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View Full Version : cardio after training.... good, bad?



gpk3
06-27-11, 7:59 pm
Hey guys, here's one for ya.

My schedule doesn't allow for cardio in the morning. So I train sunday - thursday and take friday and saturday off.

After I train my specific muscle group I hit the elliptical for 45 min and burn around 700 calories.

So the question is: Is cardio after training balls to the wall a bad thing? I'm trying to cut down my body fat and this is the only time I have to get cardio in.

As always, thanks for the feedback.

Flash419
06-27-11, 8:03 pm
First thing in the morning is optimal.. but post workout is a close second.

The bigger issue is getting it done.. so if after your workouts is the only open time.. Hit it hard, eat and rest. Repeat.

gpk3
06-27-11, 8:06 pm
Thanks man, appreciate your input.

I'd love to get it done in the morning, but I travel a lot throughout the day. I usually hit the gym around 9pm and then around 10 I hit cardio right after that. Then repeat at 6am-7pm.

Polk17
06-27-11, 8:10 pm
There are three good times to do Cardio... The best is in the AM after waking up before eating... The 2nd best is post-workout... And the 3rd best is whenever the fuck you can get it in... So sounds like postworkout is the best time to get it done... When you do it postworkout your glycogen stores are low, very similar to early AM before eating, so your body uses up stored fat for energy, which means you burn fat... Post workout is the only time I do it... Works out fine.... Keep grindin...

gpk3
06-27-11, 8:13 pm
There are three good times to do Cardio... The best is in the AM after waking up before eating... The 2nd best is post-workout... And the 3rd best is whenever the fuck you can get it in... So sounds like postworkout is the best time to get it done... When you do it postworkout your glycogen stores are low, very similar to early AM before eating, so your body uses up stored fat for energy, which means you burn fat... Post workout is the only time I do it... Works out fine.... Keep grindin...

SAID LIKE A CHAMP! Thanks homie.

Polk17
06-27-11, 8:15 pm
SAID LIKE A CHAMP! Thanks homie.

Anytime brother... Everyone is here to help...

gpk3
06-27-11, 8:17 pm
What kind of cardio do you guys prefer? I love doing the stairs, but my quads can't take it.

Polk17
06-27-11, 8:27 pm
What kind of cardio do you guys prefer? I love doing the stairs, but my quads can't take it.

I only do hill sprints... Like Jim Wendler says, if you mom can do it as Cardio, you shouldn't...

gpk3
06-27-11, 8:34 pm
I only do hill sprints... Like Jim Wendler says, if you mom can do it as Cardio, you shouldn't...

THATS AN EPIC RESPONSE! hahahahah!

I do tread mill HIIT for 30 then jump on elliptical on lvl 15 for another 15-20.

Polk17
06-27-11, 8:36 pm
THATS AN EPIC RESPONSE! hahahahah!

I do tread mill HIIT for 30 then jump on elliptical on lvl 15 for another 15-20.

That is too much for me... I don't go for more than 18 minutes... In and out, done...

Flash419
06-27-11, 9:07 pm
I like the treadmill.. speed about 3.2-3.4 and the incline set all the way up to 15.0...

Much easier on the ankles then flat and fast, and burns ALOT more calories.

Phil800101
06-28-11, 2:51 pm
Another benefit to post-workout cardio is that your heart rate is usually already elevated from the weight training, so once you start doing the cardio it takes little to no time to get your heart rate to where you want it to be.

Appollonian
06-28-11, 2:55 pm
I only do hill sprints... Like Jim Wendler says, if you mom can do it as Cardio, you shouldn't...

I agree with intense cardio for heart health, I run intermitent between 7 and 9-10 mph... but I know some really, really fit moms out there... just saying.

Polk17
06-28-11, 3:03 pm
I agree with intense cardio for heart health, I run intermitent between 7 and 9-10 mph... but I know some really, really fit moms out there... just saying.

Lol... I am with you... I really do it to stay athletic... All the strength and looks are great, but if you can't put it to use its worth nothing for me... I wanna be athletic when my kids are old enough to play with me... Plus, ill take 12 minutes hard cardio any day over 30+ easy...

Aggression
06-28-11, 3:09 pm
From personal experience, there is no 'ideal' time for cardio. Just get it done. During contest prep for my one show, I did cardio first thing in the morning all prep long. During this current diet, I've been doing it postWO through the entire time with great results. So just get it done, whenever you can.

Operator
06-28-11, 6:33 pm
Just always thought cardio = cut and eat = bulk

cesmeister
06-29-11, 9:02 am
Check this out. Changed my mind about doing cardio post workout.

http://www.musculardevelopment.com/articles/training/3199-combining-cardio-with-resistance-exercise-muscle-growth-killer.html

Aggression
06-29-11, 9:27 am
Check this out. Changed my mind about doing cardio post workout.

http://www.musculardevelopment.com/articles/training/3199-combining-cardio-with-resistance-exercise-muscle-growth-killer.html

The only flaw in that article is the fact that the people being studied did not eat for 3 hours after cardio/exercise. Typically one would already have 2 meals in those 3 hours (postWO drink and whole food meal). In my opinion, the lack of food after training is/was more detrimental than doing the cardio postWO.

Polk17
06-29-11, 10:22 am
The only flaw in that article is the fact that the people being studied did not eat for 3 hours after cardio/exercise. Typically one would already have 2 meals in those 3 hours (postWO drink and whole food meal). In my opinion, the lack of food after training is/was more detrimental than doing the cardio postWO.

Yep... I thought the same thing... Because some of the biggest, strongest ppl I know are pWO cardio advocates....

Sprint
06-29-11, 10:34 am
I have all my clients (with the relevant goals) perform cardio after workout. Sometimes 3 or 4 gentle minutes before we hit the weights, just to wake things up, then the actual cardio after.

Universal (scuse the pun) results are strength increase, and fat loss.

It's worth bearing in mind that these are just your average folk, with no previous training experience, so they'll see some results no matter what. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

MRmichael.hooker
06-29-11, 10:44 am
i like doing it both. i like waking up and doing cardio because i feel energized the rest of the day, and i like doing it postworkout as well. My feelings are basically like stated above, if you need to get it in am, pm, postworkout, w/e, getting it done is better than not getting it done. Ive gotten just as lean doing it first thing am as doing it post workout. usually just depends on my work schedule when i do it. i let my diet control my fat loss

MRmichael.hooker
06-29-11, 10:47 am
Just always thought cardio = cut and eat = bulk

sortof. More along the lines of more food = bulk, less food = cut. Cardio should be done during both periods. More cardio during the cut, less cardio during the bulk

Phil800101
06-29-11, 1:35 pm
Check this out. Changed my mind about doing cardio post workout.

http://www.musculardevelopment.com/articles/training/3199-combining-cardio-with-resistance-exercise-muscle-growth-killer.html


The only flaw in that article is the fact that the people being studied did not eat for 3 hours after cardio/exercise. Typically one would already have 2 meals in those 3 hours (postWO drink and whole food meal). In my opinion, the lack of food after training is/was more detrimental than doing the cardio postWO.


Yep... I thought the same thing... Because some of the biggest, strongest ppl I know are pWO cardio advocates....


I have all my clients (with the relevant goals) perform cardio after workout. Sometimes 3 or 4 gentle minutes before we hit the weights, just to wake things up, then the actual cardio after.

Universal (scuse the pun) results are strength increase, and fat loss.

It's worth bearing in mind that these are just your average folk, with no previous training experience, so they'll see some results no matter what. But if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Agreed. I have almost always done cardio postworkout, with no detriment to strength.

Like Aggs pointed out, the people studied were going to long without food, which would hurt gains even without the cardio.

Myself, I take a packet of Nitro after the weights, and I drink a mixture of Atomic 7 with some powdered Gatorade during my postworkout cardio. About 30-45 minutes later I eat. In the past, I would take Nitro when I finished weights, and then slam some Torrent as soon as I finished my cardio. In both cases cardio never hurt my strength gains.

Point is, as long as your diet and supps are on point, and you're feeding your muscles properly at the right time, postworkout cardio is not detrimental as far as I am concerned. And like I said before, your HR is already elevated from the weights, so once you start doing your cardio you hit your target HR faster and burn more calories during that time as opposed to starting cardio from your regular resting HR.

