Topic: Is there a better sport for lifetime fitness than weightlifting?

[Paul LaDuke]

Is there a better sport for lifetime fitness than weightlifting?

Think about it.  Is there?

• Look at the master's weightlifting events and you will see athletes competing well into their 70s!
• The training requires functional strength.
• Training develops great power (the ability to recruit the strength quickly
• It pushes the limits of functional flexibility helping older athletes to maintain flexibility.
• It requires balance.
• It develops core strength like no other training method.
• The constant training regimine will increase work capacity
• It works every muscle in the body as a unit.
• Since training use the body as a whole, it is rare that a lifter will develop major muscle imbalances like other weight sports - cough cough powerlifting cough
• Since training requires muscle recruitment of nearly every muscle in the body on every lift, there is an underrated cardiovascular benefit.
• Training accidents are rare since good lifters know when to bail on a bad lift thereby avoiding biomechanically bad postures and stress.
• An experienced lifter can get a lot out of a 20-30 minute session, and really, no session should last much longer than 60 minutes anyway especially if it is intense.

   

With all of these thoughts in mind, I encourage anybody at any age to find a good USAW certified coach, start lifting and then compete.

[Jim Hooper]

The major rub is the cardiovascular component of fitness.  Olympic lifting, or any form of weight training, even "circuit training," are inefficient if not entirely ineffective at improving cardiovascular fitness.    (Specificity, specificity, specificity . . . .)   Its also ineffective training for movement patterns that aren't taxed in the classic lifts or the basic assistance exercises.  (Lots of folks can snatch massive weights, but cannot perform 10 pullups.)   Most folks in the latter third of their lifespan should probably be primarily concerned with strengthening their heart muscle and secondarily concerned with strengthening their leg, back and hip extensors and core.  It would be hard for me to imagine a better fitness program for most aging athletes than Olympic lifting, supplemented with other strength training and a reasonable CV training program.    Lifting only probably tends to produce really strong folks with mediocre cardiovascular function.  CV only probably tends to produce people with above-average cardio exam results but mediocre muscular strength.  When you're 25, the balance may not matter much; when you're 45, it starts to be determinative of what you can and cannot do on this Earth.  From my perspective, the 60 year old guy who can snatch bodyweight but can't run around the block is no more "fit" than his 60 year old neighbor who runs 10Ks but can't move his couch across the room.  They're both "fit" in one respect and unfit in another.

[Shawn Thomas]

 There are methods of CV training that can be utilized with o-lifting, such as bar complex's/circuits that I find very demanding anaerobically. Using only 40-50 kilo or 40-50% of 1rm, I will peform 4 rounds of clean or snatch related movements of 6 reps of 8 different movements performed without stopping i.e Complex #1 deadlift/romanian deadlift/bentover row/power clean/front squat/push press/back squat/good morning 4 circuits x 6 reps w/ 90 sec. rest between sets. Complex #2 sn.grip deadlift/sn.hi-pull/upright row/power snatch/reverse lunge/push jerk/jump squat same volume as a before. This type of training is gruelling & should be performed after a o-lifting workout or if doing some GPP work. This type of training is popular with MMA fighters because of it's heavy metabolic component.
 I believe "running" is an absolute waste of time, your better off sprinting/doing hill work/ or circuit weightlifting as I just described. It's functional/burns BF without losing strength or mass & is easier on the joints as compared to long distance running for improved CV health.
 

[Andy Dick]

The only running I ever do are intervals (sprint:rest workouts) or I run a mile as fast as I can.  That way there is little detriment to my lifting that would be caused by a long run (distance running and oly lifting are to different and distance running hinders it).

[Shaun Le Conte]

Personally I don't believe in tainting the olympic lifts by mixing in them into a circuit. They shouldn't ever be considered cardio training if a person takes them seriously and wants to lift heavy weights. Do them heavy and with energy, don't do them tired and light.

IMO lifetime fitness should involve as many different activities as possible. Go outside and do something.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

This isn't aimed at any post in particular, but weightlifting is always cardio. The extremities need oxygen in the blood to do work. The heart must pump harder to get the blood there. Therefore, the heart muscle gets stronger to accomplish this need. Surprisingly enough, distance running and similar "cardio" exercise does not primarily strengthen the heart muscle but rather increases the cavity which holds blood inside the heart. Both are good adaptations, but the benefits to the heart from high intensity weightlifting should not be underestimated.

So, I agree with Shaun. If you want to do endurance work and improve the heart's ability to hold more blood, then do distance running, cycling, swimming, etc. If you want to get the heart stronger, do weightlifting. All such activities carry benefits to the heart.