What type of cardio, when and how?
Discussion
Hi all.
I was looking for opinions and experiences of what type of cardio you all do and what you would recommend for my situation. I am 23, 5'11'' 90kgs and according to the bodpod 11% bf, all of which seems to be stubbornly on the abdomen. Looking to mix some cardio into the equation to assist the diet but do not want to lose lean mass (difficult I know but...)
HIIT seems all the rage atm, but does it work? And when do you do it, and for how long? Do it after a workout does it harm the muscle recovery; do it on a rest day and is it defeating the object of a rest day?
Or do you do slow and steady? Is this any good for someone like myself who is pretty muscular or will you end up like Mo Farah
I realise I'm rambling, but I'm after all the opinions and real experiences from "normal" people (BB forums seem to default to Clen and broscience). FWIW I used to run and cycle to work every day and weighed in at 85kgs, and was quite strong, but it was when I stopped doing this that I really packed some strength on; so I am a little "nervous" about cardio.
Cheers
jimbob
I was looking for opinions and experiences of what type of cardio you all do and what you would recommend for my situation. I am 23, 5'11'' 90kgs and according to the bodpod 11% bf, all of which seems to be stubbornly on the abdomen. Looking to mix some cardio into the equation to assist the diet but do not want to lose lean mass (difficult I know but...)
HIIT seems all the rage atm, but does it work? And when do you do it, and for how long? Do it after a workout does it harm the muscle recovery; do it on a rest day and is it defeating the object of a rest day?
Or do you do slow and steady? Is this any good for someone like myself who is pretty muscular or will you end up like Mo Farah
I realise I'm rambling, but I'm after all the opinions and real experiences from "normal" people (BB forums seem to default to Clen and broscience). FWIW I used to run and cycle to work every day and weighed in at 85kgs, and was quite strong, but it was when I stopped doing this that I really packed some strength on; so I am a little "nervous" about cardio.
Cheers
jimbob
I stopped running (both sprints and distance) over Christmas after nailing it all year long.
Didn't lift a bean, yet my shoulders and forearms both bulked out! Remained fairly lean, too.
Running is massively catabolic. My Dad and I share the exact same body type and he's built like Popeye, whilst I (with all the running) am a skinny weed.
Didn't lift a bean, yet my shoulders and forearms both bulked out! Remained fairly lean, too.
Running is massively catabolic. My Dad and I share the exact same body type and he's built like Popeye, whilst I (with all the running) am a skinny weed.
I think half of my problem stems from being overweight in my mid-teens. I have read things to suggest that the number of fat cells is more or less fixed entering adulthood (ie the cells just expand rather than grow new ones) so I may have an abundance of nearly empty cells around the abdomen. Might just get a Dyson and do some lipo 
As for myself, it looks like the most realistic cardio I can do is 20 minutes after weights in the late afternoon/ evening.
As for myself, it looks like the most realistic cardio I can do is 20 minutes after weights in the late afternoon/ evening.
Metabolic Conditioning. Far better than any cardio.
Example
Thrusters (Front squat and then a shoulder press)
Bicep curls
kettlebell swing
Kettlebell clean & Jerk
Weight: Enough to be a challange while still being able to complete all reps quickly, emphesis is on intensity but i scale mine up to be cosnistant with strength training.
Reps:
20-20-20-20
Rest 1:30
15 - 15-15-15
Rest 1:30
10-10-10-10
Rest
5-5-5-5
Example
Thrusters (Front squat and then a shoulder press)
Bicep curls
kettlebell swing
Kettlebell clean & Jerk
Weight: Enough to be a challange while still being able to complete all reps quickly, emphesis is on intensity but i scale mine up to be cosnistant with strength training.
Reps:
20-20-20-20
Rest 1:30
15 - 15-15-15
Rest 1:30
10-10-10-10
Rest
5-5-5-5
LordGrover said:
5'11", 90kgs and 11%BF is a lot of muscle and pretty lean already.
I'm a god 
FWIW I pegged myself at 15% bf but the sport science people are very adament there numbers are normally within 2%. Well worth the £20 if anybody is curious as to what they really are..Problem is it is all round my abdomen, and it doesn't even really feel like fat it just feels like water! Problem is my limbs etc are all very lean (I'm sitting here at my desk and the vains in my forearms are talking to me) but I cannot shift that last inch from the belly.
And if I cut cals anymore I just feel s
t and start going backwards on the weights quickly.Might give some short but intense kettle bell sessions a go with a quick 10 minute blast on the bike at the end and see where that gets me.
Digger said:
I don't know what age you are or how much belly you've had previously but there is a chance that what is encircling your abdomen may well be as much a skinfold, as it is fat.
I'm 23, but on my 18th birthday weighed 123kgs, when I was 19 I was down to 72/3kgs... Not a typo. Now up to 90kgs but in much better shape than either 123 or low 70s.As for being in good condition, thanks, I am (big headed I know) but you can still improve. Tbh if I couldn't iprove there would be 0 motivation for me to go to the gym.
