Plyometrics vs Steady Cardio

[mo chuisle]

I'm currently enrolled in a military fitness bootcamp at 5 am, which is a lot of plyometric and interval exercises. Think elementary gym class with jumping jacks, push ups, burpees, sprints, body weight squats, lunges, etc. done in minute intervals and different stations. I also do steady cardio on the elliptical, ArcTrainer, and treadmill, along with some hill hiking and running. I have a figure show in 5 weeks and need to shred my legs.

A trainer told me I need to drop bootcamp and just do an hour of steady cardio in the morning (keeping my heart rate in the Fat Burning Zone), and another 45 min of straight cardio at night after I lift.

Everyone else I've talked to said that a combination of both bootcamp and steady cardio would be the best idea. Any thoughts on this??

I'm worried about losing what little muscle I have in my legs by doing too much cardio and not enough interval training. I need to lose fat, especially in my glutes and hams, and keep my quads big. I'd like to hear any comments, suggestions, or input!!

Thanks!
Mo

 

[oldfella]

I'm currently enrolled in a military fitness bootcamp at 5 am, which is a lot of plyometric and interval exercises. Think elementary gym class with jumping jacks, push ups, burpees, sprints, body weight squats, lunges, etc. done in minute intervals and different stations. I also do steady cardio on the elliptical, ArcTrainer, and treadmill, along with some hill hiking and running. I have a figure show in 5 weeks and need to shred my legs.

A trainer told me I need to drop bootcamp and just do an hour of steady cardio in the morning (keeping my heart rate in the Fat Burning Zone), and another 45 min of straight cardio at night after I lift.

Everyone else I've talked to said that a combination of both bootcamp and steady cardio would be the best idea. Any thoughts on this??

I'm worried about losing what little muscle I have in my legs by doing too much cardio and not enough interval training. I need to lose fat, especially in my glutes and hams, and keep my quads big. I'd like to hear any comments, suggestions, or input!!

Thanks!
Mo

Hey MO, I have seen the results of some of these "BOOTCAMPS" and yes they tend to burn off some muscle. They do not put enough emphasis on resistance and as you get lighter (bw) your muscles have less resistance. I'd go with some interval type cardio for 40-45 minutes. Try not to exceed an hour of cardio per day. The shapes I have seen at the end of these bootcamps is stringy and straight, as in no shape. Keep your protein intake high and just stick to a diet. It may take a little longer but the results will be there. Train with weights and train heavy, it is the heavy training and increased protein that will keep the muscle mass. I have a serious problem with the "Fitness Industry". These people live on cardio and celery sticks. I have seen the naieve go to them for help and only to have some quality work and serious muscle pissed down the drain. If it is for a contest you are doing this there are many excellent professionals here at Promuscle that specialize in this field. But in the long run take your diet out a bit longer and be stubborn. Your efforts will be rewarded with a quality physique that does not look withered and stringy.

 

[Adrenaline Rush]

Everyone else I've talked to said that a combination of both bootcamp and steady cardio would be the best idea. Any thoughts on this??

i think this is the best option...High intensity cardio will cause metabolic adaptation and in the long run result in more fat burning...obviously you cant do hi intensity cardio all the time, too taxing, so then add some moderate intensity cardio...you wont lose muscle as long as you keep your calories at a moderate level....i dont know how some people do 2 hours of cardio a day of that slow stuff on the treadmill...i can go to hell and back if i know its only gonna last 20 mins

 

[JETHRO TULL]

YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I TOLD HER OLD FELLA.

Hey MO, I have seen the results of some of these "BOOTCAMPS" and yes they tend to burn off some muscle. They do not put enough emphasis on resistance and as you get lighter (bw) your muscles have less resistance. I'd go with some interval type cardio for 40-45 minutes. Try not to exceed an hour of cardio per day. The shapes I have seen at the end of these bootcamps is stringy and straight, as in no shape. Keep your protein intake high and just stick to a diet. It may take a little longer but the results will be there. Train with weights and train heavy, it is the heavy training and increased protein that will keep the muscle mass. I have a serious problem with the "Fitness Industry". These people live on cardio and celery sticks. I have seen the naieve go to them for help and only to have some quality work and serious muscle pissed down the drain. If it is for a contest you are doing this there are many excellent professionals here at Promuscle that specialize in this field. But in the long run take your diet out a bit longer and be stubborn. Your efforts will be rewarded with a quality physique that does not look withered and stringy.

