how much cardio?

[griznuts2004]

how much cardio should I be doing to cut? I am 26 and around 10% and trying to shread off about 3%. What kind of frequency, duration, and what should I get my heart rate up to? Thank you.... I've been doing it only 3 days a week and getting my heart rate up to 135bpm and going for 20 minutes after reaching my target heart rate.

 

[griznuts2004]

bump

 

[griznuts2004]

bump

 

[Bulldog_10]

No one can tell you something like this bro...you gotta do what works for you. The more you do, the more cut you'll get...just try to avoid overtraining.

 

[griznuts2004]

I understand this, but my question is where is that fine line where I start burning muscle. Also, I just don't know how long I should be hitting cardio.

 

[awittyusername]

Bulldog is right about overtraining. I always make that mistake. If I do more than 3 days of 15 min HIT. I lose too much muscle. If your at 10% BF you already know the importance of a good diet. But, when cutting I find if I reduce my calories too much, I also lose too much muscle. So, now when cutting I only reduce my calories slightly.

 

[griznuts2004]

well, I have never saw my abs really defined nor done a cutting cycle. Always put the size on, which is easy because I didn't do much of cardio at all. So I really am throwing darts here. My diet is pretty solid.

 

[liquidmuscle]

low intensity cardio for 45-60mins 3 times a wk first thing in the am on a empty stomach

 

[ChefWide]

low intensity cardio for 45-60mins 3 times a wk first thing in the am on a empty stomach

Yep. add some protein sparing 'supplements' to your routine and up that to 5-6 times per week. Be sure to add some Gplennish to hype up your recovery times and get extra sleep.

wonders.

 

[Bulldog_10]

I'd advise against the AM cardio issue...but that's all I'm gonna say...I'm not getting into this discussion again.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

I'd advise against the AM cardio issue...but that's all I'm gonna say...I'm not getting into this discussion again.

This seems like an EOD thread on here lol..Do we really need to have a sticky on cardio in the anabolic section????

 

[Bulldog_10]

This seems like an EOD thread on here lol..Do we really need to have a sticky on cardio in the anabolic section????

I think we do! Or at least a sticky that says that there's a cardio board.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

I think we do! Or at least a sticky that says that there's a cardio board.

Maybe its not a bad idea..Since Radar put the pct sticky theres been "less" pointless threads on the matter!!!

 

[Slyder190]

I'm on the side of the AM cardio peeps. 5-6 times a week should be sufficient, 40-60min. Diet is the other important factor. Get LOTS of protein.

 

[waterboy44]

I understand this, but my question is where is that fine line where I start burning muscle. Also, I just don't know how long I should be hitting cardio.

220-age-resting heart rate*55-75%+resting heart rate=heart rate for cardio.
Any higher % will be less calories burned from fat stores and more from dietary intake. Frequency and duration are another thing. Like bulldog said its more personal on that not. But for general population. 3-6times/wk for 30min to an hour. Your going to have to experament. 6 times MIGHT be too much and you may lose muscle. 3 times MAY be too little and youll lose nothing. Good luck.

 

[griznuts2004]

thanks waterboy. I would have looked on the cardio board, but I thought that things were a little different when on. Apparently I am wrong, nothing at all changes when you go on AAS. My bad!

 

[liquidmuscle]

I'd advise against the AM cardio issue...but that's all I'm gonna say...I'm not getting into this discussion again.

i know you didnt want to get in this discussion but usually we see eye to eye can you tell me why you think this?

 

[Dial_tone]

75% of max HR is probably as high as you want to go to preserve muscle.

 

[Bulldog_10]

i know you didnt want to get in this discussion but usually we see eye to eye can you tell me why you think this?

Ok...quickly. When are you at your most catabolic? Right when you wake up, after an ~8 hour fast. So why add to this catabolism by doing cardio? Sure, you'll burn lots of fat, but you'll break down proteins as well.

It doesn't matter when you do the cardio, if you do it in the AM, lots of cortisol will be released, thus lots of muscle and fat will be lost. As soon as you eat, our old friend insulin comes into play re-storing all of the fat and muscle we lost...and if we're in a negative energy balance, the muscle will not be rebuilt.

It all comes down to energy balance, no matter what, you'll burn calories when you do cardio, and the food you eat will go to rebuilding tissues that were catabolized.

If you eat before cardio, you'll burn the cals that you ingested (as well as some stored energy)...thus this energy will not go to building tissues (fats nor protein)...thus you will not get fat.

One thing cardio does do is make you more efficient at burning fat. IMO, if you're happy with the lean mass you have...I advise you to stay in an even calorie balance and do lots of cardio. Your body will start burning more fat than carbs, and you'll start shedding the fat and preserving everything else.

I don't know if you know anything about the "cross-over point," but basically it's the intensity at which you start burning more carbs than fat. In untrained people I believe it's around 60%, with training it moves up...so that at any intensity, you're burning more fat than carbs. So that TRAINING adaptation is what will cause you to shed fat...but it's a long term adaptation (hence the emphasis on TRAINING, not exercise, which is only a single bout).


It's hard to put into words...but I tried...if you have any questions...just ask, and I'll try to verbalize it a little better.

 

[OMEGA]

double day every other day work really great

without burning you out