The Cardio Thread

[MassMonster]

when your cutting should you be doing cardio every day even on off days...?

[simpleguy]

theres no too much cardio , you just have to watch your pulse all the time .Again depends on your goals , i cardio 6 days a week coz i have to burn a lot of cals and everything is cool

actually there is too much cardio, but usually people are not even getting close to that... that's why you have to keep your body guessing.. don't do cardio 7 times a week the whole year... alternate the periods... for example some bb do cardio twice a day very close to a contest... and that's good... but imagine what a disaster would be if they hang on to the twice-a-day-cardio for more than a few months... their bodies adapt to it, and even if they'd do cardio 5-6 times a week, they would gain back a bit of that flab they lost... that's why now I only do 2-3 days of cardio, even though two months ago I was doing about 6 days... next month I'll hit it hard again, my body responds best if I alternate the periods in which I do more cardio or less...

[simpleguy]

I here it so often ''I hate cardio'', or the dreaded 'C' word as they use to call it now... but I wanna hear you guys... does this shit motivate you when you do it? I myself think there are many activities far more interesting than cardio, but my personal point of view is that the more you say to yourself ''I hate cardio'' the less you'll do it... I try to convince myself that cardio is not so bad after all, and think of its benefits...works better for me than if I think of it as a necessary 'evil'.. what about you?

[brandona]

I just do it, I dont enjoy it, but it has to be done...like cleaning the toilet...just has to be done...

-B

[Big Wides]

I just do it, I dont enjoy it, but it has to be done...like cleaning the toilet...just has to be done...

-B

could not have put it any better

[billmd1334]

There aren't many people who enjoy doing cardio, but I think we all know it's a necessary evil. No point in bitching about doing it, just get it done.

[Punisher]

I thought it was gunna be a different "c" word one that almost every woman hates lol !!

[Joker-Roo]

I always get hit by my g/f for that. Its my favorite curse word and her least favorite word.


Andru

I thought it was gunna be a different "c" word one that almost every woman hates lol !!

[spyderman4g63]

I hate doing cardio, but I feel good after words. It's a different feeling than after a lifting.

[benmatthews90]

i run every morning for half an hour, because i will need the endurance for when i join the marines, but i kind of enjoy it, it gives me time to think to myself ,and also because its hard, i relish it, pushing myself to do somthing that i am not conditioned to do.

but its like squats, you just got take it in the face like a man or turn around and cower like a little pussy

[rjs]

I'm fortunate enough to live on an island where it's summer all year long. what that said, I do outdoor activities for cardio. my activities include jogging, swimming and sea kayaking.

[drizzt]

i dont think there really is "too much cardio" but like some others said, your body can adapt to it if you keep it consistent for too long, just like your training routine...also, your body will get pretty worn down if youre doing cardio consistently throughout the year and you wont be able to recover as much if youre doing cardio twice a day 7 days a week like people do for show prep, that's why they are usually really tired and can get moody and stuff because their bodies start to get worn out...that's just my opinion though and ive never really preped for a show or anything, but it seems to make sense.

[The_Dude]

I hate doing cardio, but I feel good after words. It's a different feeling than after a lifting.

I agree with you bro. I don't do it much. But when I do, it's like a load lifted from my shoulders, my head is clear and I just feel great.

[Riesjs]

I dont think theres a lot of people on this forum that enjoy cardio, including myself. If its nice I'll take it outside run or bike. I get very bored with cardio so I will switch things up each time. Bike, run, elliptical, arc trainer, whatevers open, get creative to keep it new.

[LHS Monster]

many things in life i hate doin like arguing with my bitch girlfriend but in the end i get laid so basically its the same concept cardio is the bitch girlfriend and being a cut buff motherfucker is the gettin ass part

[LiL GuY]

cardio fuckin sucks, we all hate it, but its necessary, cardio's worse than squats, fuck its leg day for me

[dIdDy]

who says cardio has to be done in a stuffy gym staring at a TV or a wall?

It's summertime, do it outside! Grab a basketball, shoot hoops and keep a steadt "jog" while you play. have fun

briskly walk around the neighborhood, get some air.

dust off your mountain bike thats in the garage and ride that bitch...be creative! I love cardio!

[dIdDy]

the key is intensity. The more intense the cardio, the more aminos your body will use for fuel. aminos = muscle tissue if you didn't know.

lightly sweating, medium heart rate for 30-45 min 4-5 days a week with a good calorie deficiet diet will do the trick

[ericthered]

Honestly, what motivates me during cardio is some of the guys at work:

-Eating their Big Macs, Large Fries, and Diet Cokes

-Explaining why they don't have time to train


Hey, to each his own...but their laziness motivates me. It motivates me to be my best, to run an extra mile. So I can be my best and nothing less.

Watching them shows me all the hard work that I've put in is paying off and that I have to keep training, keep pushing.

[eblnyc]

i love my cardio. it gives me a ton of fuckin energy.i grab my ipod and one of my friends dogs and off i go.

[ironshaolin]

Remember the law of attraction, like attracts like. The more time people spend saying, I hate cardio the less they'll like it and less likely it will get done. Even if you hate it, start telling yourself you love it. Say, "I love cardio. I can't wait for my next session. Moving my body until my lungs are about to burst, what could be better? Improves circulation, healthier heart and lungs, and knocks the fat right out. My day isn't done till I get in my beloved cardio!" Say that enough, and it will become the truth. Remember Mohammed Ali went on and on about how we was the best boxer, long before he became the best. But his saying it day in, and day out, made it come true.

Personally, my favorite cardio is heavy bag work and sparring. Set yourself up with a heavy bag, start with a 30 second round, minute rest, then go 45 secs, 60 secs, 90 secs, and a big 2 minute round and you're cooked. Then spar with someone continuous for 3 min rounds, you'll be sweating like you just deadlifted a mac truck for reps.

[Dedicated2Liftin]

Cardio = Leg Day...nuff said.

[Torque757]

I dont see any problem with hating cardio, as long as you use it to get angry and channel it into the cardio.

[NPC Chicka]

For bodies like mine, cardio is an absolute "must." It's one of the non-negotiable items that I am forced to contend with for as long as I compete. And.......what makes it worse for me, is that the cardio I do precontest is ugly; I mean, really ugly.

At it's peak, I've done up to 2.5 hours a day , 6 days a week rotation. Nowadays, I can get by with going up to 2 hours a day- but that's not just the last 3-4 weeks like some athletes.......I'm at that level for a lot longer then that- the total number of weeks depending on how much weight I've gained offseason, too.

Not only do I have to do a lot to get in shape, I have to do the "harder" forms of cardio, too. No recumbent bike here. We're talking Stepmill or Gauntlet. In 2005, prepping for the NA, I worked with Body Tech master, Howard Huddleston and that mans make you suffer. I consider myself among the elite when it comes to hard work, suffering all the way through, from start to finish, and this man pushed ME- pushed me HARD. Stepmill twice a day, totally covered up, even on leg day for 2 hours...... Others saw it, and just shook their heads and walked away. I don't know how I did it- but where there's a will, there's a way, and I did do it.

It's also good to "vary" your cardio; treadmill on incline, running, sprints, stepmill, stair stepper......all of it, though I've never been a fan of the bike- I feel it's the Lazy Man's cardio and not overly effective- although some swear by it. So, once again, find what works for you and stick with it.

Offseason, I "should" do more cardio, but I loathe it so, and I suffer terribly precontest, so I tend to stay away from it.......but my ass does need to be on those damn machines. No way around it.

I'm Italian and I got bad genes, boys........LOL



NPC Chicka

[iron junkie]

Need an op on my 2 knees have 1 dodgy hip you only think you hate cardio suck it up pump up the music and think your chasing the Mr O title that should make you peddle faster.

[lil ox]

I hate cardio. No problem with all the rest of it, but I can't stand doing cardio. It's fuckin boring man.

[Molasses]

I like going for real bike rides, but i've never felt that the gym bike really does a whole lot for me..

and the only reason i get through cardio, is because i know their is an amazing natural high waiting for me when i stop running and i get back to my house...

[bovat]

i like to do cardio on a bulk, for one, to stay lean, and two, to increase metabolism. i was wondering if slow cardio, increases metabolism, cuz i would be doing cardio like five times a week, and don't want to lose muscle with more rigorous cardio.

and i was wondering about how much calories you body burns, by just hanging out or walking around some, no great exersion, and how many calories you burn from lifting, for like 45-60 min. and finally, how many calories you need to gain muscle, so if i burn like 3000, how much should my caloric intake be.

[MFALCH]

If you mix up your cardio, will your body still get used to it? I actually like cardio, and I do a mix of running, jumping rope, the stair machine, and the elliptical. I'm looking to add swimming to the mix too.

Can you mix it up to avoid getting used to it?

[xtroutzx]

I thought it was gunna be a different "c" word one that almost every woman hates lol !!

what, see you next tuesdaY?

a little play on words

[vgiordano]

For example, if i wake up at 5 or 6 am and do cardio for 30-45 minutes, how long after would it be ok for my body to go and hit the weights?

I know its a big no no to do cardio and then go right to lift, always lift then do cardio.