I MENTIONED TO MO' THAT HER CARDIO SHOULD BE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ON AN EMPTY STOMACH....LONG WALK ON THE TREADMILL....THEN HER WEIGHTS LATER ON IN THE DAY....[THE WEIGHLIFTING SHOULD BE INTENSE..NOT THE CARDIO] THEN ANOTHER SESSION AFTER HER LAST MEAL.

THESE GIRLS ARE DOING THIS BOOT CAMP IN ADDITION TO CARDIO AND LIFTING........THAT WAS MY OPINION....BUT I AM GLAD THAT MO' IS SEEING WHAT OTHER FOLKS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE ISSUE.

IN MY OPINION THIS "BOOTCAMP" AMOUNTS TO OVERTRAINING IN ADDITION TO REGULAR WEIGHT LIFTING AND CARDIO.

IF A PERSON IS DOING PUSHUPS....DOES THAT INTERFERE WITH RECOVERY FROM CHEST AND SHOULDER WEIGHT WORKOUTS? YES!

DO SPRINTS, HILL RUNNING, INTERFERE WITH RECOVERY FROM REGULAR LEG TRAINING? YES!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU OVERTRAIN A MUSCLE IN SUCH A MANNER? SOFTER MUSCLES...! DOES OVERTRAINING RESULT IN GREATER FAT BURNING? NO! YOUR BODY CANNIBALIZES ITSELF.

THANKS, OLD FELLA.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

I'm worried about losing what little muscle I have in my legs by doing too much cardio and not enough interval training.

Thanks!
Mo

INTERVAL TRAINING DOESN'T BUILD MUCH MUSCLE.

SQUATS AND LEG PRESSES DO "IF" YOU AREN'T TEARING THEM DOWN WITH INTENSE CARDIO AND OVERTRAINING.....BOTH OF WHICH "WILL" CAUSE YOU TO LOSE MUSCLE.

WHO IS "EVERYONE" THAT KEEPS GIVING YOU THIS SHITTY ADVICE?

I BELIEVE A PERSON HAS TO TRAIN FOR THE SPECIFIC SPORT FOR WHICH THEY ARE COMPETING. IN YOUR CASE IT'S "FIGURE". IN FIGURE YOU STAND ON STAGE IN HIGH HEELS AND DO QUARTER TURNS. FIGURE IS MUCH LIKE BODYBUILDING IN THAT IT'S WHAT YOU "LOOK" LIKE ON STAGE. IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW "ATHLETIC" YOU ARE. WOULD IT BE GREAT IF BODYBUILDERS COULD RUN LONG DISTANCES OR COMPETE AT A HIGH LEVEL IN BASKETBALL AND OTHER VARIOUS EVENTS? YES! HOWEVER, AT SOME POINT ALL THOSE OTHER ACTIVITIES WILL DETRACT FROM HOW A BODYBUILDER [OR FIGURE GIRL] LOOKS ON STAGE.

IF YOU WANT TO BE VERY ATHLETIC,,,,, DO FITNESS, TRAIN FOR RACES ACROSS COUNTRY [IT'S BOZEMAN, MT. THOSE RACES EXIST] OR JUST JOIN THE ARMY IF YOU WANT TO DO BOOT CAMP.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO BE GOOD AT, MO?

 

[mo chuisle]

Thanks! And more questions ...

INTERVAL TRAINING DOESN'T BUILD MUCH MUSCLE.

SQUATS AND LEG PRESSES DO "IF" YOU AREN'T TEARING THEM DOWN WITH INTENSE CARDIO AND OVERTRAINING.....BOTH OF WHICH "WILL" CAUSE YOU TO LOSE MUSCLE.

WHO IS "EVERYONE" THAT KEEPS GIVING YOU THIS SHITTY ADVICE?

I BELIEVE A PERSON HAS TO TRAIN FOR THE SPECIFIC SPORT FOR WHICH THEY ARE COMPETING. IN YOUR CASE IT'S "FIGURE". IN FIGURE YOU STAND ON STAGE IN HIGH HEELS AND DO QUARTER TURNS. FIGURE IS MUCH LIKE BODYBUILDING IN THAT IT'S WHAT YOU "LOOK" LIKE ON STAGE. IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW "ATHLETIC" YOU ARE. WOULD IT BE GREAT IF BODYBUILDERS COULD RUN LONG DISTANCES OR COMPETE AT A HIGH LEVEL IN BASKETBALL AND OTHER VARIOUS EVENTS? YES! HOWEVER, AT SOME POINT ALL THOSE OTHER ACTIVITIES WILL DETRACT FROM HOW A BODYBUILDER [OR FIGURE GIRL] LOOKS ON STAGE.

