anabolic steroids & cardio

**gymjunkiejt321** · 11-04-2010, 08:45 AM

if you are on cycle and trying to bulk up, should you cut down on cardio? Im told yes, to do 10-15 min every other day, weekends off.

**needmorestrength** · 11-04-2010, 09:08 AM

When I'm bulking I do 5 sessions of 45 mins, when I'm cutting I do 10 sessions of 45 mins.. regardless of on a cycle or not!!! Your cardio-vascular system beneifits from cardio when your bulking, its a no brainer, and 10-15 mins is not suffice IMO

**baseline_9** · 11-04-2010, 09:13 AM

I would reccomend 3-4 x 30min cardio sessions per week when bulking

Too much WILL interfere with you making gains, and im not talking about cals in vs cals out, im talking stressed body

TBH I go through phases where I do none, doing it can help with gains, help with recovery and help you to eat more

**zaneisgreat** · 11-04-2010, 09:33 AM

Do cardio for wellness purposes. Around 45 mins.

I don't have joint issues, knee probs etc but I still do fast walk steady state cardio at max incline for about 45 minutes. Sure it's a walk but it still REALLY gets your heart rate up. When cutting, I'll usually do this fasted in the morning. When bulking, I'm usually fed at least lightly.

**lil_herc81** · 11-04-2010, 12:43 PM

Im with zane, walk for 30-45min on a nice incline, keep your heart rate to a fat burn zone opposed to cardio.

**vettewreck** · 11-04-2010, 03:17 PM

I do zero cardio. None at all. Prob not the best but my blood pressure is above perfect. I only do cardio when im leaning up. However, i do not recommend this, it just works for me.

**needmorestrength** · 11-04-2010, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by lil_herc81

Im with zane, walk for 30-45min on a nice incline, keep your heart rate to a fat burn zone opposed to cardio.

Thats key, doesn't matter if I am cutting or bulking my cardio is always in the fat burning heart rate zone, occasionally I let it slip up but only if I'm on cycle and have taken a lot of BCAA's before hand!

**AlphaMaleDawg** · 11-05-2010, 06:57 AM

There's no point in doing cardio more than 1-2 times per week on a bulk.
Why perform too much of an exercise designed to shed fat with potential catabolic consequences when trying to build muscle?

**AlphaMaleDawg** · 11-05-2010, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by needmorestrength

When I'm bulking I do 5 sessions of 45 mins, when I'm cutting I do 10 sessions of 45 mins.. regardless of on a cycle or not!!! Your cardio-vascular system beneifits from cardio when your bulking, its a no brainer, and 10-15 mins is not suffice IMO

I think this is a bad method personally. For bulking, all you are doing is burning calories you need to grow. When cutting, it is best to let the diet do most of the work. And most importantly, your body adapts to all that cardio and can actually slow your metabolism when doing too much of it. Too much cardio is not a good thing at all

**tjax03** · 11-05-2010, 07:09 AM

Originally Posted by AlphaMaleDawg

There's no point in doing cardio more than 1-2 times per week on a bulk.
Why perform too much of an exercise designed to shed fat with potential catabolic consequences when trying to build muscle?

Actually cardio has the effect of helping the body to partition nutrients more efficiently, by increasing blood flow the muscles and altering metabolic processes. Also research has shown that most people end up eating more calories than they burn from the cardio due to a vastly increased appetite. This will only help one to build more LBM in the long run. If you want to maximize total weight gain then sure don't do cardio. But you will gain a lot of fat and water in addition to LBM.

**tjax03** · 11-05-2010, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by AlphaMaleDawg

I think this is a bad method personally. For bulking, all you are doing is burning calories you need to grow. When cutting, it is best to let the diet do most of the work. And most importantly, your body adapts to all that cardio and can actually slow your metabolism when doing too much of it. Too much cardio is not a good thing at all

Where did you hear that cardio slows the metabolism? Most research shows the exact opposite, as long as you are eating adequately.

**tjax03** · 11-05-2010, 07:11 AM

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**BrysZ** · 11-05-2010, 07:18 AM

I am thinking the same thing...we eat extra calories to aid in muscle recovery and growth and then burn them up doing cardio. I understand cardio vascular health and I can't argue that it isnt important. I am a hardgainer if I do cardio then forget about muscle growth...unfortunately most likely muscle reduction. Especially considering the addictive nature of cardio. I guess everyone is different. I save cadio for the cutting phase and during bulking concentrate every and each calorie toward muscle recovery...just my opinion. I can say I have done just about everything wrong that is possible when it comes to bodybuilding...my biggest mistakes are too much cardio, under eating and over training...

**needmorestrength** · 11-05-2010, 07:53 AM

Originally Posted by tjax03

Actually cardio has the effect of helping the body to partition nutrients more efficiently, by increasing blood flow the muscles and altering metabolic processes. Also research has shown that most people end up eating more calories than they burn from the cardio due to a vastly increased appetite. This will only help one to build more LBM in the long run. If you want to maximize total weight gain then sure don't do cardio. But you will gain a lot of fat and water in addition to LBM.

Bam, right on! Again if your goals are such that you don't care about fat gain then go ahead and don't do cardio, my goals dictate that I never want to be more then 40 lbs out of contest shape so I do cardio. And for me AMD, when I'm cutting I'm still taking in 3200 calories, even though its clean cardio is required! That being said, if your a hard gainer I would suggest less cardio, but I would never suggest none.

**AlphaMaleDawg** · 11-05-2010, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by tjax03

Where did you hear that cardio slows the metabolism? Most research shows the exact opposite, as long as you are eating adequately.

it does speed it a little bit, but too much cardio consistently will actually slow metabolism. You should look at george farah and chris aceto's principles on cardio. Both are some of the most knowledgeable gurus in the game

Originally Posted by needmorestrength

Bam, right on! Again if your goals are such that you don't care about fat gain then go ahead and don't do cardio, my goals dictate that I never want to be more then 40 lbs out of contest shape so I do cardio. And for me AMD, when I'm cutting I'm still taking in 3200 calories, even though its clean cardio is required! That being said, if your a hard gainer I would suggest less cardio, but I would never suggest none.

I'm not saying cardio isn't required, I am just saying you don't want to overdo it. Certainly not on bulks, and also not on cuts believe it or not. Too much cardio and you are taking chances as far as losing muscle is concerned

**ollieolson99** · 11-06-2010, 05:53 AM

Keeping cardio during a bulking stage will help you in the long run. You wont have to drop as much weight and kill yourself for your next cutting cycle. As compared to doin nothing during a bulking cycle and all of sudden going balls out trying to cut..keep the bulking lean and cutting will come easy