[Riesjs]

i like to do cardio on a bulk, for one, to stay lean, and two, to increase metabolism. i was wondering if slow cardio, increases metabolism, cuz i would be doing cardio like five times a week, and don't want to lose muscle with more rigorous cardio.

and i was wondering about how much calories you body burns, by just hanging out or walking around some, no great exersion, and how many calories you burn from lifting, for like 45-60 min. and finally, how many calories you need to gain muscle, so if i burn like 3000, how much should my caloric intake be.

OK. Bulk and stay lean in the same breath, to me its not my vision of bulking. Bulking, is bulking, is bulking. You are 16. I personally think that at your age it is really hard to bulk and put on wieght in the first place so dont worry soooo much about that. Im sure your metabolism is in high gear as it is. Dont worry about putting on a few extra pounds...thats what bulking is right? Cardio is great for you heart, bp, etc....on a bulk you want to minimize cardio as much as you can. Im sure you are not going to bulk for 18 months, so in due time you can hit up the cardio again. Eat, eat, eat.
Second, you pretty much answered your own question...to 'bulk' you definatley need to take in more 'quality' calories than you burn. If you dont, you'll never see weight gain. Try to minimize cardio, maybe walk or bike if you have to, try not to get that HR too high, eat what you can and lift heavy.

[naturalguy]

I just do it, I dont enjoy it, but it has to be done...like cleaning the toilet...just has to be done...

-B


Thats how I feel. It's a necessary evil.

[boysrepublic]

Need an op on my 2 knees have 1 dodgy hip you only think you hate cardio suck it up pump up the music and think your chasing the Mr O title that should make you peddle faster.

i thought you were talking about the other "c" word... catabolic. Cardio is just as bad tho...

[bigrhino]

i wonder if some of these people who curse cardio, calling it "muscle wasting" and "catabolic" have ever actually done it, or have just read about it. it is really not that bad (contest prep is different)

[bovat]

i will get too fat if i do no cardio, so i need to do some, im expecting to put on some fat, but i don't want to be fat again. my metabolism isn't very fast

[Riesjs]

Eat the right foods, lean meat and such. Watch your protein powders...some have a ton of calories in them, so keep a good eye out. Do cardio 3x's a week, no more than 30 mintues, keep the intenstiy lower than normal, get a good sweat...dont run too much, maybe intervals, walk, or bike.

[Arnold Is Numero Uno]

Here's my split...3 days on 1 day off, repeat...on my one day off, if I do cardio does that still count as an off day since i am not lifting? Does my body still get enough rest and recuperation? I do about 30 minutes of trail running for cardio, moderate pace

[Riesjs]

As long as your leg day is in the middle, you should be in good shape (ex. chest/arms, legs/abs, back/sh, cardio, repeat). It'll be enough rest for those muscle groups.

[whatnow5]

whats an off day?

[bovat]

whatnow,
are you joking, you work out every single day, well that sucks for you. i would do cardio on an off day, or lifting day, i like lifting, cuz off days are fun to sit back and not do shit, which is always relaxing.

[ChandlerXJ]

whats an off day?

hahaha... EXACTLY.

Hey - to throw in my 2 cents, my off days are my cardio days. I just do that because I have too much energy that if I don't do something active, I might not sleep, which is not good. Check out my journey for some future details of my off days, one being today. I will be doing some heavy ab work tonight (this can't count as an on day, I mean, its abs!!!) and I will be doing my running routine just to burn a little energy. I got measured last week and it's time to start bulking up to 200, I lost too much fat this summer, I was actually shocked.

[xman]

depends on how you personaly feel. if your crazy sore on your off day . then take it off. but if your not ... then some cardio wouldnt kill you . but i would to more than 7 days of consecutive "no rest".

[flamey40]

Hey I was curious about this guys, lemme know what you think.

for most powerlifters body fat percentage does not matter. Some powerlifters employ a "see all-eat all" type of a diet in which they gain massive strength and at the same time their weight sky rockets. my question is, if a powerlifter is to try and diet down (not to the point of single digits in body fat) just in general to lose some weight, how should he go about doing so in trying to maintain as much strength as possible. I know for bodybuilders, they should "get a pump and go home" as Schak says. what about PL's?

[Squat_Heavy]

Medley with: Kegloading, farmers walk and tyreflips should do the trick.

[Big Wides]

anytype of GPP should do the trick. sled drags, wheelbarrow work, sledgehammer work. also hit a treadmill at a fast pace walk.

[grissinger]

I joke around from time to time with folks about cardio and my lack of it. The truth is it is important. I do 1-2 pretty hard 30-45 minute sessions a week. I do not tell anyone about my 10 minute miles but it keeps my second most impostant muscle in shape. You do not have to be a fat ass slob to be a good powerlifter. You are most anablolic in that 10-15% BF range which is pretty lean compared to your average Joe. In addition, eating like shit is not a good idea for anyone. Look at Dave Tate these days, he has changed his philosophy and the dude looks great. I have always believed I am a diet away from putting away my knee wraps and putting on the posing trunks, and the truth is I am. I am 45 years old and because I have watched what I ate, to a degree, maintained decent cardio vascular heath, I will continue to get stronger and improve my physique. Alot of people hate this phrase but I consider myself a powerbuilder. I love to squat 650+, bench 475+, dead 650+, but I also love having a 48-50" chest with a 34-36" waist, so does my beautiful 27 y/o girlfriend. I hope this came out the right way and not arrogant, my point is do both create a good body and become powerful.

[flamey40]

\ I love to squat 650+, bench 475+, dead 650+, but I also love having a 48-50" chest with a 34-36" waist, so does my beautiful 27 y/o girlfriend. I hope this came out the right way and not arrogant, my point is do both create a good body and become powerful.

haha, pretty impressive but you did get your point across. i agree with you all the way though. i tried the bodybuilding route at first but the truth is if i can go heavier, then by all means i want to. which leads me to the powerbuidling style you described. lifting heavy but at the same time, trying to maintain a decent 10 to 15% body fat. quick question for you though, do you overtrain easily? i know people dread that word but truth is some weeks i can bench 315 with ease and then a week later i come back and it feels like 495. my strength doesnt decrease drastically but i can feel a slight muscular fatigue some weeks compared to others. like i'm not 100%

[grissinger]

I think my biggest flaw is overtraining. I am probably in the minority with this philosophy but I would rather overtrain then undertrain. I truly believe when I feel like I have overtrained it is b/c my diet has been crap, my sleep has been less then desireable, my personal life is out of whack and I have not maintained good over all physical conditioning. I am VERY guilty of this right now, my training cycle has been miserable. I think overtraining is a symptom not the disease.

[flamey40]

I think my biggest flaw is overtraining. I am probably in the minority with this philosophy but I would rather overtrain then undertrain. I truly believe when I feel like I have overtrained it is b/c my diet has been crap, my sleep has been less then desireable, my personal life is out of whack and I have not maintained good over all physical conditioning. I am VERY guilty of this right now, my training cycle has been miserable. I think overtraining is a symptom not the disease.


okay, thinking about my training and dieting i think that could be a good assessment of what it could be. for me, i usually limit carbs because i have a slower metabolism so therefore my carbs remain the same until i feel that it's necessary to bump them up (aka my gains have come to a screeching halt) and as for protein i usually don't keep track of it and just eat and eat. although i'll have to admit some days i probably don't eat as much as i should. so i'll try to eat more protein and become more aware of how much i'm getting. thnx for your input grissinger

[tfox]

yo, i was wondering when is the best time for cardio... before lifting or after... or does it even matter

[TufffGuY]

after..awlays after, never b4

[Cstlfx]

Definitely after. Your heartrate is elevated and your body has already been working, you burn more off with cardio after.

[rcrott1]

dont you get enough cardio on the walk to the door of the gym from the car?


jk. hit it up after. OR, you can switch it up and start off with it, so when you start your lifts your heart rate is already elevated

[BLOWNBY]

After workout or first thing when you wake inthe morning!

A simple 10 minute warmup before legs is good though! Not really cardio but anyway an idea!

[Testpolska]

After workout or first thing when you wake inthe morning!

A simple 10 minute warmup before legs is good though! Not really cardio but anyway an idea!

Pretty much covered the bases on this one.

[madman88]

just as long as you do it.

[saint of the gym]

I always lift, go home get my meal and run about 5 hours later. Think about it... burning calories twice in two sessions, meaning your body is driven to overdrive twice! Works great for me.

[CaptainBarbell]

a poorly placed cardio is better than no cardio at all..for me..depends upon the mood

[TheDominator]

Doing cardio after is better in my opinion, bc during lifting, you use up that immediate source of energy, which is glucose. After all that glucose and immediate ATP is used up, the next source of energy that will be used is......(drum roll please)........FATS. So it works out perfect that you use up all that glucose and the only thing left is fats to be burned during cardio, unless you do way too much and then its proteins and muscle, but we don't want that...

[The House]

i feel it is best to do cardio... before your first meal and right after your weight training... no more than 30-45min a session more than that i feel i start to burn up muscle.. so if you are going to do more than 90 mins you need to add a third session right before bed...

[Chin]

I must agree with house on that one before the first meal... I do it almost everyday now... Can't stop doing it...

[live2lift]

Sup brotha. My 2 cents on this.
Best time-first thing in the morning, before eating.
Next best-After lifting, never before. (if you do it before, you use energy that you should be using on weights)
Last best-Anytime at least 2 hours after eating.
The reason for this is in the morning you are in a fasted state and will burn a good amount of fat. After lifting you don't have to work as hard to get your HR up. And the last one, 2 hrs or so after eating, you are in a semi-fasted state and won't be so weighed down with food. Peace.