IF YOU WANT TO BE VERY ATHLETIC,,,,, DO FITNESS, TRAIN FOR RACES ACROSS COUNTRY [IT'S BOZEMAN, MT. THOSE RACES EXIST] OR JUST JOIN THE ARMY IF YOU WANT TO DO BOOT CAMP.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO BE GOOD AT, MO?

Thanks for all the input! There are so many opinions and information out there, it's tough to know what to listen to, what to try, and what to definitely not try.

To answer your question, JT, I'm trying to be good at Figure. I'm not looking to move into Fitness (I land on my head when attempting back handsprings). I also want to be able to lead an active, athletic lifestyle, which means short hikes and runs - no more than 4 miles; however, right now figure is my main focus.

So I guess the next question would be about my diet ... if intense cardio is not beneficial and won't get me the shape I'm striving for, then getting shredded will have to come as a result of my diet. Does anyone have any suggestions for diet resources that I could read?

Currently, the trainer who suggested 2 hours of steady cardio for me created a diet for me to follow. It includes high carb days for heavy lifts and low carb days for lighter lifts, along with a rest day plan. Calories range from 1600 on rest days to 1900 on high carb days (I'm 5'2" about 108 lbs right now). I'm worried the calories might be too high for a show that's only 5 weeks out.

Please share your thoughts and comments!
Thanks!
Mo

 

[msmuscle]

I have to agree with the guys here. I used to teach a boot camp class at a gym. These classes are great for sport athletes like runners, basketball players, volleyball etc. It is great conditioning for court and endurance sports. For someone in the figure/BB sport this is not the answer. As Jethro said a lot of the things you are doing in this class are hindering your muscles from completely recovering. All that is going to do is break down the muscle. The most important rule for getting the most out of your cardio is to do it first thing in the morning before you eat. Heart rate needs to be between 65-70% (fat burning) keep it at an hour/day. If you need more near the end then bump it up.

 

[Strunk]

I'd hire a new trainer. I agree with the others on here. Do your cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Train sometime during the day and do another cardio session if your not where you think you should be how far out you are from the show. Too much cardio will do lose you some muscle and you will eventially look like a long distance runner with stringy muscles. On dieting...it's not rocket science. Most people make it too complicated and of course some people have different views on it. Low carbs/fat and high protein seems to work well for most everyone. I believe your eating close to what Mrs Strunk eats right now and she outweighs you by 50 lbs.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

MO, JUST SO YOU KNOW. I AM NOT BEING CRITICAL.

I KNOW MO. SHE IS A NICE GAL...SO NICE SHE LISTENS TO EVERYONE.

YOU GUYS SHOULD KNOW THAT SHE JUST GOT DONE WITH A SHOW AND IS DOING ANOTHER. SHE WAS DOING A LOW FAT DIET...NOW IS DOING SOMETHING ELSE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS.

MO AND I ARE FRIENDS AND HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ON THIS TOPIC.

I AM TYPING IN CAPS BECAUSE I AM READING CONSTANTLY AND GET EYESTRAIN RATHER EASILY. [ I AM NOT YELLING]

MO HAS A TERRIFIC BODY.....IT'S MY OPINION THAT SHE SHOOTS HERSELF IN THE FOOT BY LISTENING TO EVERYTHING AND NOT BRINGING THE BEST BODY SHE COULD TO THE STAGE.

IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR ME BECAUSE I CARE.


I AM GLAD FOLKS ARE JUMPING IN HERE AND HELPING OUT.

GOOD LUCK IN YOUR SHOW.

 

[mo chuisle]

Diet numbers

I really appreciate all your help! JT is right - I do tend to listen to too many people (many of whom don't have the knowledge they think they do), which is why I was hoping that posting on here would give me some accurate information and feedback.

I was on a very low cal/low fat diet for my last show, then decided to switch things up for the next show to see how my body responded. This year is trial and error to figure out what works best for me. So far I'm liking the variety of my new diet; I think it might be too much food for my weight. However, I don't feel I have enough knowledge about diets to make the changes that might need to be made. Here are my numbers:
High Carb: P-207, C-169, F-44, Cal-1930
Low Carb: P-215, C-140, F-39, Cal-1800
Rest Day: P-185, C-122, F-40, Cal-1620

 

[Amazon Doll]

you eat basically the same way I do, I just eat a little more protien and a few less carbs.

Is that your weight loss plan?

