll see how hard it is and how rewarding it is to complete a session

[sshultz]

Originally Posted by yakubu

and by the way the only type of cardio i EVER do, have ever done and will ever do is RUNNING. this is because running takes the most out of you, its the hardest of all cardio. anyone can sit on a bike and start peddling but just try and get out there and run and you'll see how hard it is and how rewarding it is to complete a session

Uh.... wtf? Do you just say things to say them? I run and bike and I can tell you that I've been on some rides that will absolutely tear your freakin legs off. Anyone can sit on a bike and start peddling??? Look me up, I'll show you some rides that will make your legs, lungs and heart scream for mercy. If it's your opinion, fine, but don't state it as fact.

[yakubu]

Originally Posted by sshultz

Uh.... wtf? Do you just say things to say them? I run and bike and I can tell you that I've been on some rides that will absolutely tear your freakin legs off. Anyone can sit on a bike and start peddling??? Look me up, I'll show you some rides that will make your legs, lungs and heart scream for mercy. If it's your opinion, fine, but don't state it as fact.

what's your problem ? id appreciate it if you refraned from saying stuff like ''uh...wtf'' to me when i have just posted a normal reply. fair enough if ive sed something contraversial or ive insulted someone but this is just a normal thread and your attitude is uncalled for.

ive ran and its , in your words, freakin hard. ive used a bike and its freakin easy. i was just givin advise based on my experience

[Rhone]

Honestly, though I chose to just let it go and not post it, I had the same "uh, wtf" reaction as sshultz. Anyone who's tried riding a bike fast off-road and up hills knows how silly "anyone can sit on a bike and start peddling" sounds.

You could just as easily say, "Anyone can put shoes on and start running."

Both running and biking can both be done at a light, slow pace that won't challenge you. Likewise, both can be done at a faster pace, with hills etc., that can dramatically increase the challenge.

[yakubu]

Originally Posted by Rhone

Honestly, though I chose to just let it go and not post it, I had the same "uh, wtf" reaction as sshultz. Anyone who's tried riding a bike fast off-road and up hills knows how silly "anyone can sit on a bike and start peddling" sounds.

You could just as easily say, "Anyone can put shoes on and start running."

Both running and biking can both be done at a light, slow pace that won't challenge you. Likewise, both can be done at a faster pace, with hills etc., that can dramatically increase the challenge.

when you are on a bike you have the comfort of sitting down. running is different and its deffinatley the hardest of all cardio

[yakubu]

anyway to the OP if you want results then stick to the rules. lots of people on this site over train and they will advise you to do the same but as you can see from the before and after section of this site hardly anyone gets results that way. if you want results stick to the rules and dont take advise from people who achieve mickey mouse results cos u'll get the same

results speak louder than lousy advice

[Rhone]

I don't think you've spent a lot of time on a bike if you consider sitting on one as "comfort".

You've been here since March, Yakubu; if you're going to insult the progress made by other members of this forum, why don't you show us some pictures of the awesome accomplishments you've made in the past 5 months?

[Chris]

If the advice is so lousy, why are you still here? Not cool dude, not cool.

[yakubu]

Originally Posted by Rhone

I don't think you've spent a lot of time on a bike if you consider sitting on one as "comfort".

You've been here since March, Yakubu; if you're going to insult the progress made by other members of this forum, why don't you show us some pictures of the awesome accomplishments you've made in the past 5 months?

ive never completed a challenge due to other issues but if i had of completed a challenge id be shocked if i hadnt acheived great results cos i know my stuff unlike people who give bad advice hear.

i say on thing on a thread that isnt even controversial and im met with ''uhhh...wtf''. i constantly see bad advice on this site and i never say ''uh...wtf''. ive got the op's best interest at heart cos i want her to get results so others are saying things that will hinder her results and then people insult me i will speak my mind. and what is on my mind right now is that if you have bad results then im not listening to a word that comes out of your mouth cos you are obviously doing something wrong and i dont want the op listening to anything that comes out of your mouth either

[Rhone]

Originally Posted by yakubu

ive never completed a challenge due to other issues but if i had of completed a challenge id be shocked if i hadnt acheived great results cos i know my stuff unlike people who give bad advice hear.

What you think you possibly could do if you followed through with the program is all well and good if you're politely expressing your opinion and recognizing that it's not the absolute truth. But if you're going to trash other peoples' opinions and demean their progress, you better have already made better progress yourself or else you are just flushing your own credibility down the toilet.

I don't agree with everything everyone else says here, but when I voice my disagreement I do it with an acceptance of the possibility that I may, in fact, be wrong. If you did the same, I suspect you would get more positive responses to your posts.

[sshultz]

Originally Posted by Rhone

What you think you possibly could do if you followed through with the program is all well and good if you're politely expressing your opinion and recognizing that it's not the absolute truth. But if you're going to trash other peoples' opinions and demean their progress, you better have already made better progress yourself or else you are just flushing your own credibility down the toilet.

I don't agree with everything everyone else says here, but when I voice my disagreement I do it with an acceptance of the possibility that I may, in fact, be wrong. If you did the same, I suspect you would get more positive responses to your posts.

Thanks, Rhone. That's exactly my point. yakubu, you speak as though everything you say is a proven fact that works for everyone. If you would simply state that you disagree or your opinion is, I wouldn't have such a problem. I have no problem whatsoever with someone disagreeing with me or posting their opinions. That's what these places are for to give your thoughts and voice your opinion. It's how it's done, respectfully, that makes a difference. You know, I like the BFL program but I will never believe in a one size fits all program from anyone. What is overtraining to you is not overtraining to everyone.

Where and how long have you been on a bike that was comfortable? Try riding for 4 hours when at least half of that is uphill. There's no comfort there. Even when I get to sit down, there's no comfort.

I completed a challenge, not perfectly, but I completed it, nearly 30 lbs down. Those are my results. I personally don't care if you listen to me or not. I don't claim to be an expert in BFL. A lot of these guys know a lot more about it than I do. How do you know our advice is going to hinder her results? She's the only one that can figure that out.

I have to agree with Chris, if the advice is so bad, why are you still here? I don't want to see anyone drop out but show some respect to those of us who have shown some progress and have gotten results.

To the OP, sorry to hijack your thread.

[sshultz]

Holy crap, that was my 100th post...