How much Cardio per week?

beastmode121 · May 20, 2014

why do you guys do cardio off season or when bulking? Any reason or benefits? I need those extra cals

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Ehren · May 20, 2014

Cardio for me is 40 minutes with heart-rate between 138 and 150 BPM, 5x a week...

What heart rate are you all at for your cardio? I see a lot of low/slow incline and don't feel like that works for me, unfortunately.

ryanbCXG · May 20, 2014

beastmode121 said:
why do you guys do cardio off season or when bulking? Any reason or benefits? I need those extra cals

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Hlealth? Helps your body assimilate nutrients? Helps with a better muscle to fat ratio? Helps recovery? Helps parasympathetic activity ?

bieberhole69 · May 21, 2014

Last prep I did a ton of cardio, but it was what it took and gradually progressed to quite a few days with 90mins.

This time around I'm on week 12 and only doing 4.25hrs total per week (5x45mins + 1x30mins all fasted morning cardio). I forgot how good it felt to train weights when you've been doing regular cardio.

I made the mistake of not doing cardio last offseason, and feel like my recovery inbetween sets suffered as a result. Also, at my peak weight, walking upstairs was a chore and that's just not going to cut it.

concreter · May 21, 2014

Ehren said:
Cardio for me is 40 minutes with heart-rate between 138 and 150 BPM, 5x a week...

Sounds like my sex life...All the cardio you need !

nothuman · May 21, 2014

About 4-5 times a week currently, usually 20 minutes on the stepmill without holding the railings (which is hard).

Ehren · May 21, 2014

bieberhole69 said:
Last prep I did a ton of cardio, but it was what it took and gradually progressed to quite a few days with 90mins.

This time around I'm on week 12 and only doing 4.25hrs total per week (5x45mins + 1x30mins all fasted morning cardio). I forgot how good it felt to train weights when you've been doing regular cardio.

I made the mistake of not doing cardio last offseason, and feel like my recovery inbetween sets suffered as a result. Also, at my peak weight, walking upstairs was a chore and that's just not going to cut it.

What do you prefer for your cardio, Bieberhole? Moderate intensity for the duration, or more like HIIT?

Confoosed · May 21, 2014

60 minutes on the elliptical 6 days a week in the morning fasted. Tried the stair stepper but my size 14 feet don't seem to fit well on the steps. Just about cost me a couple of my chiclets the last time I tried it.

PWO cardio is worthless for me. I just don't have enough energy left to get anything positive out of it.

ryanbCXG · May 21, 2014

nothuman said:
About 4-5 times a week currently, usually 20 minutes on the stepmill without holding the railings (which is hard).

I love watching people do a dip iso hold basically becuse they hang on for dear life

nitomax · May 21, 2014

Currently 60 minutes 5 days per week, tread mill or step mill, maintain hr 140 , cutting BF

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muscleaddict83 · May 22, 2014

Zero. In fact, this last cut I didn't do any either. This is Feb 2 to May 3:

**broken link removed**

GS · May 22, 2014

Never done it but for pre-contest or 16 wks out but recently or the last 6 months 20minutes 3 times a week and it helped .

Ehren · May 22, 2014

muscleaddict83 said:
Zero. In fact, this last cut I didn't do any either. This is Feb 2 to May 3:

**broken link removed**

Good work, Man! So...where were overall calories set?

bieberhole69 · May 22, 2014

Ehren said:
What do you prefer for your cardio, Bieberhole? Moderate intensity for the duration, or more like HIIT?

Since they're all fasted sessions, I do low intensity steady state. Keep my HR around 130. Seems to work quite well with minimal muscle loss.

Usually, after a few weeks, my BP goes down 20pts when I introduce this type of cardio in. I haven't done bloodwork in a long time, but when I did before it always seemed like it improved my cholesterol / lipid panel as well.

kingjmack · May 23, 2014

I voted for Cardio twice a week. I work 5p-5a and don't have much time for it. I control my weight through my eating.

muscleaddict83 · May 23, 2014

Ehren said:
Good work, Man! So...where were overall calories set?

Started as a slow cut all the way back in December at 2800. I was at 2600 in the first pic and was down to 2400 by the last.

AshopRep · May 23, 2014

I used to be anticardio, but since I started 30 min per day, it's not so bad.

flexdurden · May 23, 2014

On a cut, cardio is added as needed starting at 30min per day Monday through Friday. Start off just doing the step mill and if needed add in some HIIT and extend sessions. Once target bodyfat is reached cardio is backed down.

Offseason, I like to keep doing cardio, like 30 mins 3-4 times per week just for health benefits. I feel like as you are trying to gain weight you should look after you heart ever more closely

muscleaddict83 · May 24, 2014

AshopRep said:
I used to be anticardio, but since I started 30 min per day, it's not so bad.

I'm not anti-cardio, but I did so much for my first comp prep. Too much. I figured that there had to be a better way. I purposely did as little as needed to see if I could get as lean. I ended up leaner at four weeks out this time than I was competition day. I was starting to consider adding some in to get the last little bit burned off. But then I got a hernia. So, the experiment will continue in a few months.