[WildcatAndrew]

Ya know, I tell myself that I don't wanna do it...but when I'm actually running I enjoy it after the first few minutes. Haven't done much of it lately, but I remember when I was dared to do a marathon last year I actually did get a "runners high" after a few miles during training.

[Stiff]

I don't mind doing cardio. I like to do it at night when it is cool, and the stars are out. Everything is peaceful and I go for a country run. Or I do hill sprints on this big hill on the outskirts of town. You get abouve the lights and BAM! all the stars are out in force and everything is quiet. A nice reward for making it up there.

[Medford]

I know there are some people who enjoy running, but I am not one of them. still I'd have to agree with the few people that mentioned the natural high you get from it, it's a different sensation than lifting.

[Chin]

I don't know why most of you hate doing cardio... I love doing it... It keeps me real... gives me something else to focus on. Do it 5 days a week before I hit up my weights at night.

Chin

[FistofSteel]

SO I misssed my run this morning, missed my alarm like a rock...so I'm going to make it up this afternoon after my chest workout....

ya'll ever done this? Run after lifting.

[Cstlfx]

yea, cardio after lifting is a big thing. There are a lot of threads about cardio after lifting to see what others have said as well.

[musclealchemist]

i do it all the time, works out fine for me.

[krazyassmexican]

i do cardio after lifting
but not running
OX said running promotes muscle waste
i dont want that

[Terranova1340]

Yeah we used to run after lifting in Basketball and Football all the time.

[billmd1334]

absolutely man, I did cardio post workout for about 6 months and dropped a good bit of bodyfat, I highly recommend it, not just today, but whenever you are doing cardio.

[FistofSteel]

yea just eat my post meal...I tell you it was well deserved....I did my 4 miles in 35 mins, not a good time...but after chest and pullups...I was exhausted afterwards...but it was very Spartan!

[Tron]

i do cardio after lifting
but not running
OX said running promotes muscle waste
i dont want that

Not disagreeing with OX at all, but look at all the Linebackers in football. These men are beasts and they have to do an extreme amount of running. I think it's possible to still put on some mass if you eat enough.

[Toni69]

Personally, I dont choose to run cause I believe that running for long periods of time and a high enough intensity will burn that hard earned muscle you gained..especially if your diet isnt straight..meaning eating enough to maintain that muscle while you lift hard and heavy and run. Kinda seems like too much work to do! LOL..plus eating just to run??? Not my thing at all! LOL

If your in the military, running is part of you pt so you have no choice really. I always tell my clients or people I help out with their diet/training regimen to do the bare minimum of what is expected of them or go for sprints.

I took a stab at sprinting not too long ago just to see if I can do it and well enough, I am surely built for sprinting..which was cool. You ever see the legs on those sprinters? Hard, thick and heavy muscle in all their legs. Now, they dont get their legs looking like that from doing just sprints either. They weight train for power and speed too, meaning loads of PL'ing techniques in their workouts.

Every consider sprints instead of just longer distance running?

[hjayss]

I have heard that sprinting for 12 seconds then light walking for 8 seconds then repaeat is better at burning fat and not losing muscle have you heard of this training...

[Matt81]

I normally do 30 minutes of steady state cardio in the morning but today I switched to 15 minutes of interval running. I figured that thirty minutes is not enough to cause any muscle wasting but 15 minutes of intervals got me feeling as beat, plus I prefer sprinting to slogging a long at low pace.
Felt good heart rate was up to as high or higher than the steady state.

[Toni69]

I have heard that sprinting for 12 seconds then light walking for 8 seconds then repaeat is better at burning fat and not losing muscle have you heard of this training...

Yes..been there and done that myself. Good shit too. I dont do this now cause ususally I dont have the energy left in me and sprinting does take alot out of you. I am gonna start sprints on my cardio days starting next week, when I start M-stak again.

Wind sprints are good to start with. To get the maximum benefit from your sprint, you've got to return to the speed you were going prior to the sprint. Do not stop or go slower than pre-sprint speed. After you have recovered from the sprint, rest and repeat the sprint/recover cycle. You can eventually add up to 5-10 sprints per workout.

Now, if your "overweight" or not in good cardiovascular shape already, sprints are not an option for now, but a fast walk is, especially at an incline. That slight incline will give a boost to your intensity level...if fat burning is what your going for.

[TufffGuY]

I did this today after my leg workout lol..i was gonna do just the bike for 30 minutes but a bunch of guys were going down to the park and I chugged my protein shake and tagged along, it was pretty tight we jogged about 2 miles, and man am I in bad shape for that lol.

[kdent]

Hey guys, I'm cutting down right now. My body seems to respond best by doing sprints and agility drills instead of long jogs/runs. I do this to help keep my speed and keep agile instead of a slow poke that can run long distances. I need a good workout program for sprints. Right now i'm just going as i please and i'm not finding any good running workouts. Anyone know where to find one or have one you can make up that would kick my butt? I run on a track so if you're making a program up, do it for a track please. thanks in advance for the help. Push me!

[Ricky P]

I know I used to do this program at college for baseball on a track.. We'd start off with a light jog around the track to warm up.. What we did was sprint the straights and walk the corners, once you hit the straight you'd spring again.. It depends on your level of conditioning, if you want it to kick your ass try going around ten times.. It's pretty simple as far as the concept goes, but it'll get ya.

I've seen others that use timed programs, like sprinting for a minute then jogging for a minute and they'd do that for a total of twelve minutes. If sprinting the minute is too long, start with sprinting for 30 seconds and walking a minute to a minute and a half before sprinting again.

Hope that helps, good luck brother.

[BigAnt]

Hey guys, I'm cutting down right now. My body seems to respond best by doing sprints and agility drills instead of long jogs/runs. I do this to help keep my speed and keep agile instead of a slow poke that can run long distances. I need a good workout program for sprints. Right now i'm just going as i please and i'm not finding any good running workouts. Anyone know where to find one or have one you can make up that would kick my butt? I run on a track so if you're making a program up, do it for a track please. thanks in advance for the help. Push me!
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After a good warm up....

sprint first straight, lateral side step first turn, lunge second straight and run with a high step on the last turn...

do this 5 times..

do you have med. balls?

[kdent]

I do have some light medicine balls. 8lbs. thanks for the help guys. I'm really excited to try this out. I was just tired of going into my running not having a goal to hit, just run until i couldnt anymore. I'm pumped!! If anyone else has ideas, keep them coming.

[BigAnt]

I do have some light medicine balls. 8lbs. thanks for the help guys. I'm really excited to try this out. I was just tired of going into my running not having a goal to hit, just run until i couldnt anymore. I'm pumped!! If anyone else has ideas, keep them coming.

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just the one 8lb ball, no other weighted ones?

[kdent]

i can go get some (watever i'll need). what do you have in mind?

[Big Wides]

sprint the straights jog the corners
sprint corners jog the straights

this is set up for a 40m course (need to mark off every 10 meters):
- jog into a sprint, take a breath and hold it for first 0-10 meters
- when you hit the second marker, breathe like your in a pregnacy class, real qucik - 10-20 meters
- third marker take a breath and hold 20-30 meters
- finish sprint normal breathing (maintain the same speed throughout the whole exercsie)

50 or 100 meter skips (works on hip strength)
power hops (helps with leg strength)

[BigAnt]

i can go get some (watever i'll need). what do you have in mind?

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with my sports specific guys-girls...line the balls up say every 50-60 yards, uses a 4lb 6lb 8lb and a 10lb--sprint 50 yards, no ball, grab a 4 lbs, sprint to the 6lb, drop the 4, grab the 6 sprint to the the 8 drop it, grab the 8lb sprint to the 10, drop the 8---sprint 50 yards drop the 10..and sprint 50 yards
-no ball and reverse it...than walk once around the track, brisk walk and repeat....

[Big Wides]

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with my sports specific guys-girls...line the balls up say every 50-60 yards, uses a 4lb 6lb 8lb and a 10lb--sprint 50 yards, no ball, grab a 4 lbs, sprint to the 6lb, drop the 4, grab the 6 sprint to the the 8 drop it, grab the 8lb sprint to the 10, drop the 8---sprint 50 yards drop the 10..and sprint 50 yards
-no ball and reverse it...than walk once around the track, brisk walk and repeat....

thats soild advice right there

[Fury317]

Here is something we used to do for football condition- stole it straight from the University of Florida (dont ask, im not sure how?) They are called active recoveries.

Sprint 100 yards in 18 sec or less, jog back 100 yards in 35 seconds or less, after the 35 seconds, sprint another 100. Continue to do this until you have sprinted for 4 - 100 yard dashes. After the 4 100 yard sprints, take a quick breather and then sprint 200 yards and after that walk 200 yards back to get your breath back. The best part is....THATS ONLY ONE!!!!! we did 4 cycles of this during football. needless to say we were in top shape and ended up in the final four in ohio my junior year. this shit will get you in shape and you WILL lose bodyfat.

good luck man.

[Terranova1340]

haha fury im up here in Toledo ohio and we used to do that same type of work out we did it like this though, 10-15 mins straight, 40's (since football is played in 40's) you would run every 20 seconds for instance:

Coach would say go and start his stop watch
You run down as fast as you can, the faster you get there the more time you have to rest at the 20 second mark you run back faster you get there more time you have to rest at 40 seconds you run again at 60 again at 1:20 again at 1:40 again and so on and so forth. We did this work out then it was changed to only 15 seconds. Needless to say you run hard to get your rest lol.

