how much cardio is too much?

**british bulldog 1** · 07-08-2009, 05:26 PM

how many days a week should you do cardio and for how long?

**CaliPhotog** · 07-08-2009, 05:29 PM

There are allot of factors that come in to play. What are your goals and current stats? The amount that I do when I am conditioning for MMA is a TON more than somebody that is just looking to cut, which is more than somebody that is trying to bulk. IMO cardio is important no matter what you are trying to do, cut, bulk, or maintain. The amounts very and your stats and goals are what will help us to help you out.

**POPS** · 07-08-2009, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by british bulldog 1

how many days a week should you do cardio and for how long?

even though this should be in the workout section Ill tell you what I know. To burn fat I usually keep my hr between 120-130 ( no higher ) for a min of 30-45 min 5 days/week.

**british bulldog 1** · 07-08-2009, 05:32 PM

5'8, 13 stone, 28 years old, 12%bf need to get between 6-8% bf

**british bulldog 1** · 07-08-2009, 05:33 PM

will i not loose size doing 5 days a week, thats my worry?

**POPS** · 07-08-2009, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by british bulldog 1

will i not loose size doing 5 days a week, thats my worry?

personally, to drop you bf from 12 to 6-8 you will probably lose a little muscle but Im no expert. You might have to do up to and hour ( maybe more ??) of cardio x 7 days and really talk to the guys in the diet section for this one buddy. Hope this helps!!!

**john1181** · 07-08-2009, 05:55 PM

Get some hmb and some leucine, take before your workouts with weights, after your workouts with weights sip on some liquid aminos about 50ml and 1000ml l carnitine then start the cardio for 50mins 6days a week...caution, 2hours before the gym must be the last meal u have consumed in order for the hmb to work properly and also for the liquid aminos to be normaly absorbed...u wont lose a gram of muscle! Considering ur protien intake through out the day in the way it should be

**ninesecz** · 07-08-2009, 06:08 PM

I think it depends what you are trying to do... if you are slowly over the course of a few months or more trying to lose some fat and get tone 3-4 days a week 30-45minutes each session with a HR is 60-65% of max for your age (myself i say at 140 though) if you are trying to get cut up and quickly drop BF in say 6-12 weeks... then I would say 5-6 days a week at least 145minute session a day at 65% of max HR I actually used to do a 45min session on the am on an empty stomach(an empty stomach promoes faster fat loss and quicker metabolism) and then another 30minute session in the PM 3-5 times a week that will really shed the BF off of you but it takes commitment!!

**KatsMeow** · 07-08-2009, 06:49 PM

As I have recently learned it depends on what intesity levels you are doing cardio at, yiou have to potential to catabolize muscle mass if you are doing long periods of high intensity cardio.

You can do high intesity interval cardio(HIIT) but you have to know where your heart rates are at.

**The Deuce** · 07-08-2009, 08:26 PM

See this is always is the part that gets me the most with my training also.. HOW MUCH SHOULD I DO !!

Currently I am Eating average of 3500 cals a day and doing approx. 50-60min a day 5 days a week.. I notice I haven't dropped ANY muscle MASS whatsoever but I also know that the fat isn't coming off at a record pace either.. BUT I am ok with that as long as I preserve my strength and Muscle at the same time I am burning Fat...

I dont even know if I am doing it correctly or not.. my HR is usually hovering between 135-145 on my 2min rest of HIIT.. and around 155-160 for the 60 seconds of High Intensity so I think i am doing it correctly.. I always do it after my weight training so I know that I am at least strong for my weight training session... but.. I consume a Protein shake after my workout but before cardio... I care too much about my muscle to lose it...lol... so instinctively I automatically consume it... then I do my cardio... and when I get home I hit my PWO nutrition good... so far so good.. I haven't gained fat... I have remained at the same weight..225... but my BF% is slowly dropping... so that would LEAD me to believe I am still GROWING muscle wise and LOSING FAT in this whole process.. but like I said I am not purely focus on cutting all the fat off of me right now.. I will slowly lose it.. when it comes time to get my body down into the single digits THAT IS WHEN I WILL START FOLLOW A STRICT REGIMEN as far as what I NEED TO BE DOING but for right now.. what I am doing is working.. SO WHY RUIN A GOOD THING??

I got a ways to go so for now... I'll stick to what I am doing and until I plateau or starting gaining fat then I will switch it up but honestly... I do not ever see that happening...

Does anyone think what I am doing is wrong?? DIDN'T MEAN TO HIJACK !!!

But to answer the OP's question.. How much is too much.. I guess it depends on your needs.. I would do what you feel works.. try HIIT five times per week.. starting out a half hour at a time and get your diet tweaked appropriately ... and I am sure this thread will be moved to the WORKOUT QUESTIONS SECTION in no time flat...

**TITANIUM** · 07-08-2009, 10:30 PM

Deuce, good to see you back! I new you would. totally "COOL"!

**british bulldog 1** · 07-10-2009, 05:53 PM

i will up my cardio to 6 days a weeks, 5o minutes per day. thanks

**Juice Authority** · 07-10-2009, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by british bulldog 1

how many days a week should you do cardio and for how long?

Not sure what your goals are but to answer your general question there is never enough cardio you can do. You can do as much or as little as you want. There are times when I'm doing 3hrs + cardio/ed but I'm training for endurance. Triathletes would laugh at 3hrs of cardio/ed.

**Ripped Mass** · 07-11-2009, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by Juice Authority

Not sure what your goals are but to answer your general question there is never enough cardio you can do. You can do as much or as little as you want. There are times when I'm doing 3hrs + cardio/ed but I'm training for endurance. Triathletes would laugh at 3hrs of cardio/ed.

I have read that if you are simply trying to burn fat a series of hi/lo intensity is best. Say you run at 8mph for 6 minutes, then lower to 4 mph(cool down) for 2 minutes, then back up so on and so forth in intervals. As far as endurance and heart health exercises I am clueless, but hopefully I never have to worry about that-CARDIO SUCKS!!!

**Swifto** · 07-11-2009, 10:05 AM

I do 20-25 mins after every training session (4 times per week). Low intensity, 70% of MHR.

**alpmaster** · 07-11-2009, 10:23 AM

Muscle loss will be up to diet, cardio intensity, and AAS use.

When I'm cutting, I do 3 45 minute low intensity sessions, with 2 days of the week I have a high(er) intensity session.

Even when bulking, I always do an am cardio session, which is just a brisk walk at 45-60 minutes.

OP, are you on cycle or not?

**CptAmericaX** · 07-11-2009, 11:14 AM

the answer is you can never do enough cardio, i know people who do it twice a day 5 times a week, and you have to switch the type up and the heart rate lvls constantly to get your best results out of it.

and next time post this in the workout q and A