Kickbox Cardio and weight training...

[ALD4168]

I just decided to add a kickboxing cardio class to my workouts on Monday. My weeks used to look like this:
Monday: 1 hour of cardio
Tuesday: Back and Shoulders + 30 minutes cardio
Wednesday: Arms and Chest + Step Aerobics class
Thursday: Abs and Legs + Hip Hop Dance Class or 45 minutes interval cardio work
Friday: 60 minutes cardio-30 minutes steady state, 30 minutes interval
Saturday: usually an off day, but sometimes 45 minutes of cardio
Sunday: usually an off day, but sometimes a step aerobics class depending on the rest of my week.
The problem is that the Kickboxing class is on Monday and usually my arms and legs are too sore on Tuesday or Wednesday to lift heavy <font color="purple"> </font> . Do you all think that the soreness will eventually go away enough to lift well once I get used to the kickboxing a little bit, or should I change my training schedule?

[Libby2]

Hmmm...I'm no expert, but that sure seems like an awful lot of cardio, even without the kickboxing! I would ease off on the cardio, and have at least one full day of rest..as it is IMO you'll be headed towards overtraining which will send you flat up against a wall....just my opinion....see what some of the others have to say....Krypto'll know exactly what to tell ya!! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[ALD4168]

I usually take 2 days off, so I'm actually only doing 5 days of cardio...Is that really too much? I only add the Saturday or the Sunday if I skipped a day in the middle of the week. One of my friends who is a trainer told me to do that much in order to keep up my endurance for dancing (that's what I used to do, but I got injured, gained 50 pounds and have got to lose it in order to get back into it and here I am), but if he's wrong PLEASE feel free to tell me so. Basically he said for weight loss for me to do 5x per week of cardio and 3-4x of lifting and then for maintenance to do 3-4x per week of cardio and stay the same with lifting. Is he steering me wrong????? I'm definitely not turning into a skinny girl (Thank goodness!), but I'm losing weight and gaining muscle. I know there are dangers in doing too much cardio, but how much is too much to stay losing 1-2 pounds per week?

[Libby2]

I suppose it 's really a matter of what your training for, but since this a b.b'ing site, for this type of training you are doing way too much cardio. We'd have you doing the opposite...less cardio and more weight training...lifting heavy and ot failure...cardio maybe 3xweek, for no more than 30 mins, so as not to waste muscle....however if you are traing for dancing, then I don't really know what to advise except that you could read ALL of Krypto's post-its at the beginning of this forum....anbd then read Jacob's 12wk fat burning articles, workouts and diets and compare notes.....
I too had a trainer tell me that if I wanted to lose b.f that I should be doing a minimum of 40 mins cardio 5xwk.....which, is fine for obvious health reasons, however...not conducive to building muscle or allowing the body adequate rest to rebuild and replenish....so I cut back to 3-4xwk and just 30 mins....it's working well for me, that with a good diet as well....however like I said, maybe someone else will have more indepth ideas for ya...in the meantime...read up on all the of Krypto's stickies and use this site...it's full of valuable info!!

[teletummy]

yeah i agree with libby. Which comes to mind, why do those professional ballet dancers look muscular. Averagely muscular but I assume they were training for dancing. I wonder how they do it, methods they use.

[ALD4168]

Teletummy,
If you're talking about the male ballet dancers...Well, most of them do some weight lifting and you'd be surprised how much muscle you can gain lifting those 90 pound girls up and down all day. Also a lot of them do Pilates and Yoga. Ballet in and of itself also requires a lot of strength. You'd be surprised if you never tried it before. Of course it's not the same type of strength that you get from lifting, but you do get pretty strong legs and abs especially.
Also I wanted to clarify a little something about myself. I don't do ballet, so please don't get me confused with the 90 lb girls who do. I'm a little defensive about this just because people assume dancer=skinny anorexic girl. I'm sorry if I come off rude about it. It's just one of those things. Believe me...at 5'2" 120-125 pounds (at my lightest weight about a year or so ago) I pack quite a bit of muscle. Right now what I'm aiming for is for is a look similar to the one that the fitness competitors have during the off season. Considering that I lifted really light before February, I'm lifting pretty heavy for me. I don't know how possible it is for me biologically, genetically or whatever for me to get to my goal (my whole family is obese except for me), but I've been working since January and I'm getting decent results, but I'm interested in seeing what would happen if I make some changes. So maybe I will try doing less cardio. What would be a good cardio routine that would keep up my endurance, but wouldn't be overkill?

[Libby2]

Check out articles on HIIT training...can be incorporated with any type of cardio...whatever your pleasure is...

[enderwigginout]

Ohh...a hip/hop dance class! I'll be right there (but waaaayyyy in the back trying not to look like a white girl with no rhythm). I've always wanted to do that!

But, yeah...I'm with the other girls...that's too much cardio. I don't think its necessary. I'm doing ONE day of cardio (a 20 minute run) every five days and I'm LOOSING weight (although my weight lifting routine is pretty long and tough). [img]/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

And ballet dancers usually have very low bodyfat, which is why they look so muscular, teletummy. I think in dancing you do a lot of "squats" and extended arm movements which all tend to build up that muscle. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] And dancing for 3-8 hours a day depending on your level doesn't hurt either. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]