We also used to do Side Lines university of toledo supposedly does this. You got so many seconds to go side line to side line I dont remember the time but i think it was like 18 seconds and you go for 5 mins straight.

The last work out we used to do were suicides we called them Cougar Reminders.... they suck but you run 5 yards drop pop up run back to the begining run 10 drop pop up run back run 15 drop pop up and go back you do this all the way down the field kinda l ike a suicide in basketball....

[kdent]

geez guys, these are great!!! I really do appriciate these. I'm always amazed on here about the willingness to help others. I will put these to work ASAP!!!

[Fury317]

haha fury im up here in Toledo ohio and we used to do that same type of work out we did it like this though, 10-15 mins straight, 40's (since football is played in 40's) you would run every 20 seconds for instance:

Coach would say go and start his stop watch
You run down as fast as you can, the faster you get there the more time you have to rest at the 20 second mark you run back faster you get there more time you have to rest at 40 seconds you run again at 60 again at 1:20 again at 1:40 again and so on and so forth. We did this work out then it was changed to only 15 seconds. Needless to say you run hard to get your rest lol.

We also used to do Side Lines university of toledo supposedly does this. You got so many seconds to go side line to side line I dont remember the time but i think it was like 18 seconds and you go for 5 mins straight.

The last work out we used to do were suicides we called them Cougar Reminders.... they suck but you run 5 yards drop pop up run back to the begining run 10 drop pop up run back run 15 drop pop up and go back you do this all the way down the field kinda l ike a suicide in basketball....

haha hell ya dude you know exactly what im talking about. we did those sideline runs too- we called em michigans. not really sure why? im in toledo too, where did you go to school- i graduated from st johns

geez guys, these are great!!! I really do appriciate these. I'm always amazed on here about the willingness to help others. I will put these to work ASAP!!!

hell ya man thats what this place is all about!

[brandona]

My favorite is hills and staidums....I love that shit...I am not very fast, but I got the horse power to get up the hill in a hurry....

-B

[Spikes079]

Hey guys, I'm cutting down right now. My body seems to respond best by doing sprints and agility drills instead of long jogs/runs. I do this to help keep my speed and keep agile instead of a slow poke that can run long distances. I need a good workout program for sprints. Right now i'm just going as i please and i'm not finding any good running workouts. Anyone know where to find one or have one you can make up that would kick my butt? I run on a track so if you're making a program up, do it for a track please. thanks in advance for the help. Push me!

If your a track runner I can help you dude, I run track to and am about to in college. I have some great success with everything and when I get back tonight I'll PM you and solid workout...

[uncannysage]

Variety is the key for me. Try this random interval creator using sprinting as your exercise of choice (you can use anything however):

http://www.crossfit.com/journal/library/10_2003_interval_gen.pdf

[bam05001]

still working on my cardio program. would like to hear from my peers what they do and think.

[Ricky P]

Always After Workouts!

Always In The Morning Before Breakfast!

[Ricky P]

Little more detail - You should do your cardio after your workouts because what happens is, especially in the area you work that day - your resistance on that area frees up the fat from the muscle, so when you cardio after your workout - that fat is more easily used for fuel and burnt off!

As for the morning, your body is still in a fast from your entire night of sleep.. What you want to do is take advantage of your body being in fat burning mode, and get your cardio in BEFORE breakfast! Both of these methods will help you burn fat a lot faster and more efficiently.

[Tork]

Well Bro, from a Marine point of view, cardio is best in the morning, not only does it wake you up, but it gets you pumped up for the day. I don't know if I would run after I workout, because one, you need to take that protein shake for the muscles so they can start the rebuilding process and well you body will start o re-build the muscles even if you are running, be it not a leg day, I find it best to run pre-workout for me. I take the shake, go run for 3 miles, then hit the iron. I don't know if this will work for you, but this is what works for me.

[RedLine]

I usually do an 8-10 minute warmup cardio before I start lifting to get the blood flowing and to get the muscles warm and stretched out. Then after I lift I do more cardio because as said before the fat is more free after lifting and is able to be burned easier and it also helps me with soreness the next day.

[TufffGuY]

cardio after workout then again after your last meal I eat no carbs for my last meal so I burn more fat.

[Tork]

Hey Bro, here is one. You could try doing suicides. sprint to the 25 yardline, touch the line, sprint back to base line, touch, sprint 50, touch, baseline, touch, opposite 25, touch, baseline, touch, and the full 100, touch, and then back to the baseline. I would do these if I had a football field or basketball court out here, but I don't have either. Try that out let me know.

[Ricky P]

It all depends on your goals, are you trying to burn fat or just stay in shape? The best times in terms of fat burning and losing weight is in the morning and after your workout.

[Bigarexic]

i ve been doing thirty minute runs at a good pace and iwas just wondering what your guys thoughts were on this.
i read that arnold used to run 3-4 miles almost every day.

who else runs for cardio?

[Tron]

I used to do it. I don't anymore because it was hard on my knees. It also supposedly eats away on muscle mass to run for too far of a distance. If it's working for you though, keep with it.

[simpleguy]

unfortunately, I don't have other posibilities except the stationary bike at my gym, and I usually get bored easily on it, so I also run for cardio... what I've discovered is that running is a hard activity for your body (meaning it burns lots of calories)... for example, my heart rate is somewhere around 120-150 (and that's where it should be) only if I run slowly... it works for me, I don't lose any muscle... I think a 30-45 minutes jog is good

[Berserker]

unfortunately, I don't have other posibilities except the stationary bike at my gym, and I usually get bored easily on it, so I also run for cardio... what I've discovered is that running is a hard activity for your body (meaning it burns lots of calories)... for example, my heart rate is somewhere around 120-150 (and that's where it should be) only if I run slowly... it works for me, I don't lose any muscle... I think a 30-45 minutes jog is good


I run about 4-5 miles a day now.. and I still grow like a weed.

Its all about what you are eating. Keep the protein high.

[simpleguy]

I run about 4-5 miles a day now.. and I still grow like a weed.
Its all about what you are eating. Keep the protein high.

hey good job, I struggle to make more than 3 miles in the early morning...

[ironshaolin]

just take some BCAA's before your run. That will stop the catabolism. Running is partly a requirement for my job. I teach martial arts, one of our protocol's for students to get black belt is to be able to run at least 2 miles. Since I'm an instructor, I should run more than that, so when we take them on runs I look good, but I haven't run all summer. I'll probably get back into it around september.

[feelthepain12]

Bout to start conditioning for a rugby fall league here next week so I'm gonna be hitting the cardio (LOT of running) hard as hell to bust my ass back into shape. Made the mistake of not running all summer, that'll throw me for a loop.

[Terranova1340]

I was going to make a post on pretty much this topic but I figure I can post in here and it won't be off topic.

Biking or Running is my question, what do you find to be most effective at loosing weight?

[Chin]

I was going to make a post on pretty much this topic but I figure I can post in here and it won't be off topic.

Biking or Running is my question, what do you find to be most effective at loosing weight?

I definately think running is a better weight loss activity, and if I read some of my books I could probably back it up. But running is more or less a full body exercise where as biking you are only using your legs more or less... Biking is pretty friggin awesome in my opinion for some strength training for your legs though.

Chin

[SpartanGlory96]

yea I used to run, but then i started just using mainly Stationary bike, and it seemed to get the trick. all you are trying to do is burn off extra calories. Wether you burn it from running, biking, lifting watever, it achieves the same goal. Of course on may burn calories at a faster rate and all that. Diet of course is the most important. Having the right balance of Protein/Carbs/Fats that works for your body. But, yea eventually i started enjoying my morning runs!

[Terranova1340]

Yeah I have read that running for your cardio mile for mile vs biking is better but i guess my question is a little more in depth. I mean if you think about it chances are you can bike for three to four times the same dstance you can run. In my case I can run about 3 miles (thats pathetic I know) but I can ride 10-12 miles easily. Now running two miles takes 15 mins riding 10 miles takes 50mins, I have been mostly riding thinking that more is better but I kinda hit a road block and I was thinking of switching over and subbing out one session of bike riding with one session of jogging at least 4 days a week. My question really comes down to those of you who have done both what do you feel like you get better results from? (Ive lost 40 lbs riding and dieting but the weight loss has slowed considerably and i need to jump start it again)

[simpleguy]

so far, during my cut, I've done both running as well as cycling (stationary bike), running is tougher especially at 6 a.m. in the morning I don't wanna go out and run but I think it's more effecient... I got used to it, and I quite enjoy it...

[KENNEDY]

IMO running is the best cardio. Its awesome. Im in the Marines so running is essential.

[MFALCH]

I've been mixing up my cardio. Some days I run, some days I jump rope, some days I do MMA footwork drills. I have gotten some good results this way, and the boredom is much less of an issue.

[muscleman12345]

i been trying to bulk slowly and my weight been staying the same


but also im doing cardio everyday after i lift and i go home and eat a meal..

ive never done the "post workout shake" thing where i get in protein/carbs right after workout

i wanted some help , do you guys think i should just drop the cardio and start taking a shake?

just do cardio on off days?

thanks a lot i wanna get big , i hope im not holding myself back from doing cardio and not having a shake

[krazyassmexican]

do cardio like u said only on off days
and eat like an animal
man

post workout nutrition is very important
u shouldnt skip it

[rcrott1]

Also, please do a search. there are at least 20 threads on this subject... look in the Ask the Legion section.