 

[mo chuisle]

Comp diet

Yeah, that's my current competition diet. The show is in 5 weeks, and I'm at about 14% body fat right now, up 2% from the show I just did 2 weeks ago. I need to drop about 3% for the next show, if possible.

 

[Amazon Doll]

You shouldn't be needing to ask questions here, you should be able to trust your trainer.

If you don't, maybe it is time for a change.

 

[JETHRO TULL]

Her current trainer?

You shouldn't be needing to ask questions here, you should be able to trust your trainer.

If you don't, maybe it is time for a change.

That might be whoever she last talked with! lol....Just giving you shit Mo!

I think the guy who wrote her this latest diet is a photographer who doesn't compete...hasn't EVER done a show...but takes pictures of nice looking women!

My point is...everyone has an opinion. I'd choose someone who has been successful...has won overall competitions....Not just someone who sounds smart. Strunk and Ms. Muscle train people and have both won a bunch of shows. Strunk was a team universe guy if I am not mistaken. We've seen the condition Ms. Muscle gets into. Maybe closer attention could be paid when they post info.

 

[A50#]

I'm currently enrolled in a military fitness bootcamp at 5 am, which is a lot of plyometric and interval exercises. Think elementary gym class with jumping jacks, push ups, burpees, sprints, body weight squats, lunges, etc. done in minute intervals and different stations. I also do steady cardio on the elliptical, ArcTrainer, and treadmill, along with some hill hiking and running. I have a figure show in 5 weeks and need to shred my legs.

A trainer told me I need to drop bootcamp and just do an hour of steady cardio in the morning (keeping my heart rate in the Fat Burning Zone), and another 45 min of straight cardio at night after I lift.

Everyone else I've talked to said that a combination of both bootcamp and steady cardio would be the best idea. Any thoughts on this??

I'm worried about losing what little muscle I have in my legs by doing too much cardio and not enough interval training. I need to lose fat, especially in my glutes and hams, and keep my quads big. I'd like to hear any comments, suggestions, or input!!

Thanks!
Mo

I've became a big fan of Plyometrics over the last few years. I'm not only a bodybuilder but also a rounded athlete in other sports as well. I truly beleive that it can make a HUGE difference for an athlete. In my opinion after seeing a host of other people that plyometrics has worked for, I think it could turn a very good athlete into an "elite" pro type athlete. The explosive speed, cuts, and quickness that come with proper training are just amazing. Since your a fitness competitor I think that you should still find a place in your weekly workouts to do plyometrics, even if its just 15 minutes twice per week. Doing to much can lead to overtraining, especially when doing cardio and weight training. I bought a great book on plyometrics awhile back called "Jumping into Plyometrics". It's a very interesting read and has sport specific routines you can follow. Good luck!

 

[mo chuisle]

That might be whoever she last talked with! lol....Just giving you shit Mo!

I think the guy who wrote her this latest diet is a photographer who doesn't compete...hasn't EVER done a show...but takes pictures of nice looking women!

My point is...everyone has an opinion. I'd choose someone who has been successful...has won overall competitions....Not just someone who sounds smart. Strunk and Ms. Muscle train people and have both won a bunch of shows. Strunk was a team universe guy if I am not mistaken. We've seen the condition Ms. Muscle gets into. Maybe closer attention could be paid when they post info.

I've never had a trainer before, so this was the first time I've had someone make up a diet and rough program for me ... and I'm pretty sure it wasn't the smartest decision I've ever made! Which is why I'm reaching out to all of you for some info. I've seen Ms. Muscle's pics, and they're amazing! I really appreciate your knowledge and insight!!
~Mo

 

[oldfella]

I've never had a trainer before, so this was the first time I've had someone make up a diet and rough program for me ... and I'm pretty sure it wasn't the smartest decision I've ever made! Which is why I'm reaching out to all of you for some info. I've seen Ms. Muscle's pics, and they're amazing! I really appreciate your knowledge and insight!!
~Mo

MO, The best advice came from JT. I'm going to repeat it here and now. Hook up with msmuscle. This woman is awesome. Pay her whatever she asks for. it will be the best money you will ever spend. I have been in the game a long time and I have never seen men get in the kind of condition that she does, let alone women. Very nice lady too. She will give you advice and Forget about Mr. Cardio man!!! He will waste you away to anorexia. Msmuscle is the lady for sure. Pm her and talk with her she will dial you in. But be warned, her advice can have you come in in the best condition ever, so if this is not for you then talk to Mr. Cardio!!!!