Leg workout is cardio too, unlike upper body workout?

[DorianJ]

Leg workout is a form of cardio (other than being strength training)?

Since we activate our cardiovascolur system mostly when we use our legs to run, walk, jump and sprint, I guess that squats, deadlifts, leg curls and extensions are cardio too because the leg motions of bending and extending is basically the same and that's what seems to make one's heart beat faster and lungs hurt.

That would explain why I don't feel my cardiovascular system engaged when I lift weights except when I train my legs then my lungs and heart feel as angeaged as when I run at fast pace for 3 miles. Let me repeat this again, no matter how heavy I lift, I never feel any sort of cardiovascular stimulation when I bench press or military press but when I squat I'm puffing as much as if I had run.

Is there a physiological explanation

[XADO]

IMHO :P the cardiovascular system actives more intense on exercises that you are not familiar with ( as exercise, weights or strain), to compensate for the strains on your body....

Your theory is not that plausible.... as I feel heart pumping even on bicep curls or OHP.

[SuffolkPunch]

It's simple - any exercises where you do a lot of work in a short space of time is going to place an energy demand on your body.

Power = (force x distance)/time

Anything above a certain output is going to have a noticable effect on your cardiovascular system. Squats probably always do this - unless you are doing singles. However, heavy upper body compounds also do this to me, especially rowing. It's more noticable in the high rep ranges (6-20)

It's not some kind of upper/lower divide.

Remember that with a squat, you are shifting the barbell plus most of your bodyweight through a distance of about a meter. With a bench press, it is (should be) lighter than your squat AND it's a smaller distance AND bodyweight is not included.

[Engineer_Guy]

Weight lifting isn't really good cardio in general because your heart rate isn't elevated for long enough.

[DCSpartan]

Is there a physiological explanation

leg muscles bigger than your triceps . . . more blood flows into them when you workout . . . heart and lungs have to increase to compensate

It still isnt the same type of energy expenditure as running or biking though.

[IDrinkBloodLOL]

Weight lifting isn't really good cardio in general because your heart rate isn't elevated for long enough.

I don't want to be an ass about it, but I'm gonna have to disagree.

I have excellent cardiovascular endurance every time I play pickup basketball or decide randomly to go for a run or any other miniature feat of cardiovascular endurance, but all I do to achieve it is lift weights for ~2 hours a few times per week.

I maintain that weight lifting is and can be excellent cardio.

[Engineer_Guy]

I don't want to be an ass about it, but I'm gonna have to disagree.

Don't worry, I usually am an ass when I disagree with people.

I have excellent cardiovascular endurance every time I play pickup basketball or decide randomly to go for a run or any other miniature feat of cardiovascular endurance, but all I do to achieve it is lift weights for ~2 hours a few times per week.

You have some flawed logic going on there.

1. Your "excellent" endurance is your perception of your own abilities. I would never consider myself to have "excellent" endurance because I can play a game of basketball; I would consider it an average feat of endurance. I would consider those who can't play a game of basketball due to lack of endurance in poor physical condition.

2. You don't only lift weights if you play pick up games of basketball or go for runs...

3. Cardiovascular health and muscular endurance are not the same thing though are often correlated because endurance workouts also happen to be good cardiovascular workouts. It's possible to have a healthy heart and not have greatly impressive muscular endurance though. Someone who does HIIT for example...

I maintain that weight lifting is and can be excellent cardio.

Your heart certainly gets worked when you are lifting but I wouldn't classify it as "excellent" cardio.

[IDrinkBloodLOL]

I think you're overcomplicating this.

Is there a reason weight lifting can't provide equal cardiovascular benefits to HIIT if the weight lifting consists of 2 hours several times a week lifting heavy weight for high reps using lots of full body compound exercises? Is less work done?

I maintain that plus or minus a thing or two, I do "only" lift weights. I'll get some random bit of non-weightlifting exercise once every two months or so. My ability to do any of it, whether it's rock climbing or digging postholes or a sport or whatever comes solely from my weight training. I do none of it frequently enough that I'd have lasting training effects from it.

Your last point, that "endurance workouts happen to be good cardiovascular workouts" is my entire point, verbatim. High volume weight lifting that is an act of extreme endurance can also constitute extremely good aerobic cardio. Those are your words, not mine.

[Engineer_Guy]

I think you're overcomplicating this.

I like to do that.

Is there a reason weight lifting can't provide equal cardiovascular benefits to HIIT if the weight lifting consists of 2 hours several times a week lifting heavy weight for high reps using lots of full body compound exercises? Is less work done?

Your last point, that "endurance workouts happen to be good cardiovascular workouts" is my entire point, verbatim. High volume weight lifting that is an act of extreme endurance can also constitute extremely good aerobic cardio. Those are your words, not mine.

