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Should You Separate Your Cardio and Weight Training?
Fitness | July 14, 2016
I’ve been involved with the fitness industry since I was a teenager. And during my tenure I’ve watched as theories and fads have come and gone. But there are a few classic training models that endure. One of them is called Serial Concurrent Exercise (SCE). You might not have ever heard it called that, but I bet you’re familiar with it. Basically it just means doing both cardio and weight training during one workout session, but separating the two. This is a model that’s pretty popular with lots of weight room enthusiasts.
With SCE, the common wisdom is to hit the weighs first so you can put your best energy into lifting heavy (like barbell squats). Then you move to cardio to finish off your session (like running on a treadmill). The idea is to build muscle and then burn calories off so you can lose fat and get yourself a lean and muscular physique.
But my experience and education has taught me that SCE is not the only way. In fact, I believe that it’s not really the best way to achieve a lean, muscular physique. Why? Because it takes so darn LONG and doesn’t work as well.
Since my very first days of posting workouts on YouTube, I’ve preached the gospel of Integrated Concurrent Exercise (ICE). If SCE means one after the other, I’m sure you can guess what ICE means, right? It means combining your strength training and cardio into one workout. One version of ICE is to perform one strength training exercise, one cardio exercise, and then continue to alternate back and forth between the two. And that’s all well and good. But…it still takes a pretty long time.
I take the concept of ICE one step further and combine strength training and cardio into each exercise. When you do this you engage more muscle fibers, burn more calories, build more muscle, and rev the intensity of your workouts up so high that you can reduce your workout session time drastically.
This is how drastically: You could drive to the gym (membership $$$), spend 90 minutes sweating it out, 20 extra minutes waiting for the equipment you need to be free, and then drive home. Instead, I’ve made it possible for you to open an iPad, login, and get your daily workout in within a 15-20 minute time frame. And the bottom line is, you can get the same (and often better, in my opinion) results with ICE as the SCE gym model. Unless you’re single and got a really hot gym crush, I’d rather have all that extra time back.
In 2008 the University of California at Santa Cruz conducted a study they published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research comparing SCE with ICE by splitting a group of female college athletes into two groups and running them through workouts 3 days a week for 11 weeks. One group worked the SCE model and the other worked ICE. The ICE model of training produced greater adaptations in almost every category. The athletes who used integrated training got stronger, leaner, gained more muscle, and gained more flexibility. The SCE participants got stronger and leaner too, but at a significantly lower rate. And the SCE athletes actually lost flexibility in their upper bodies.
If you’re in a good place with your fitness and body goals and you use the SCE model, I can totally understand being afraid to lose your hard-earned gains by trying something new. So if you’re devoted to serial training, here’s a good article about merging the ICE model into your current workout routine from RxMuscle that might help ease your fears.
For me, the proof is in the pudding. I look and feel my best when I focus completely on ICE training, or as I call it, every single workout in the ZGYM! But if you’re on the fence, why not just give it a trial run? All you have to lose is fat. And all you have to gain is muscle, flexibility, and hours of your life back.
Have you ever made the switch from SCE to ICE? I’d love to hear all about your experiences and the body and health changes you saw and felt. Let me know in the comments below!
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Private Member |
Hey Z! Loved this article, thank you. When I got started in weight training I used to go to the gym with my fiancè and spend about 90 minutes in there (weights and cardio). Then I found your workouts and within about 4 weeks already I started seeing more definition in my arms. I started to shred so quickly. Now after following your Zgym dilligently for about 8 months I can see my abs! So my opinion is that your method definitely works so much better and efficient. Now.. off to do the 5 minute workout 😉 love ya
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Thank you so much. I’m so happy for your results.
LOVE,
Z.
Private Member |
kraków, poland
I have never been in gym. I ran, my first training was Nike training. Then I met you. And I definitely won’t go to gym, I’ll go in case I am not home, maybe in my vacation and a hotel will have a gym and I’ll do zgym workouts anyway.
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
go ICE, ICE,go, go GOOO!
