Cardio

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Quan Ngo on April 21, 2010 at 4:16pm

You'll get a plethora of different answers and methods on this particular topic imo. I'm not sure one particular method works for everyone, could be a hybrid of multiple forms of cardio, etc. Ranges from LISS, MISS, HIIT, or a combination of 2 if not all 3 methods depending on goals. Having said that, diet is KEY, and me personally I adjust diet before adjusting cardio (or both)...Not sure if this is the answer you were looking for, but I'm certain the vets of the game will chime in sooner than later!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bader on April 21, 2010 at 4:22pm

Thanks for the response man. Yea im definitely aware that ill need to experiment. I am looking for examples of what people have been experimenting with to start out. Eventually I'll definitely come up with my own thing. Thanks again!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Quan Ngo on April 21, 2010 at 4:54pm

Ahhh...Gotcha. Well, I too am experimenting as we speak (First show); we will see if the science project worked in a few weeks. Depending on what I have time for I'll do LISS on a tread or Stepper or Stepmill (Gauntlet), MISS on a tread or stepper, HIIT on a stepper/track (in's and outs)/hills or 2 out of the 3 and it's not uncommon for me to even work in all 3 types somehow someway in a given day on certain days. Bouts will range from 20 minutes to "Endless" lol. With the Lone Star coming up, I'm convinced I even do cardio in my sleep/dreams with hopes that the extra thoughts of cardio are burning something, on top of my actual cardio. ;)

You will hear you shouldn't do low intensity on an MT stomach, you will hear you have to do HIIT because it is better and burns more fat, you will hear it doesn't matter if you do cardio on an MT stomach or in the evening after meals as long as you do it...But you'll have to try first hand to see how "your" body responds.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bader on April 21, 2010 at 6:44pm

awesome! thanks a lot for the insight! Good luck! I will definitely try some of that. some sort of cardio cycle on top of the lifting cycle.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Melanie Matheny on April 23, 2010 at 11:30am

I think I dream cardio too. I hope it's burning extra!!!! Bummer when you wake up tired tho.
I love jump rope and with a little practice you can incorporate strength moves into jump rope too. Competition ropers do push ups and donkey kicks with the rope and squats or like deep knee bends to one foot, kinda like the Russian folk dance I learned in elementary school. I strap my mp3 on, run the headphones up thru my shirt, and go to town. Jump a song, rest a song.
I'll try to find some links to jumprope instruction. It's great.
I live in the country and don't have a driveway, so I have a sheet of plywood that I throw down to jump on. works well. I love it outside, then I walk during my rest song.
If ya have kids, they'll get into that too.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ben Whitney on April 22, 2010 at 7:56am

I like to mix it up too. In the gym I will do HIIT cardio on the stair stepper or do "regular" lower intensity cardio on the elliptical or bike machine. Also on some days I will go for a bike ride so I can actually see something besides the person on the treadmill in front of me. Dont forget that you can do cardio outside the gym too.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Quan Ngo on April 22, 2010 at 8:20am

Amen to this (outside the gym)...blaze it up on the track or HIIT hillwork!!!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Soolmaz on April 26, 2010 at 6:35pm

I think something to consider here also is WHEN you do your cardio...EARLY morning cardio is ideal to really burn fat. This is before your first meal. It's the most efficient way.

If that's absolutely not possible, the next best time to do cardio is after you lift.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Roxanna Sanchez on April 27, 2010 at 10:47am

Man.... I used to love cardio but now that "i have" to do it.... i rebel!!! lol... but i do it! i think HITT on any machine will do great if you just immerse yourself in it... I just started doing what Melanie does with jump rope..... that has been a great workout! 20 min of it and your drenched in sweat..... i jump rope for a song then do push ups or jump squats, lunges and make a mini boot camp for myself.... it takes away the tediousness of the machines.... once you do machine after machine day after day you need a BREAK!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brandon Ray on June 5, 2010 at 12:11pm

As a submission grappler and crossfitter; I like to use a variety of cardio methods. I despise the cardio machines in the gym so I prefer sprints, bodyweight circuits, strongman movements ect. I find these burn fat as well as aiding in a more dense, muscular physique. Today for example, I am sprinting up a hill and doing 10 kettlebell swings at the top. Repeat 20x and die. Although it's already popular among mma fighters and military, I think it is becoming more popular in the physique world. Ian Graham, Jacquelyn Kay, Chastity Slone, and Josh Bunch have been training this syle for a long time and Jim Cordova recently adopted this style of cardio.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Fentris Lane on June 8, 2010 at 3:26pm

Hi Andrew - Cardio can be done in various forms. From duration, intervals, HIIT. The trick is to find out a balance of any of those 3. If your trying to build muscle, you may have to cycle the cardio session between short-and-sometimes longs session. No more than about maybe 2-3 times per/wk in the mass building phase.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Andrew Bader on June 21, 2010 at 9:17pm

Hey fentris - Thats very helpful. for the past 4 months or so ive been really getting intense about building. I think starting at the end of july, I am going to start my first bulking phase. Until then im just trying to eat and lift as much as i can and experiment with different cycles and such. So 2-3 times a week during the bulking is sufficient?

• ▶ Reply