[muscleman12345]

Also, please do a search. there are at least 20 threads on this subject... look in the Ask the Legion section.

sorry hard to specific a search on every little detail i have

[rcrott1]

sorry hard to specific a search on every little detail i have

the search feature is actually quite detailed, yet simple.

[hjayss]

This is a good threa to read brothers a lot of quality posts on cardio...and burning fat vs muscle...

[BigLansford]

What's the best type of cardio for pure fat loss for you guys?

Walking, running, bike?

Intervals, sprints?

[gflash77]

I've seen good results with Metabolic Sprinting (sprint a set distance, walk a set distance for rest, repeat until exhausted)

[MDur8]

What's the best type of cardio for pure fat loss for you guys?

Walking, running, bike?

Intervals, sprints?

i think its different for everybody bro...ive found through experience that interval training works better for me than long sessions

[simpleguy]

what works for you is best...

[LUCEE]

What type of cardio should you do while bulking??? if any

[Vinny]

I have done cardio in the offseason and i have not done it.

i think doing something like 20 min 3x a week would be perfect....my experience would lean towards keeping cardio in during offseason.

[Big Wides]

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=270&highlight=cardio+thread

whole thread devoted to cardio.....just search

[Pizzalamp]

i like doing it in the off season-helps keep my appetite strong too-i like 2-3 times a week for like 20-35 mins low intenisty

[Upstatebuilder07]

Same here ive done cardio and I havn't the best I believe is I think house called it bodybuilding walking. Incline walk low intensity nice big steps stretching those quads with abs nice and tight. crank that incline right up all the way, keep the speed low between 2.0-3.0 or so should do the trick. keep sessions short 20 min or so and limit it to a few times a week

[Upstatebuilder07]

Ive done this myself with great results as well as with clients, incline walking on a tread, incline as high as you can go, speed around 2-3 or so keeping your heart rate in a low intensity zone. I tell all my clients that this is great but it wasn't untill 3 of my women clients saw "oprahs" training praising incline walking that they really believed in it. gotta love it

[Giant Killer]

The Search function would highlight many opinions on this.

[stitches]

I am just starting to get ready for my senior year of wrestling and the question i have is im lifting 4 days a week and then doing about 20 minutes of high intensity biking and row sim.(think thats what its called) and then about 20 minutes of medium to hard swimming after that, is that going to hurt my recovery a lot? also will add my main goal is to gain endurance for wrestling not too burn fat( im at about 9% bodyfat right now and would like to get to 7% but not too worried about that right now) and one more thing is once i get cleared by the doc to run i plan on adding in running to the cardio and wrestling on the 3 off days. sorry for ramblin so much any input will be greatly appreciatted

[priority]

Just like in the weight room, if you are not putting everything you got into it, you might as well pack up and go home.

Set your intensity level to "ALL YOU GOT", then you never have to worry about not doing enough.


Me too, whats the point in doin it half asses, we dont do that in the weights room do we!?!

[the_prodigy08]

Cardio sucks, but is a necessity for bodybuilding. How much cardio should I do while bulking? How much should I do while cutting? I'd like to know how many times a week and the duration of each session.

[Giant Killer]

Cardio sucks, but is a necessity for bodybuilding. How much cardio should I do while bulking? How much should I do while cutting? I'd like to know how many times a week and the duration of each session.

Lot's of ideas floating around in this thread. Time for some heavy reading brother!

[NickSP]

From what I know, a lower intensity for longer duration can in fact burn more fat (percentage of total cals burned) but a higher intensity of course will burn more total calories and improve cardio endurance better.

[AD21]

I've been doing some interval stuff, like 12-15 minutes on stairmaster, highest level for 20-30 secs, lowest level for a minute or so...same thing with stationary bike....sprint at highest level for 20-30 secs, then rest of a minute or more.....I've read that HIT stuff keeps your metabolism up throughout the day, while low intensity stuff like treadmill just burns the calories in that time frame and thats it....any thoughts?, especially while bulking or cutting, off or on days?

[anml]

any one now if doing cardio at like 3mph on a treadmil will burn fat and not carbs. i'm askin cause over at bb.com the had a article that said slow cardio would burn fat and not carbs, they said that every bodybuilder knew and some shit like that. i dont think they have it no more but what you guys think. thanks

[Dean]

one word "BULLSHIT"

[NickSP]

one word "BULLSHIT"

Actually, not really.

The percentage of fat cals of the total cals burned during low intensity is higher. Now, they probably exaggerated, you certainly won't burn ONLY fat and ZERO carbs, but the percentage of fat will be higher. At high intensity, you WILL burn more overall calories (= more weight loss) but the percentage taken from fat will be lower.

[D-Bomb]

I have heard of this and racked my brain, because on bb.com and other places there are guys disputing both paths of cardio. one is H.I.T ( with your heart rate racing ), with the bonus of added muscle mass ( apparently, and i am talking about cardio here ) whereas slow cardio will do nothing. and then the next day you hear the complete opposite. so don't settle on only one path.

[Big Wides]

searched and found this thread: http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=2685&highlight=cardio+thread

also check the FAQs in the training section, think there is one on cardio and there is also thread somewhere i think its called A Cardio Thread, that is a compelation of quailty info

[ANewBreed]

60-85% of your maximum heartrate is where you want to be. Everyone when they are born has a max heart rate of 220, subtract one heartbeat for every year you grow older. Im 20 so my max heart rate is 200. So my fat burning range is 120 to 170. Keep it between there and you'll be good for fat burning....dont go by the "3mph" rule. For some people, maybe older, 3 mph will get their heart rate where it needs to be, but its not about the speed.

[chongo114]

A New Breed is spot on with that info

[violator]

60-85% of your maximum heartrate is where you want to be. Everyone when they are born has a max heart rate of 220, subtract one heartbeat for every year you grow older. Im 20 so my max heart rate is 200. So my fat burning range is 120 to 170. Keep it between there and you'll be good for fat burning....dont go by the "3mph" rule. For some people, maybe older, 3 mph will get their heart rate where it needs to be, but its not about the speed.

yup, id say the easiest measure is simply, u need to be able to talk to someone easily, not out of breath, while doin cardio, that'll give u the neccesary speed range, any faster & id consider it HIT, but cardio is good bro....in DC cardio is done 3-4 times a week to promote leaness while not reducing mass, & DC has built some ripped monsters.....

[naturalguy]

Actually, not really.

The percentage of fat cals of the total cals burned during low intensity is higher. Now, they probably exaggerated, you certainly won't burn ONLY fat and ZERO carbs, but the percentage of fat will be higher. At high intensity, you WILL burn more overall calories (= more weight loss) but the percentage taken from fat will be lower.

Good info Nick and very accurate.

Guys don't overanalyze it. If cardio is part of your program, do it consistently and switch it up. You can even alternate low intensity cardio and HIIT cardio. Just do it consistently.

[jmiller4679]

how much is too much trying to put on weight but i dont wanna give up sports should i just stay in the back and stand there

[Pokoritel]

Guys either you bulk or cut...you cant do the same damn thing. If your bulkin just do 3 times a week for 20 minutes. If your cutting then get to it and do more cardio. Also, your diet is important as well.

[krazyassmexican]

damn i dunno a damn thing about fitness
i could only recomend you what pokoritel already said

[Big Wides]

im 19 and 6'2 about 192. I'm fairly lean and looking to add more size but want loose fat at the same time. Lately, I've been doing about 25-30 mins of hard cardio and abs every other day. I don't want to loose any muscle, whats about the right amount of cardio to do?

if your looking to add size, then your going to have to come to terms that there will be some fat gain with it. you've gotta make sure that your diet is in check that even after your cardio sessions that your caloric intake is still high. in order to gain size increase calories, eat, train and keep cardio to 2/3 times a week for 30 minutes at a moderate intensity for overall health.

so your going to have to choose what it is you want to do, bulk up or cut up, then get diet/training in order, and keep in mind that nothing happens overnight

[Shukin]

As it approaches winter I am thinking to invest in either a treadmill or a stationary bike for aerobics... Which is better?

[Everyonedoes]

treadmill

[MetalAsh12]

I would vouch for a bike; running puts unnecessary stress on the knees from repetitive pounding which can cause problems downt he road.

[krazyassmexican]

treadmill
the bike kills my knees

[Giant Killer]

treadmill
the bike kills my knees

The bike kills my knees as well. But I think there is something to be said for variety in your cardio. Remember that cardio is also going to stimulate muscle. I think there is a great need for treadmill, bike, stepmill, etc...in a rotation fashion.

I have also seen from a very "show-prep smart" source that staying to one machine for cardio can cause you to hold water and lose seperation in your quads and hams. I can't say if this is true myself, but I believe the person that said it.