But who actually does high volume weightlifting to the point where it is considered an "act of extreme endurance"? How many reps is that actually and at what intensity?

I'd say most people on these forums lift either in a 1-5 rep range or 8-12. When I say lifting I usually am speaking to that assumption.

[Farley1324]

Leg workout is a form of cardio (other than being strength training)?

Since we activate our cardiovascolur system mostly when we use our legs to run, walk, jump and sprint, I guess that squats, deadlifts, leg curls and extensions are cardio too because the leg motions of bending and extending is basically the same and that's what seems to make one's heart beat faster and lungs hurt.

That would explain why I don't feel my cardiovascular system engaged when I lift weights except when I train my legs then my lungs and heart feel as angeaged as when I run at fast pace for 3 miles. Let me repeat this again, no matter how heavy I lift, I never feel any sort of cardiovascular stimulation when I bench press or military press but when I squat I'm puffing as much as if I had run.

Is there a physiological explanation

Your legs are big. They have a lot of muscle. Using all of that muscle at a high effort level uses a lot of oxygen.

Heavy squats can really get you breathing hard, especially if you go for moderate to high reps with a challenging weight.

[XADO]

But i guess they have to be light to medium weight, not your actual working weights :P

True? Ain't that circuit-training?

[DJAuto]

If my leg routine is cardio, than so is the rest of my routine because I approach everything with equal intensity.

[womanoid]

Get a heart rate monitor & be surprised. Your leg exercises are probably getting you up near 80% your max HR, while your upper body lifts get it up around 70%. It isn't as intense but it is raised significantly. Even ab work, provided it's appropriately challenging, will boost your heart rate up to levels that cardio does.

[Farley1324]

If my leg routine is cardio, than so is the rest of my routine because I approach everything with equal intensity.

uh-huh

[SuicideGripMe]

Anything above 5 reps is cardio. Fact.

[war1575]

Leg workout is a form of cardio (other than being strength training)?

Since we activate our cardiovascolur system mostly when we use our legs to run, walk, jump and sprint, I guess that squats, deadlifts, leg curls and extensions are cardio too because the leg motions of bending and extending is basically the same and that's what seems to make one's heart beat faster and lungs hurt.

That would explain why I don't feel my cardiovascular system engaged when I lift weights except when I train my legs then my lungs and heart feel as angeaged as when I run at fast pace for 3 miles. Let me repeat this again, no matter how heavy I lift, I never feel any sort of cardiovascular stimulation when I bench press or military press but when I squat I'm puffing as much as if I had run.

Is there a physiological explanation

Ultimately even though your heart rate/breathing elevates during a leg workout it's still not an aerobic workout(cardio). You will breathe heavier and your heart rate will elevate because you are using the largest muscle group in the body, as well as using multiple joints.

The difference between anaerobic exercise(lifting) and aerobic exercise(cardio) is the duration of the exercise. Anaerobic is exerting force for 60 secs or less ie. a set of 8-10 reps. Aerobic exercise is any exertion of force for an extended period of time.

That being said; you can use weight lifting as a form of cardio as long as you don't let your heart rate fall below 120bpm:
-no more than 30 seconds of rest between sets
-supersets of 3 exercises or more
-active rest between sets

[Farley1324]

The difference between anaerobic exercise(lifting) and aerobic exercise(cardio) is the duration of the exercise. Anaerobic is exerting force for 60 secs or less ie. a set of 8-10 reps. Aerobic exercise is any exertion of force for an extended period of time.

So if I do something for 45 seconds on, 45 seconds off, it can't be aerobic/cardio?

[GeneralSerpant]

Notice how all the cardio machines at gym are dependent on legs too. Saying that High Intensity leg workouts are cardio is undervaluing what Cardio exercise is for a matter.

It's pretty much like saying that you build muscle when you do cardio, so it's pretty much like weight-lifting.

[war1575]

So if I do something for 45 seconds on, 45 seconds off, it can't be aerobic/cardio?

It can be depending on whether or not you keep you heart rate above 120bpm.

[AlanApe]

Anything above 5 reps is cardio. Fact.

?????? Hmmmm. Nope. But good saying though! I used to concentrate on 4-6 rep range to failure for strength. Great training, but switched to 8-12 reps, now gainin mass. Still cant run a marathon though......

Weighlifting is not cardio, unless, like said above, you go for very light weights and rep in the 20 rep range, with 60 seconds or so per set, limited rest, like War said. Even then, you'd have to keep up an intensity that is unlikely to be beneficial for mass and strength gains.

Cardio can develop some muscles, lifting can get the heart pumping, but they shouldn't be classed as the same.

[GeneralSerpant]

Cardio has to do with how much blood you're pumping. Your muscular endurance is not the issue.

[h3adbang3r14]

ive noticed that wen i do legs i get winded like i was running bc of all the muscle engaging and working togetrher