Appollonian
06-29-11, 1:40 pm
Agreed. I have almost always done cardio postworkout, with no detriment to strength.

Like Aggs pointed out, the people studied were going to long without food, which would hurt gains even without the cardio.

Myself, I take a packet of Nitro after the weights, and I drink a mixture of Atomic 7 with some powdered Gatorade during my postworkout cardio. About 30-45 minutes later I eat. In the past, I would take Nitro when I finished weights, and then slam some Torrent as soon as I finished my cardio. In both cases cardio never hurt my strength gains.

Point is, as long as your diet and supps are on point, and you're feeding your muscles properly at the right time, postworkout cardio is not detrimental as far as I am concerned. And like I said before, your HR is already elevated from the weights, so once you start doing your cardio you hit your target HR faster and burn more calories during that time as opposed to starting cardio from your regular resting HR.

I prefer cardio postworkout because my adrenaline is pumping hard and I feel the fatigue from cardio less. Running in the AM with no food and maybe a Kwik Energy tab is all good, but 25 - 30 minutes of that feels much harder. Unless I try to run after leg day, and that's just a nightmare. I have nothing else to add to what's already been said, just my opinion...

Aggression
06-29-11, 1:44 pm
I prefer cardio postworkout because my adrenaline is pumping hard and I feel the fatigue from cardio less. Running in the AM with no food and maybe a Kwik Energy tab is all good, but 25 - 30 minutes of that feels much harder. Unless I try to run after leg day, and that's just a nightmare. I have nothing else to add to what's already been said, just my opinion...

Both instances have their good and bad

Morning cardio - sucks for those 30-60min of fasted cardio, but once you're done, you can EAT. Plus, when you hit the weights later on in the day, its just a good pump and you're done.

PostWO cardio - gives you the ability to sleep in move and not burn time by going to the gym twice. But after a 45-60min workout AND 40min cardio, I'm usually a pile of shit the rest of the night ...

Appollonian
06-29-11, 4:50 pm
Both instances have their good and bad

Morning cardio - sucks for those 30-60min of fasted cardio, but once you're done, you can EAT. Plus, when you hit the weights later on in the day, its just a good pump and you're done.

PostWO cardio - gives you the ability to sleep in move and not burn time by going to the gym twice. But after a 45-60min workout AND 40min cardio, I'm usually a pile of shit the rest of the night ...

That is basically what my brother told me after I did cardio after leg day: I looked like shit...

J Wong
06-30-11, 12:50 am
Another benefit to post-workout cardio is that your heart rate is usually already elevated from the weight training, so once you start doing the cardio it takes little to no time to get your heart rate to where you want it to be.

Never thought of that, that's a great point

gpk3
06-30-11, 1:10 am
wow... you guys fuckin ROCK! Thanks for all the input. I'm learning a shit ton. Thanks bros!

gpk3
06-30-11, 1:18 am
Can you do TOO MUCH cardio?

I'm thinking about cutting back at work and starting to do 30 min cardio in the AM on my treadmill and then after I train in the evening do another hour. I always take BCAAs when I do cardio, so I shouldn't be eating into muscle.

What do you think of that?

Phil800101
06-30-11, 1:29 am
Can you do TOO MUCH cardio?

I'm thinking about cutting back at work and starting to do 30 min cardio in the AM on my treadmill and then after I train in the evening do another hour. I always take BCAAs when I do cardio, so I shouldn't be eating into muscle.

What do you think of that?

Theoretically, you can overtrain anything, including cardio.

Personally, I would either do the hour in the AM, or split it up into two 45-minute sessions. I just think that doing an hour after training might be a bit much, and when you're doing twice-a-day cardio I think it makes sense to do the longer session in the AM.

But yeah, no real way to know until you try it out for yourself and see what happens. If you feel like it's detrimental, change things up or make some adjustments. BCAAs during is a good call, I do the same.

chrisco915
06-30-11, 11:58 am
Also........don't believe the hype.....and the studies have been done(see Layne Norton's and other studies).....there is no added benefit to doing fasted morning cardio. It is a myth......and a long running one. So just do your thing.....the best of the best cardioed only 20-30 minutes 5 days a week pre-contest. Don;t fall into the more is better concept......sometimes it can do far more damage than good.