to much cardio?

[Belial]

I believe both Belial and Wilson6 are guys, which doesn't discredit their opinions and experience, but is something to keep in mind.

lol. The little blue guy under my name tipped you off, huh?


It absolutely depends on your goals. Nothing is sadder than these very muscular and "in-shape" people with unbelievable bodies who can barely walk themselves up a flight of stairs. For health, cardio is important... nobody is disputing that here. (I walk about 2-3 miles every day as a matter of course, extra cardio would be a mistake.)

I think any cardio on an empty stomach is not ideal, and cardio after a heavy weight workout is likewise a bad idea. I'd either do them on separate days, or do it in the morning after a very light meal, and then wait at least 8 hours before your PM workout.

(For the record, I've never done any cardio over 30-45 minutes, or given anyone a program that includes more than that, done more than 3 times a week.)

 

[wilson6]

I get into this argument with one of my colleagues (a tenured faculty member that teaches cardiovascular physiology and runs a cardiac rehab clinic). He is an avid runner but hates weight training.

My cholesterol is less than 150, resting HR in the low 60’s, resting blood pressure 130/70. I do zero cardio, just lift and watch what I eat. My high intensity weight-training, esp. 50 reps sets of leg presses is all I need to get me up multiple flights of stairs especially when I’m carrying something that weighs 50 + lbs. While my colleague would get up the stairs perhaps a little easier because he weighs only 160 lbs while I weight 270, carrying the 50 lbs would crush him.

While I do agree, being an exercise physiologist, that three 20-30 minute sessions of cardio per week is fine, I think the health benefits of cardio beyond that are grossly overrated, especially for body composition control and providing functional improvements in daily living activity particularly in women and aging individuals. Weight training is by FAR more important than cardio and given limited time, I would recommend that those populations lift and watch their diet vs do cardio.

Last time I put a distance runner through a high-rep fast paced leg workout, they ended up face in the toilet. So much for their high VO2max.

When I have to start chasing cattle on foot for my filets, I’ll start formalized cardio.

Now, having said all that, if you are involved in activities that require mostly aerobic metabolism, then cardio is necessary because training is specific. As far as the male BBs go that aren’t worth a shit climbing and hiking, some cardio is unlikely to do them much good. Their problem is that they are not built or trained for cardiovascular activities, nor is it their goal. If they were, they’d have to lose some mass and reduce the size of their muscle fibers to facilitate better O2 diffusion, but then they wouldn’t look like bodybuilders.

And, interval training with short exercise bouts above lactate threshold is used to further improve VO2max beyond that derived from moderate intensity cardio. In addition, sprint training is used by distance runners to prepare them for hills.

W6

 

[sheez_ripped]

Cattle chasing on foot? huh?

I can just picture that! lol!


But be careful...cause folks might get the wrong idea and think you're looking for something else!


all the engineers in our company that visited our Silver Bow plant in Butte had a saying about Montana...

"Montana....where the men are men....and the sheep are scared!"

 

[wilson6]

I'd be carrying a hatchet, bag of charcoal and A-1 sauce, not condoms, so I don't think there would be any question as to my intentions.

W6

 

[Cheetarah]

so what exactly do u consider too much cardio???? i would do about 40 min of cardio in the am,,,,,,,,go back in the pm and do weights, and then about 20 min more of cardio. is that too much?

IMO, YES! I'm at 16.6% body fat (started at 22% in August) and all I was doing for about the last month was my speed skating practices on Sundays. So once a week cardio, interval style, lots of sprinting. I have just recently bumped up my cardio because speed skating season is in full swing and I need to be in good cardiovascular shape. So now I go to practice on Sundays and do cardio twice a week for 30 min, AFTER weight training. My stats are 5'5" 140 lbs, 16.6% body fat, totally natural, no thermos, no juice, diet and training only. Cardio is WAY overrated! It never did a damn thing to get me lean, used to do it out the ying yang ever since I was 18 years old (I'm 29 now). Never got ANY leaner until I started weight training then even more so when I got my diet in order.

 

[Cheetarah]

I get into this argument with one of my colleagues (a tenured faculty member that teaches cardiovascular physiology and runs a cardiac rehab clinic). He is an avid runner but hates weight training.

My cholesterol is less than 150, resting HR in the low 60’s, resting blood pressure 130/70. I do zero cardio, just lift and watch what I eat. My high intensity weight-training, esp. 50 reps sets of leg presses is all I need to get me up multiple flights of stairs especially when I’m carrying something that weighs 50 + lbs. While my colleague would get up the stairs perhaps a little easier because he weighs only 160 lbs while I weight 270, carrying the 50 lbs would crush him.

While I do agree, being an exercise physiologist, that three 20-30 minute sessions of cardio per week is fine, I think the health benefits of cardio beyond that are grossly overrated, especially for body composition control and providing functional improvements in daily living activity particularly in women and aging individuals. Weight training is by FAR more important than cardio and given limited time, I would recommend that those populations lift and watch their diet vs do cardio.

Last time I put a distance runner through a high-rep fast paced leg workout, they ended up face in the toilet. So much for their high VO2max.

When I have to start chasing cattle on foot for my filets, I’ll start formalized cardio.

Now, having said all that, if you are involved in activities that require mostly aerobic metabolism, then cardio is necessary because training is specific. As far as the male BBs go that aren’t worth a shit climbing and hiking, some cardio is unlikely to do them much good. Their problem is that they are not built or trained for cardiovascular activities, nor is it their goal. If they were, they’d have to lose some mass and reduce the size of their muscle fibers to facilitate better O2 diffusion, but then they wouldn’t look like bodybuilders.

And, interval training with short exercise bouts above lactate threshold is used to further improve VO2max beyond that derived from moderate intensity cardio. In addition, sprint training is used by distance runners to prepare them for hills.

W6

Well said. W6, let me just say, your posts kick ass. Your knowledge is superb. I'm working to get there myself. I think I have finally found my career.

 

[SteelWeaver]

I'd be carrying a hatchet, bag of charcoal and A-1 sauce, not condoms, so I don't think there would be any question as to my intentions.

W6

A hatchet?



Walmart's out of guns?