Interesting to read this. A couple years ago, I helped a friend move, and even though I’d been lifting for years, I kind of realized that I didn’t feel like it helped me lift more the way I thought it would (though I was a lot less sore afterwards than the other people helping him). I guess because my weightlifting routine doesn’t involving picking one end of a couch, a TV, or boxes and carrying them in and out of a big truck?

Likewise, I was on a volleyball team last summer, and in game I was really winded. I couldn’t really understand why I got through my five-mile run that morning with no problem, but half an hour of v-ball was killing me.

I guess I’m one of those people that just likes steady-state cardio. I like to run. I like to cycle. I still lift 3-4 times a week but my “off days” are filled with extended cardio.

Running is something that I’ve done more and more as of late. I was absolutely terrible when I started about 6 months ago — it was a stretch for me to run a mile without sucking air. Now I’m at a solid 4-5 miles whenever I run. It really forced my body to adapt itself to being able to do that and, in the process, helped me lose some additional weight.

That said, I plateaued and had to reinvigorate my lifting routine to see additional losses. The only way I’ve been able to lean out after getting down to an average weight has been lifting. I still enjoy my “cardio” days though.

As the old powerlifters used to say "the only thing that doesn’t hurt your bench (or squat or deadlift) is benching (or squatting or deadlifting). Somewhat crude by today’s scientific standards, but pretty much true. Practice makes perfect- but it doesn’t help the other stuff you aren’t practicing. Look at major league pitchers. A lot of them are fat and can’t run the bases to save their life but they sure can pitch.

Between slow, steady cardio (jogging, for instance) and interval training, which should have a greater impact on resting heart rate?

The thing that caught my eye on this post was Aikido. As a 9 year Aikidoka I’ve gone from fabulously flabby-fit (which is to say, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that I was not fit enough to conquer every challenge thrown at me – props to my mom for giving me the stubborn gene) to pretty fit, and directly correlated with my fitness has been my progression from 6th Kyu to Shodan (where my true education started, much to my chagrin, and the hilarity of my comrades as they watch me trip over my hakima and see Sensei grinding me down for not doing a technique properly – run ego, run). In the last 2 years there has been a marked increase in my Aikido performance (RUN ego, RUN). Notably, 2 years ago I started CrossFit. CrossFit is the ONLY sport I’ve found that can compare to the level of intensity needed to survive an Aikido test. Running didn’t do it, swimming didn’t do it, and MORE AIKIDO didn’t do it. My teacher would probably argue that, had I increased my intensity in Aikido I would have seen the same gains as I have seen with the addition of CrossFit. I would argue that increasing physical capacity through regular CrossFit training, while increasing technique with regular Aikido training has given me the fitness needed to survive (yes, it is survival, at least in my Aikido association) my Shodan test. So yeah, I’m plugging CrossFit here, but I’m doing it to illustrate a point – sometimes training in one area can get you far, and training more in that area can get you farther, but training in multiple complementary areas can get you farther, faster. Note: as stated in the blog post, running and other time-consuming steady pace "cardio" are NOT complimentary areas with Aikido. And no, CrossFit is not the only option for complimentary training in Aikido, but it’s definitely the one for me. ONE MORE NOTE: diet (not diet ING) has had a huge impact on my level of fitness as well. In the CrossFit world, diet is an integral part of being "Cross-Fit" but that might not be plain to others, so I thought I’d mention that. Wow. Ok. Crammed a lot in there.

Killer post, I’m stoked you’re into Aikido. You might want to check this link out: http://www.makotodojo.com/cms/

Cross-training—via CrossFit or simply by, you know, doing other activities (I love how everyone—myself included—feels obliged to qualify a billion times when they recommend CrossFit…it’s such a hot-button topic!) for virtually any activity is great, and I highly recommend it, as long as the cross-training activity roughly replicates the same movements, uses the same muscle groups, and/or lasts the same duration as the activity you’re prepping for.

In aikido, the belt tests themselves are hard to replicate without a whole troupe of sparring partners. Much easier and more practical to prep for the test with some full-body intense movement that involves swinging or lifting heavy weight; getting up and down over and over, and bending, lunging and squatting repeatedly. CrossFit-type training—perhaps with a tweak or two seems like it would fit the bill.

Congratulations on the weight loss—good for you. Cool how you got into the strength and conditioning stuff indirectly—to get better at aikido—and lost the weight that way. Shows again how many roads there are to the same goal.