[ThaiFighter]

Alright fellas, I have read a lot and heard a lot of stories about best times to do cardio, what your heart rate should be and how long to do cardio. I guess my question is what is the best way to burn fat with the cardio ie. heart rate, duration. I already have a great eating schedual and diet, just looking for some help thanks bro's

[Lionstrong]

huh? This is a bodybuilding forum, of course there is to much cardio. If your diet isn't 100% on target its even worse. I'm gifted and only need 15 minutes of max OT style cardio after workouts to lean out (also my diet is spotless). Towards the end of dieting to lose that few stubborn pounds I admit low intensity walking does it. We like to make things harder than they are. You don't need to run, walking does it.



theres no too much cardio , you just have to watch your pulse all the time .Again depends on your goals , i cardio 6 days a week coz i have to burn a lot of cals and everything is cool

[simpleguy]

huh? This is a bodybuilding forum, of course there is to much cardio. If your diet isn't 100% on target its even worse. I'm gifted and only need 15 minutes of max OT style cardio after workouts to lean out (also my diet is spotless). Towards the end of dieting to lose that few stubborn pounds I admit low intensity walking does it. We like to make things harder than they are. You don't need to run, walking does it .

people have different opinions and different bodies ... what works for you may not work for him and viceversa

[Tiny]

So walking on a treadmill at 4 mph at an incline burns more fat calories than say a steady jog at 6.0 mph. Then what good is jogging rigourously at 6.0 mph causing my heart rate to beat at 80-85% of my mhr if it burns less fat calories (for 20-30 minutes) when my main goal is fat loss?

I understand that intervals are very effective in raising the metabolism but the heart rate is only elevated at a high rate for a short time (such as sprinting for intervals of 20 seconds and resting for a full sixty). Are intervals also more responsible for using glycogen for energy rather than fat?

As a few other posters have correctly pointed out, it is all about your heart rate . . . AND variables play into your exclusive rate such as your current cardiovascular condition, though, there are general guidelines you can begin with and then feel your way around until you begin to learn your own body. Initially, just enough is enough - too much cardio too quicly and your body will acclimte itelf to that wrokload and yes you will lose fat but near the end things will become difficult, stubborn, and that lasat bit of bodyfat will remain ellusive and seemingly untouchable - a common mistake most people do make. If you haven't been doing any type of cardio at all, I would recomment that you begin with two 20 minute sessions the first week and take things from there. When I say 20 minutes that doesn't include whatever time it takes from the moment you step on the machine to get your heartrate into that target range. Once you are in the range, then begins your 20 minute countdown. Doing less then 20 minutes will have very little if an effect. Preferably your body will want to burn liver glycogen to fuel this expenditure; if you are doing your cardio first thing in the morning or upon rising, then after 12-15 minutes or so, you will be into bodyfat reserves. So initially, 2 sessions, 20 minutes each a week - then, when you cease to respond to that, you must incrementally increase the demand and you can do that by elongating duration or adding an additional weekly session - either/or. Each time, you will lose some bodyfat, then you will begin to stagnate, then you step up your game; fat resumes coming off and when you again cease to respond, you again step it up. This way, in increments, you will not be left doing tons and tons of cardio with nowhere to go at the end trying to incite that last bit of fat away. Also, some supplements like L-Canintine taken 15-20 minutes prior to your cardio will enable you to burn a great deal more fat than without it. Universal makes an outstanding liquid L-Carnintine supplement for this (and yes, it needs to be in a liquid form). Remember, walking is not exercise, we are bipeds; walking is transport to us. Running is going to seriously cost you in the muscle lost category. You need that happy median - many charts are available everywhere which incorporate your age to give you a generalized concept of where to begin - heartrate wise, and you need a means to measure that heartrate. Good luck.

[simpleguy]

Also, some supplements like L-Canintine taken 15-20 minutes prior to your cardio will enable you to burn a great deal more fat than without it. Universal makes an outstanding liquid L-Carnintine supplement for this (and yes, it needs to be in a liquid form).

I used to have L-Carnitine prior to my cardio... but why liquid ?

[Tiny]

I used to have L-Carnitine prior to my cardio... but why liquid ?

It is assimilated faster and if you compare the two forms, the liquid is far superior for this purpose.

[Tiny]

60-85% of your maximum heartrate is where you want to be. Everyone when they are born has a max heart rate of 220, subtract one heartbeat for every year you grow older. Im 20 so my max heart rate is 200. So my fat burning range is 120 to 170. Keep it between there and you'll be good for fat burning....dont go by the "3mph" rule. For some people, maybe older, 3 mph will get their heart rate where it needs to be, but its not about the speed.

Dudes, I don't mean anything negative in this but you guys by and large tend to overthink shit at times - everyone's ideal heart rate will differ. All of this other info is meant as a general guideline, then you once again "learn your own body." Very turly whatever my ideal heartrate or range is upon first introducing cardio, this changes as my conditioning rapidly and drastically improves over the next several months. AND with experience, you can "feel" where you belong. Your best sources for info on this matter are the experiences and approaches of experienced bodybuilders who compete and have largely mastered this topic in a manner enabling them to retain max muscle tissue while burning max adipose.

[Tiny]

yup, id say the easiest measure is simply, u need to be able to talk to someone easily, not out of breath, while doin cardio, that'll give u the neccesary speed range, any faster & id consider it HIT, but cardio is good bro....in DC cardio is done 3-4 times a week to promote leaness while not reducing mass, & DC has built some ripped monsters.....

And for sure this is old school tried and proven. You should be capable of carying on a conversation but you should be uncomfortable enough that you would prefer not to.

[Toni69]

And for sure this is old school tried and proven. You should be capable of carying on a conversation but you should be uncomfortable enough that you would prefer not to.

God knows....and everyone at my gym knows..not to talk to me while I do cardio. I can talk to you..but I sure as hell dont want to during my cardio...good one Tiny!

[malink]

ok guys ive been stuck with the same workout for a few month and now nothing is happening and my body has addapt to my workout...wich one of the routines would be the best for me for straight up mass???i want to know what you guys used and what worked good and what didnt work quite well

[norrim1]

ok guys ive been stuck with the same workout for a few month and now nothing is happening and my body has addapt to my workout...wich one of the routines would be the best for me for straight up mass???i want to know what you guys used and what worked good and what didnt work quite well

What did your old routine look like bro?

[malink]

ok

5 days on and 2 days off

all 4 sets...4-10 reps

monday: bicep,tricep

incline db curl
alternating db curls
preacher curls concentration curls
reverse ez bar curl
tricep pushdown
tricep kickback
skullcrusher

tuesday:chest

bench press
incline db press
incline flies
flat flies

wednesday:back

pull up
barbell row
seated row
lawnmower

tuesday : shoulders

db press
sdb side raise
db front raise

friday: legs

squats
leg press
leg extension
stiff leg dead lifts
leg curls


and i do abs and calves each 2-3 days

[norrim1]

ok

5 days on and 2 days off

all 4 sets...4-10 reps

monday: bicep,tricep

incline db curl
alternating db curls
preacher curls concentration curls
reverse ez bar curl
tricep pushdown
tricep kickback
skullcrusher

tuesday:chest

bench press
incline db press
incline flies
flat flies

wednesday:back

pull up
barbell row
seated row
lawnmower

tuesday : shoulders

db press
sdb side raise
db front raise

friday: legs

squats
leg press
leg extension
stiff leg dead lifts
leg curls


and i do abs and calves each 2-3 days

If I was you I would stick to something basic like routine 1 or 2. I've had great success with training routine #2. You can tailor it a little to suit your needs. I like this routine because it has a lot of basic mass building compound movements. I like what you do for your chest, but shoulders for instance, throw in military presses. Shrugs help out tons too. You can also check out some of the articles on the main page like one of my favorites "The Freaksville Five".

[malink]

i was thinking of something like the routine 3 or 6 because they have a lot of basics movements and 3-4 exercises per body part.

[Torque757]

I see a HUGE problem, and thats that you have a chest session the day after you hit tri's, real bad idea.

[malink]

i know....thats why i am asking for the help of my fellow animals :o)

[norrim1]

i was thinking of something like the routine 3 or 6 because they have a lot of basics movements and 3-4 exercises per body part.

Their great routines bro. Whatever gets you past your sticking point. You could also try to throw in things like drop sets, forced reps, or supersets. Keep throwing different things at your body and it will be forced to adapt and grow.

[malink]

i'm telling you all this because tomorrow i will be starting my new cycle with a new routine....same old diet :P....to maximise my gains

storm, shock, 2 cans of m stak, pak, 10 pounds of whey

hope the gains will come

[blueIMlifter]

Next week I'm up to 50 minutes of cardio. Currently I do all 45 minutes in the AM.

Question is should I break the cardio up to 30 minutes in the morning and then 20 minutes after I workout or just do it all at once?

[DRIVEN]

im a hardgainer, usually bulkin 24/7.....eatin alot..........ive got chicken legs and im 6'3"........do i stil do cardio or would it beneifit to NOT? i train with a very high intensity and do situps every other day......any suggestions?

[Phenom]

Ive been doing cardio for 30+ minutes 5 days/week...usually elliptical or treadmill..post workout..I am 5'10 220 lbs. ~20 % bodyfat (give or take)..It is important I get down to 195-200 10-12%...stacked w/ animal cuts and strict diet..i think this goal is surmountable..just gotta stay focused

[SolidTongan]

im a hardgainer, usually bulkin 24/7.....eatin alot..........ive got chicken legs and im 6'3"........do i stil do cardio or would it beneifit to NOT? i train with a very high intensity and do situps every other day......any suggestions?

