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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.
Great article mehdi,
With regard to the 20 rep squats, to keep yourself and anybody interested updated, i just finished the 6 week squats and milk cycle, each session involving one set of 20 back squats with your 10RM, rest pausing.
Very, very, very difficult. However, by the end of the 6 weeks i was doing my previous 5RM for 20 reps. Havn’t tested my new 5RM yet, but its definitely higher. I reccomend it to people once in a while. Its not a sustainable program, and 5×5 is of course comes out on top.
What do you mean by body weight when you talk of 1 or 2 bw?
I’m overweight, 260lbs, and squat around 225lbs. Is this less than 1bw, or is it 1bw + 225lbs?
Sorry if this is a stupid question but I’d rather be sure I understand your articles correctly. Thanks
@Jim
No problem, it’s a common question. In your case: 1.5x 260lbs, is 390lbs. So Squat at least 390lbs for 1 rep, when you can do that (that’s below parallel, hips coming lower than knees), you’ll see a big difference in physique/endurance/etc.
That Jesse Marunde video really isn’t that impressive. I mean, sure it’s FAR more than I could even dream of doing but check THIS out:
40 rep squat of 215 pounds, and this guy does not stop even ONCE, whereas Jesse was stopping over and over after the fifth rep.
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_CrossFittersRStrong.mov
By the way, the squatting is 50 seconds into the video.
I can agree with what you are saying, but using Jesse Marunde as an example for and article labled as “For The Last Time: Strength Training Improves Cardiovascular Fitness” is ironic. I think that guy is incredible, and I’m sure his cardio disease is rare, but he died of heart failure at 27 or 28 years old. Just kind of a coincidence, I guess.
@Barry
Jessy used 2x the weight and first did power cleans/hand clap pull-ups. His max is way higher fresh. Try a 20 rep squat as Yusef explained, you’ll understand the breathing.
I’m in the StrongLifts program since two months and a half. I don’t include “regular” cardio in my training. Well, some weeks ago I went for a jog and I found my cardio fitness improved WITHOUT running on a regular basis. I did twice the road I did before and I ended way more fresh than before. Long wearing work is not the best way to get fit. Intensity is, so get stronger.
That video is rather impressive. I’ve always loved the squat. Ass to grass baby!
Don’t worry, I agree with your judgement, the only reason I said that was because I heard someone in the gym saying that and believed it. This is from personal experience as I was used to 20 rep squats and then with the 5 reps my breathing seemed normal. Maybe Ill start to feel it as I increase the weight next workout. Only started 5*5 workout this week with 60kg on mon, will raise weight to 65 and probably 70kg as 60kg felt like it wasn’t on my back.
I have been an endurance freak for years and years. (Belgium IS a cylcing country you know). Running, swimming and cycling 4-6 times a week. Due to lack of time I could not sustain that and gotten into the 5×5 program. Now it takes me 2.5 hours a week instead of 4-6 times 1.5-4 hours of training and on the occasional run, when i do have the tims) I find myself running easier and faster then before.
Physiologically it really is simple: increasing your 1 rep max decreases the percentage of 1 step, stroke,… so endurance goes up.
And one more thing: in all those years of endurance training I never had the feel of having hit it hard as I do after the 5th rep of the 5th set of squats. I just seem to push myself harder in strength training then in endurance.
i get winded on my last reps of each set of squats, i finally broke 200 lbs and it has been kicking my butt phyically, mentally and cardiovascular wise as well.
i went for a 20 rep set of deads with 225 lb and i barely made it to 15. i was huffing and puffing for 10 minutes after.
see, i want to believe this, but i still don’t understand. i’ve squatted almost 2xBW but the other day i ran for a half mile and i was dying during it. i was so out of breath and my chest hurt. not challenging you, but how do you explain that?
20 rep squat with 400lbs is a more impressive than squatting 215lbs for 40 reps. Thats how I see it anyways.
@Barry, I’m not sure which vid I find more impressive. I think Jesse was about 315lbs and the guy in the CF vid looks about 215 maybe? Both are insane feats of strength. I love vids like these, they motivate by showing what is possible if you train hard enough.
I think we are all missing out on the indirect reason why this strength training program is helping your cardiovascular fitness.
Circuit training.
Maybe not the official circuit traiing regimen, but definitely a form of it. You’re increasing the endurance of that wonderful cardiac… yep.. your heart. And that will of course help with your cardiovascular fitness.
Good post.. maybe just not a good title?
Todd, Jesse Marunde died of a genetic heart defect called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
It had nothing to do with his diet or lifestyle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Marunde
Hi Mehdi,
I’ve been reading your articles for quite some time now, and I want to ask you a question: Does running or more specifically sprinting teaches you how to use all your body muscles in harmony? which is something most beginners can’t do when lifting weights?