I used to go to a gym when I had time and the things I prefered was body Pump. It was kinda including strength and somewhat cardio as still under a good pace.
However I don’t like (anymore) group exercises.
I very very much like body weight exercises that takes you in 3D, my favorite (and hardest) is the kickthrough, I also like burpees with leap jumps or rock-star jumps (so that you spine gets moved backward). I do repeat Body crush 35 regularly.
Now that I use my A360 to track my sessions, it is interesting to see the ranking. I take it as a fun challenge (surely not watching the figures per se , but it is a mean to compare one style to another)
Private Member |
hradec kralove, Česká republika, Česko
I am with you for one year and i have to say that i have the best shape of my life:-) Last week I was in gym with friends and it was soo weird:-) yes, you have to wait for equipment and it was much more about saying storyes then do execise. take too long time, I cant image that i spend one hour in gym every day.. thx Zuzka for your training:-)
Private Member |
Great article! Thanks for the info! I have tried going to the gym a few times, but it takes way too long (just the traveling + the training) and I could not make it fit in the time I had for me so I ended up not going. And imagine…. I didn’t have kids at that time 😅 Plus, I hated the fact that everyone could just stare at me while covered in sweat ha ha I have now been working out from home for a little over than three years and I heard about you about a year and a half ago. I have been training with you daily since then and I am honestly addicted. You bring us amazing workouts, they always look so much fun and they are, but you also bring us motivation. You are such a nice person to workout with on a daily basis, you are simply yourself, not complicated, natural and so nice ☺️ Every time I get a chance to talk about your workouts and how it is so much fun (and say you should try it) I do 😉 Thanks for being there!
Private Member |
I used to go to the gym n spend hours and honestly I did love it.. Now being a mom not ideal… I love s workouts and because of the different approach I do find that I become more hungry due to my metabolism going from this type of workout.. It’s amazing to me the way she has changed her body through out the years and am fortunate to have found her program!!!
Private Member |
I was doing cardio and weight training together for a long time and I was looking great. Then I decides I wanted to get into weight training. I love weight training but I lost my abs really quick. I think because I just did not have all that time to do weight training then cardio. Now I’m back to using your videos and some others and I’m getting back into shape:) so no to just weight training for me. I’m a mom of two and I’m to busy to workout for that long
Private Member |
tavares, fl, usa
When I decided to start exercising after having two daughters back to back, I found Zuzka on YouTube. I loved getting up in the morning, having my cup of coffee, then in my Pj’s (if I wanted) I completed her workouts. I lost weight, I became stronger and I felt amazing. Then I started to think I needed to weight train to become bigger. I purchased used barbell, Dumbbells, etc and built my home gym. I never liked sweating in front of people and didn’t like driving so far to go to the gym. I did weight training for 1.5 years and wasn’t seeing the results I wanted – and became bored. I came back to your new website and as of January of this year, I have followed you and your workouts (first starting with a 3 DVD Set of ZCUT Cardio and whatever YouTube videos I could find). Now I am a member of your website and I will never do anything else. Your workouts are FUN, short, and intense!! I AM stronger, fitter and happy. I love your enthusiasm, your smile and your blogs & Vlogs. Thank you for all that you do.
Private Member |
This article is so REDICUCULOUS!! You may be involved in fitness industry since you were a teenager but surely reading articles about weight training does not give you any knowledge at all. First af all you type if workout are TOTALLY different that weight training!!
Your mixing cardio with some simple strength exercises DOES NOT make it even similar to weight training. This is insane that you even compare workout in the gym. Your strength exercises don’t build muscle, they tone and that’s a massive difference.
Comparing your style to what the title of the article says is completely different. Separating cardio from weight training SESSION not 20 minutes of jumping in the living room. Looks to me like you’re bashing weight training, by saying its’s a waste of 90 minutes (90 minutes SWEATING IT OUT?? doing what? facebook updates?) OMG this article is hilarious, stupidly hilarious.If you don’t like proper weight training, working hard for more than 20 minutes, that’s fine, but don’t say rubbish about something you have actually no idea about.