I'd limit the cardio, bro. You want every ounce of protein and carb to fuel you and your workouts...you want all those carbs and protein to fill up your muscles...not fuel your cardio. Prolly limit it to twice a week. If you want to do cardio, I'd recommend high intensity interval training...this form of cardio has been PROVEN (not just he say she say bullshit) to burn fat WHILE preserving muscle...sometimes even adding muscle if you hit the stationary cycle. Another suggestion...takin' in some protein before your cardio...and some in the middle of your workouts...saturate your body with protein so it doesn't have to use lean muscle for fuel.

[hardcoregue]

Some' new about that stupid thing C'? Do you do it when you try to get mass?
Is it better to do it after the bigger or smaller parts?
Peace.....

[Malloy1344]

I didn't do any cardio when I was trying to add mass. MAYBE 3 times a week.....15-20 minutes at most. Nothing huge. Remember, the more cardio you do, the more you have to eat if you want to gain mass. I usually did it on non-lifting days or when I wasn't feeling drained.....never after legs.

[Suleiman]

why never after legs???????????????????

[Fury317]

When trying to gain weight, dont even look at a treadmill...youre trying to put on size and walking or jogging is burning cals, why would anyone do that?

but thats my opinion...

[Geek]

here is what make sense to me....

when you are bulking, the entire idea is to put on as much cleanmass as possible right? so, how do we do that...we increase our caloric intake to levels way above what we burn. this way our body has a surplus of calories to build from.

now, if you are 'hard gainer', why would you want to burn any more calories than you absolutly must? that is just going to make your grocery bill that much higher, more time spent preparing food, and more time eating said food, and more time on the shitter.....

now, if you are a like me and even thinking about eating a 'big meal' makes your ass jiggle...then you probably want to add some cardio. same holds true if you are noticing more of a 'pudge' than you would like.

so basically, my point is, its up to you. expect that while you are on a bulk you are going to put on some fat, just a simple fact. if its is becoming unsightly, then add a couple cardio sessions, but keep it short and light.

[jer]

Well, morning cardio can make you damn hungry. So, if you're having a hard time eating it may help.

Also, cardio is good for the heart. I'm not saying do and hour everyday, but I won't just abstain from it altogether.

[gjn5002]

i avoid it for the first month or two or my bulk then add in some moderate cardio 3 times a week. dont forget cardio is good for your heart not just the gut. i feel like moderate cardio helps me to keep from getting winded when training hard.

[Brick By Brick]

I'm an easy gainer, and I like to drink beer, so I try to work in 3 cardio sessions a week of 20-30 minutes, low to medium intensity. I have more energy that way, and my pants fit better.

[aussie bulk]

I'm an easy gainer, and I like to drink beer, so I try to work in 3 cardio sessions a week of 20-30 minutes, low to medium intensity. I have more energy that way, and my pants fit better.

well.. I'm a hard gainer and drink beer!

I find that cardio actually helps with recovery to get some blood flowing around and no matter what bulking you may be on there's nothing like being in condition as well. PLUS and this is just my opinion, with the ripper summers that we get in Australia there's nothing like pounding the pavement and leaving the weights behind for a day..............

[violator]

I didn't do any cardio when I was trying to add mass. MAYBE 3 times a week.....15-20 minutes at most. Nothing huge. Remember, the more cardio you do, the more you have to eat if you want to gain mass. I usually did it on non-lifting days or when I wasn't feeling drained.....never after legs.

why never after legs???????????????????

I'm an easy gainer, and I like to drink beer, so I try to work in 3 cardio sessions a week of 20-30 minutes, low to medium intensity. I have more energy that way, and my pants fit better.

well.. I'm a hard gainer and drink beer!

I find that cardio actually helps with recovery to get some blood flowing around and no matter what bulking you may be on there's nothing like being in condition as well. PLUS and this is just my opinion, with the ripper summers that we get in Australia there's nothing like pounding the pavement and leaving the weights behind for a day..............


good advice jim.......why never after legs?, c'mon...u do 6 sets of heavy squats, 6 of leg press,, top it off with extensions & lunges& tell me if u can even walk by the end, let alone do 40mins on a dreadmill...heck, why dont you just down a beer afterward, smoke a cigarette & think about how much mass ur gaining

[sanga]

Adding lots of bodyweight quickly can have its effects, doing some walking for cardio 2-3 times a week can help your heart etc but going too hard will chew up muscle mass and hinder some gaining.

[hardcoregue]

But is it better to do after doing smaller or bigger body parts?

[sanga]

well when I did cardio when bulking I did it after training 2-3 times a week on a treadmill for 30 mins on a slight incline but didn`t worry about what I`d just trained, I still packed on the size.

Remember bulking is all abouit diet, the cardio was just for my heat etc.

[hardcoregue]

How don't you overtrain your legs when you do cardio after leg workouts?
Isn't it too much?

[bovat]

i do cardio every morning for 20-30 min on the bike, maybe not weekends, tho, those are offdays, so its an either or, not sure really, haha, maybe it depends on what time i wake up.

[Shadyside]

I think it's important to start any good lifting session with about 15 minutes of a cardio warmup. That's not sprinting for 15 minutes...more like maybe a 5 minute walk-5 minute jog-5 minute walk.
When you raise your core temperature in this manner, all sorts of things start functioning properly and more efficiently.

my .02

[Tron]

here is what make sense to me....

when you are bulking, the entire idea is to put on as much cleanmass as possible right? so, how do we do that...we increase our caloric intake to levels way above what we burn. this way our body has a surplus of calories to build from.

now, if you are 'hard gainer', why would you want to burn any more calories than you absolutly must? that is just going to make your grocery bill that much higher, more time spent preparing food, and more time eating said food, and more time on the shitter.....

now, if you are a like me and even thinking about eating a 'big meal' makes your ass jiggle...then you probably want to add some cardio. same holds true if you are noticing more of a 'pudge' than you would like.

so basically, my point is, its up to you. expect that while you are on a bulk you are going to put on some fat, just a simple fact. if its is becoming unsightly, then add a couple cardio sessions, but keep it short and light.

Very good advice... don't think I could phrase it any better.

[hardcoregue]

Of course this is the best solution - it makes sense.
20-30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week of low intensity will do the work.
Peace....

[scals17]

I like to do it twice a week, usually sundays and wednesdays. 15-25 minutes low intensity after a workout. It justs makes it easier when it is time for contest prep to get back into it hardcore, than to try to do it after taking X amount of months off from it.

[Phenom]

I hit cardio 4-6x per week. Usually 30 Mins. on the treadclimber ( the elevated hiking belts). and the treadmill of a speed of 3.X - 4.0 Incline of 15. I think I have to up the intensity, I am dieting clean, drinking water, taking cuts, and not losing bodyweight. I look better in the mirror than on the scale.

[sanga]

How don't you overtrain your legs when you do cardio after leg workouts?
Isn't it too much?

Different type of intensity plus really gets the blood in there and a lot of the time helped my legs with soreness, as in the next day they weren`t that sore.

Must admit I would prefer not to do cardio after legs as if you have trained them hard enough you wouldn`t be able to walk properly, happened to me many times so had to skip the cardio on that day, do cardio on non leg and non back days, see how it works for you.

[hardcoregue]

Ok now,I'm gonna give my last decision.On the mass sesson I'll do cardio 3 times a week 20-30min of intesy of my own, on whatever training routine....
What about you....?
Peace...

[hardcoregue]

....or according to my training routine....
The one is for sure.It'll be 3 times a week when comes to it..

[jbergman]

Im coming off my bulk phase and getting lean since summer is coming. After my 1.5 hour Monday , Wednesday, and Friday workouts ive been going 30 min on the treadmill doing intervals and changing the incline frequently. On Tuesday and Thursday I run a speed and agility camp with my student athletes that goes for about 45 min. Ive been doing that with them for a few weeks now. We do ladder drills, speed hurdles, plyometrics, sprints, and plenty of different cone drills. I feel like I am probably sacrificing a little muscle on Tuesdays and Thursdays but it is a great challenge and I have alot of fun doing it. Ya gotta enjoy life right? Shit almost everyday someone ends up pukeing. Its great! This has been working well for me but Im 6'1" 220 lbs. If I was a bigger guy I might be afraid to do some of the agility drills that we do full speed for fear of injury. Try it out fellas Im sure you wont be disappointed.

[WeeMan]

as the title says...which is best? im not wanting to lost tons of fat, i dont actually have very much but i want to keep some up.

i was thinking sinse the mornings are lighter and much warmer i could go jogging in the early morning.

[Cstlfx]

There will be a lot of people who will tell you not to do any cardio what-so-ever during a bulk. Machine never did cardio during a bulk. Many do minimal to no cardio as well.

If you feel the need to have to do cardio during a bulk, make sure its low intensity, after lifting. Dont forget to take your aminos as well!

[sanga]

I`ve done both in the past, for steady slow bodyfat loss I have done powerwalkking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week to great effect.

For cardiovascular health rather than fat loss I have done high intensity work such as hill sprints, they are a real killer and will leave you gasping for breath, sprinters are muscular with little fat, I used to do the sprints uphill twice a week.

I say try both and choose or mix it up, overdo any of it and your hard earned muscle will get chewed up especially with the running, but then again this can be overcome with diet.

[Big Wides]

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=270&highlight=cardio+thread

[WeeMan]

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=270&highlight=cardio+thread

good call

[WeeMan]

I`ve done both in the past, for steady slow bodyfat loss I have done powerwalkking for 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week to great effect.

