Image credit: romanlily

For some people the idea that strength training increases cardiovascular fitness is hard to grasp. Probably because they think of bodybuilding rather than strength training when you say weight lifting.

Forum member Beast posted in StrongLifts.com Forum:

If you don’t do any sort of cardio, when doing exercises such as Squats you may hit failure (depending on fitness level) not from the muscle but by breathing, you will find you can’t lift the weight again because your body can’t supply the necessary oxygen.

As member johnnyo replied: “Running will never help you squat more, thats just plain silly.” I already explained how strength training increases cardiovascular fitness. This time I give you practical examples, to make you think.

Remember Your 1st Time. First time 5×5 Squats with empty bar might have got you out of breath. Maybe even body-weight Squats were hard. But you persisted and 2 months later you were Squatting 130lbs/60kg for 5×5.

Warming-up with an empty bar is now a joke. Same with body-weight Squats. You can probably Squat 88lbs/40kg for 15 to 20 reps in a row while you were struggling with that same weight for 5×5 a few weeks earlier.

More Strength is More Endurance. If you can Squat 130lbs/60kg for 5×5, you can Squat 40kg for 20 reps. Increase your Squat to 220lbs/100kg for 5×5, and you can Squat 130lbs/60kg for 20 reps.

Of course 20 rep Squats feel easier if you do it regularly. That’s were specificity comes in. But the principle remains: increase your maximal strength on the Squat, and lower weights – including body-weight – Squats will feel easier.

Watch this video of strongman Jesse Marunde doing a 20 rep Squat. Try to get this kind of intensity doing a 3 mile run.

The Take Home Message. This doesn’t meant you shouldn’t do any cardio. If you need endurance for sports or need to lose fat: include cardio. But if you’re only interested in strength and overall health:

• Increase your Squat from 1x BW to 2x BW. Compare how 20 reps with 1x BW and 50 body-weight Squats feel a lot easier.
• Increase your Squat from 1x BW to 2x BW. Notice how your vertical jump increases as your Squat increases.
• Increase your Squat from 1x BW to 2x BW. Running 3 miles with your own body-weight will feel much easier.

You may have never thought of it, but every athletic endurance endeavor is really nothing more than a series of submaximal efforts. – Eric Cressey

By the way, no offence to forum member Beast. I’m often wrong and don’t know everything. Beast isn’t supposed to know everything neither. So no flaming.