cardio last week of contest prep

[glenihan]

just outta curiosity why is it recommended not to do any cardio the last week before a contest?

i know that obviously if you aren't lean enough 1 week out, 1 week of cardio isn't going to help, but i was just curious if there was another reason

 

[jerrywear]

just outta curiosity why is it recommended not to do any cardio the last week before a contest?

i know that obviously if you aren't lean enough 1 week out, 1 week of cardio isn't going to help, but i was just curious if there was another reason

i was doing it

 

[saint]

Builds lactic acid over your muscles if I remember right which could smooth out some seperation.

 

[Big Ed]

Not only that but the last week i have no energy, I couldnt even think about cardio.

 

[JonnyO]

I did it up to Wednesday. was even going to on Friday but was too tired.

 

[gooey]

hate cardio

I dropped it but it depends on condition and metabolism, caloric intake doesnt change that much but if u r behind usually till tues. I cut mine a week out.
gooey

 

[xcelbeyond]

It's interesting to listen to 2 more or less different opinions from Gooey and JonnyO.

Gooey not only won his class, he won the overall.

JohnnyO won the HW class in the largest Amateur show in the US.

 

[gooey]

reason because....

how much fat tissue are u going to take off in a week, IMO the human body lags so the cardio u have done the last couple of weeks beforehand; the amount of body fat and water u have taken off are showing that week. IMO again I think u should be close to stage ready a three weex to a month out. That last week u should be focusing on carb, sodium, training manipulation, the diet should be close to done in terms of BF% reduction. But once again this is relative to the person and their metabolism and what condition they are at at the time.
gooey

 

[JonnyO]

For me it wasnt a matter or doing it to burn off any more fat, it was more for depletion purposes and maintaining my conditioning. Heres a quote from Zilla "Dramatic stimuli produce dramatic result" and I think the more depleted you are going into your carb up the more dramatic response the load will be. Some may be afraid because cardio works the legs and some drop legs training a week or more out from a contest, I did 2 leg depletion workouts along with 3 upper body depletion workouts the last week of the show. I didnt hold any water or lose any size in my legs because they were fairly full and cut. Its all preference, not once way works best. I have tried different ways for the 3 contests I have done and all seemed to work well, this last one seemed to work best for me so far though.