For cardiovascular health rather than fat loss I have done high intensity work such as hill sprints, they are a real killer and will leave you gasping for breath, sprinters are muscular with little fat, I used to do the sprints uphill twice a week.

I say try both and choose or mix it up, overdo any of it and your hard earned muscle will get chewed up especially with the running, but then again this can be overcome with diet.

yea thats exactly what i dont want to do, im trying to get as big as possible for june 09 (1st show woohoo!)
i dont wanna get rid of all my fat bcos i know its important for muscle building. just want to keep it in check.

[Oatmeal Killa]

I know the best time to do Cardio is early in the morning, but if you couldn't then would it be better to do cardio before or after your workout?

[jer]

After.

[Tork]

after, you will be a full strength for your workout and then you will be able to finish yourself off with some cardio. This will also raise your endurance.

[Meat]

http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=270&highlight=cardio+thread

and the eye from the sky lays down the hand of the law...

use the search function my friend

[Pokoritel]

There will be a lot of people who will tell you not to do any cardio what-so-ever during a bulk. Machine never did cardio during a bulk. Many do minimal to no cardio as well.

If you feel the need to have to do cardio during a bulk, make sure its low intensity, after lifting. Dont forget to take your aminos as well!

By the way Machine does Cardio during a bulk.

[Meat]

unless you are an extreme ecto----you should so cardio during a bulk...unless of course you don't care about hindering bodyfat gain

[BryanSmash!]

Always after. Your glycogen levels will be depleted, therefore you will burn more fat efficiently.

[born0withno0soul]

these guys have good answers, but i have been seeing great results doing cardio before my workouts recently. of course i dont have to worry about glycogen levels since im on the ketogenic diet but doing 45 min on the treadmill is not hurting my workouts and i think its helping my leg workouts.

[sanga]

I would always try to do cardio first thing but if not then immediately after a workout 3-4 times a week for 30-45 mins to start.

[WeeMan]

ok i wanna start this thread uup again because its been laying on my mind
i think if i lost a little bit of bodyfat just now it wld do a world of good for my metabolism, training, and.....ego!!

suggestions people. i was thinking 20mins in the morning before breakfast 2 or 3 times a week.

[boom]

ok i wanna start this thread uup again because its been laying on my mind
i think if i lost a little bit of bodyfat just now it wld do a world of good for my metabolism, training, and.....ego!!

suggestions people. i was thinking 20mins in the morning before breakfast 2 or 3 times a week.

You should start at 20, add 10 minutes after a week, and if you feel you need more add another 10 or 15 minutes. That's just how I would do it, I worked my way up to an hour in the morning with great results.



Now I have a question, on a bulk, how about doing cardio before breakfast? Or should I save it until after a workout?

[atrain11b]

ok i wanna start this thread uup again because its been laying on my mind
i think if i lost a little bit of bodyfat just now it wld do a world of good for my metabolism, training, and.....ego!!

suggestions people. i was thinking 20mins in the morning before breakfast 2 or 3 times a week.

Question is what type of cardio, different types provide different results. Do you have a set heart rate limit such as 70%? I do believe that morning cardio is the absolute best for fat loss.

You should start at 20, add 10 minutes after a week, and if you feel you need more add another 10 or 15 minutes. That's just how I would do it, I worked my way up to an hour in the morning with great results.



Now I have a question, on a bulk, how about doing cardio before breakfast? Or should I save it until after a workout?

Point 1. I definitley agree with, yet I am a firm believer of the first 20 minutes warms up the body, and everything after 20 minutes is associated with fat burn.

Now for the bulk, question is what will the intensity be? I run daily being in the Army, and currently bulking. I have found that 1 scoop of whey with some BCAAs prior to morning cardio has kept my waist somewhat slim, and my gains growing. This is even with running 5-8 miles once a week.

To answer your question directly, I prefer it in the morning, it burns more fat this way allowing the calories you consume before your workout to be used to full your workouts, and provide recovery.

Some may disagree with me.

[atrain11b]

BTW I just remebered of these two threads, they may help a little too:

Cardio: Timing & Frequency (http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=1292&highlight=cardio)

Early Morning Cardio (http://forum.animalpak.com/showthread.php?t=18030&highlight=cardio)

[WeeMan]

Question is what type of cardio, different types provide different results. .

i was thinking just interval jogging? 3 mins running, 1 min walking...

[Giant Killer]

IMO cardio while bulking is only for maintaining cardiovascular fitness, since you need your nutrients to build we could care less about caloric deficits and fat burning, si? Therefore it doesn't matter, just get out and get your breathing and heart rate going. Run, swim, jog, bike, skateboard, play basketball, play football (soccer), play football (American), whatever you ENJOY doing that also gets your cardio done. I like to play football (soccer) and bike, and I do it in a seperate session from the workout to avoid depleting important peri-workout nutrients.

[boom]

IMO cardio while bulking is only for maintaining cardiovascular fitness, since you need your nutrients to build we could care less about caloric deficits and fat burning, si? Therefore it doesn't matter, just get out and get your breathing and heart rate going. Run, swim, jog, bike, skateboard, play basketball, play football (soccer), play football (American), whatever you ENJOY doing that also gets your cardio done. I like to play football (soccer) and bike, and I do it in a seperate session from the workout to avoid depleting important peri-workout nutrients.

Good, I'll just stick to skateboarding.

[Firzen]

What's up guys, I read an article found at http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dober4.htm that said:


4. Stop All Aerobics

Aerobic exercise has a detrimental effect on mass building. Aerobics interfere with strength gains and recovery while burning up valuable glycogen and branched chain amino acids (BCAA). Adding mass is the best way to upgrade your resting metabolic rate (RMR); is the RMR is elevated, more calories are burned and it is easier to stay lean.

So right now as I'm trying to gain mass I should avoid doing cardio?

Or what would be a good cardio routine to burn fat and avoid muscle/strenght loss?

I train 3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Hope you can help!

[simpleguy]

What's up guys, I read an article found at http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/dober4.htm that said:



So right now as I'm trying to gain mass I should avoid doing cardio?

Or what would be a good cardio routine to burn fat and avoid muscle/strenght loss?

I train 3 times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Hope you can help!

Unless you're an ectomorph I would still do it...

[Firzen]

Unless you're an ectomorph I would still do it...

but should I do it after my workout? or on my non-workout days? Should I go for HIIT?

[simpleguy]

but should I do it after my workout? or on my non-workout days? Should I go for HIIT?

if you're bulking I wouldn't do it post w/o... why? because on a bulk simple carbs post w/o are a great help in recovery... so assuming you are having simple carbs along with some aminos or whey immediately post w/o (or even during) it's not the best time for cardio - due to the insulin spike... so do it at some other time

HIIT? some people are against it, some people are with it... I'd start with some low to moderate intensity cardio - after all you're bulking and your main goal is muscle gain, not fat loss

[atrain11b]

if you're bulking I wouldn't do it post w/o... why? because on a bulk simple carbs post w/o are a great help in recovery... so assuming you are having simple carbs along with some aminos or whey immediately post w/o (or even during) it's not the best time for cardio - due to the insulin spike... so do it at some other time

HIIT? some people are against it, some people are with it... I'd start with some low to moderate intensity cardio - after all you're bulking and your main goal is muscle gain, not fat loss

I have to agree with simpleguy here, post workout cardio kind of defeats the purpose of a bulk. Stick to doing it on your off days, keep the intensity low, and you can even throw abs in there on your cardio days.

I do suggest however to consume at least 1 scoop of whey and maybe even some BCAAs, at a minimum whey, 30minutes prior to your cardio, whether it be morning, or evening cardio. If you find it hard to do cardio 30 minutes after drinking a shake, experiment with a time you can drink it, and feel comfortable doing cardio.

[tnash45]

what's the deal? i just hopped back on the mass building phase of my training regime. currenty i am 228 about 12% bf. how much cardio do i need to do?

[simpleguy]

it is an individual thing... some people can get away with no cardio during bulking

others need it... if you put on fat easily, you might be that kind


whatever your approach, make sure you don't do too much since that is counterproductive to a bulk... 2-3 sessions of 30 mins should be ok...

[jer]

If for nothing else do 20min. a few times a week for your heart. Gotta keep the cardiovascular system running good.

I like to do 20-25min. a few mornings a week. It helps with my appetite. I'm always ready to really chow down after some morning cardio.

It is an individual thing though. Try out something for a little and see how it goes, adjust from there.

Good luck with the bulking.

[ironshaolin]

I think if you do 30 mins cardio 3 times a week, something light like walking fast or ellyptical or something, and cut carbs off about 4-5 hours before bedtime, you can stay fairly lean while bulking.

[JimmyZ]

I think if you do 30 mins cardio 3 times a week, something light like walking fast or ellyptical or something, and cut carbs off about 4-5 hours before bedtime, you can stay fairly lean while bulking.


The cutting of carbs would also depend on what time you lift correct? I start the gym at 6pm and am home about 730-800 and am in bed by 930 so I won't cut my carbs at all. I've been bulking for a few weeks now and I don't eat carbs during the day. Just for breakfast, pre workout meal and post meal. I haven't really added any fat either, just muscle. Of course I'm on mstak as well and I don't do cardio either during my bulk. Like state though, it depends on your body, everyone is different.