I remember when you wrote an article last year bashing weight training that it makes you bulky and not sexy REALLY? Bulky, seriously where do you take this from? Like I said I’ve been weight training for 7 years and I do not agree with someone who doen’t know anything about it because what you know about is your training style.
Private Member |
bella vista, ar, us
Is it really necessary to be rude if you disagree with her article/blog?
Private Member |
I expressed my opinion the way I did because I have the right to tell – how it really is, don’t I?
If you think it’s rude, it’s because you probably don’t understand my point of view.
Zuzka’s trying to make a huge judgement ( not the first time on that subject) and she leaves a space for all of us to make a comment on that. I strongly disagree ,it’s that simple.
Private Member |
fl
I read and reread Zuzka’s article. She is presenting two different types of training models: SCE and ICE with a link to the study that was done. Did you read the study? When she injects her opinion she states just that: IMO. She even asks for our comments about our experiences with both SCE and ICE. I’m just completely confused by your comments.
Private Member |
And it doesn’t seem to you that you sound agresive and Zuzka is just presenting her experience with ICE? Before commenting I personally try to respect the people I respond to by carefully reading all they said. Had you read all Zuzka said, you would have seen she says both methods are fine, but her personality, style and style of organizing time makes her use ICE. Was it not nice to simply echo people who comment and defend SCE? Bet you felt like you told Zuzka off…only problem is, she never said SCE or ICE are in competiton. ..
Thanks Zgym members and Zuzka for posting ICE workouts. I prefer this training style, although I believe SCE people are awesome too.
Private Member |
ramona, ca, usa
1) You’re rude.
2) You spelled “ridiculous” incorrectly.
3) She said that she combines her cardio and her strength training. She didn’t say she combines cardio with “weight lifting.” She also never said that traditional weight lifting was not effective. She said her personal preference is to do shorter, more intense workouts to achieve the results she’s looking for. Everybody’s goals are different. Obviously a competitive body builder would not use Zuzka’s approach to achieve their results. Just like Zuzka wouldn’t lift very heavy weights and eat a diet conducive to packing on lots of muscle as that is simply not her goal.
4) Calm down.
Private Member |
fl, usa
Honestly, I have trouble taking anything seriously that begins with an incorrectly spelled word in the first line (in all caps, no less). Throw in the poor grammar and insults such as “stupidly hilarious” and I instantly dismiss your argument. Perhaps your comments would have been better received had you presented yourself in a more appropriate manner. It’s unfortunate that you chose not to foster genuine, respectful debate but instead resorted to a insult-laden rant.
Private Member |
québec, canada
I totally agree.
It’s never a good way to present arguments, being disrespectful! There was so much agressiveness in her post.
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Besides the fact that you come across angry and aggressive, you don’t come across like you have actually read the whole article and took in the information I have given. I have also never said that weight training doesn’t make you sexy. Wow, just wow. What a character…
I don’t think I have to prove to you, that my workouts have the capability to build athletic, and an outstandingly strong physique. Or that I’m not judging classic weight training. I’m just laughing…
Private Member |
i appreciate all that you do Z! wow is right! Your workouts are amazing!!!
Private Member |
curitiba, parana, brazil
Hi Zu…my experience is that I used to go to gym also when I was younger and single. It was just boring, go there lift the weights, use all the machines with others sweat, do crunches and go back home with the feeling that the workout of the day was done. But it takes ages to really see some difference in the body and once I stopped lifting weights, all my muscles literally fell down in no time. In gym, there are no different movements, no variety of stimulus, it is always pretty same machines and exercises just increasing weights. My body used to have no flexibility. I have never got abs in gym…of course I was not dieting properly also but it is a matter of feeling what is better to each body. I am much more lean, fit and strong now. I was never able to do a pull-up in my entire life…even going to gym 3x per week and lifting weights. Now I do my workouts daily, shorter and more effective at home!. Zgym is too good girl…the best proof is to see old pictures of when I was 20 and now after 35 realizing how much I am looking better now! 🙂 Yesss…Best and most effective workouts. Thanks Zu!