Edited by jimbobsimmonds on Wednesday 5th February 15:53
I have tried various things
My fave carido att he moment is the 'Insanity workout' style of cardio where you do a range of different movements - not only do you work up an intense sweat (and it can be as intense as you want) you also work a lot of joints as you are not just running or cycling in one boring motion.
My fave carido att he moment is the 'Insanity workout' style of cardio where you do a range of different movements - not only do you work up an intense sweat (and it can be as intense as you want) you also work a lot of joints as you are not just running or cycling in one boring motion.
As I have said before it was performed at a local university (I don't want to say exactly which one as it is not an "advertised" service they do but if anybody local wants to know more feel free to PM me) and I was as astonished as anybody at the results. I expected bf to come in at the mid teens purely because of the lack of abdominal definition but the results are the results. Believe me, this is the one target "in the gym" that has eluded me and I will steep trying to get there; and 99% of the time my diet is very good and I always make the gym 3 days a week.
Even though I can't believe my bf is 11% due to the lack of definition (conventional wisdom says I should have some, but how many people in my position weighed 123kgs at 18 y.o?) BUT I can believe my lean mass is very high purely due to my strength, which (big headed moment) is significantly more than most people of similar size and weight, including people who lift regularly.
I will be taking body metric measurements soon that may shed some light on the matter. Will also be having another bodpod session in around 6 weeks which will be interesting to share.
As I have said before. I'm not some keyboard warrior whos sitting here claiming to bench 400lbs etc etc. The amount of single figure bf 200+lb blokes on the internet is amazing I always put it down to people being massively over optimistic and bf as generally difficult to guess. Hence why I paid a small fee for a university to take a look! People on here know me in person so I wouldn't risk making myself look like a complete knob in person. I am merely relaying my "strange" problem and hoping that people can help or I can help others.
Even though I can't believe my bf is 11% due to the lack of definition (conventional wisdom says I should have some, but how many people in my position weighed 123kgs at 18 y.o?) BUT I can believe my lean mass is very high purely due to my strength, which (big headed moment) is significantly more than most people of similar size and weight, including people who lift regularly.
I will be taking body metric measurements soon that may shed some light on the matter. Will also be having another bodpod session in around 6 weeks which will be interesting to share.
As I have said before. I'm not some keyboard warrior whos sitting here claiming to bench 400lbs etc etc. The amount of single figure bf 200+lb blokes on the internet is amazing
I always put it down to people being massively over optimistic and bf as generally difficult to guess. Hence why I paid a small fee for a university to take a look! People on here know me in person so I wouldn't risk making myself look like a complete knob in person. I am merely relaying my "strange" problem and hoping that people can help or I can help others.Edited by jimbobsimmonds on Tuesday 18th February 05:17
pete a said:
Zod said:
90kg and 5'11" makes 11% bf rather unlikely, unless you have a lot of pretty well-defined muscle.
I'm 6ft 2 and 90kg and around 8-10% bf depending on what I've eat that week si I don't see why he can't be?After watching the sugar v fat programme last week (week before?) which had a bodpod in it, I looked at them. Seems they can be inaccurate in some circumstances. Not saying that yours was. I would still like to be done by a bodpod or underwater weighing. Just need to find a uni to do it.
I'm Cheshire based so not near you.
I'm Cheshire based so not near you.
I normally play tennis 2/3 times a week which covers my cardio. To mix things up I do the odd circuit class when I want to do a bit of cutting and maybe do some HIIT training on the treadmill for only 12 mins once in a while.
The weight routine that I do consists of 3/4 sessions lasting 45 mins with heavy compounds and during 'rest' periods, I skip to make my gym session as intense as possible. No need to do any more cardio and I maintain 7-5% body fat range all year round.
I'm 36, with a ripped physique like Cristiano Ronaldo. Don't waste time using pointless apps to measure anything as I eat clean pretty much all the time but still allow for treats. I just look at a mirror and if my clothes fit perfectly then there's no need to resort to stupid fad eating regimes that is not sustainable anyway. I know exactly what works for me training over 20 years so no need to measure my food.
Don't just do cardio but also lift heavy iron would be my advice. Just doing cardio would make it harder to lean out unless you do the miles that Mo Farah do but do you want to look like a starving anorexic?
The weight routine that I do consists of 3/4 sessions lasting 45 mins with heavy compounds and during 'rest' periods, I skip to make my gym session as intense as possible. No need to do any more cardio and I maintain 7-5% body fat range all year round.
I'm 36, with a ripped physique like Cristiano Ronaldo. Don't waste time using pointless apps to measure anything as I eat clean pretty much all the time but still allow for treats. I just look at a mirror and if my clothes fit perfectly then there's no need to resort to stupid fad eating regimes that is not sustainable anyway. I know exactly what works for me training over 20 years so no need to measure my food.
Don't just do cardio but also lift heavy iron would be my advice. Just doing cardio would make it harder to lean out unless you do the miles that Mo Farah do but do you want to look like a starving anorexic?
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff