High Intensity Cardio after Lifting vs Low Intensity...

[MACKATTACK]

After having numerous comversations with a couple friends who are body builders said that doing high intensity cardio after a workout is better than Low intensity.

There are a few people on here that COMPLETELY disagree with my opinnion on high intensity cardio after a workout for 20 minutes and just wanted to release some information that supports my ideal.



High Intensity Interval Cardio


Twenty minutes of high intensity interval cardio increases your aerobic capacity (VO2max) dramatically, maintains lean muscle mass, boosts your metabolism during and after exercise, and burns more fat calories than 30-45 minutes of low intensity cardio. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. In one research study participants who engaged in 90 sessions of traditional cardio over a 20 week period lost 1% bodyfat, while participants who engaged in 25 sessions of moderate intensity cardio then 35 sessions of high intensity cardio over a 15 week period lost 3% bodyfat. Additional studies have shown that participants who engaged in short high intensity training lost 9 times more fat than those who performed long low intensity training. Longer low intensity cardio can actually be counterproductive for more fit individuals because it burns up hard earned muscle decreasing fat burning. It’s also incredibly boring and time consuming and doesn’t do much for your aerobic capacity.

How To Start
The key to high intensity cardio is to incorporate it into your existing cardio routine. Because it’s a much more demanding workout you should start by replacing two of your weekly long low intensity cardio sessions with two short high intensity cardio sessions. Eventually you can work up to three sessions of high intensity cardio per week.

Measuring Intensity
Using a heart monitor guarantees that you’ll stay within 60-90% of your target heart rate but using a ratings of perceived (RPE) scale is much easier for beginners. The scale goes from 0-10 with 0 being no effort and 10 being maximum effort but it has been simplified by various fitness experts as follows:
· Level 4: low intensity, warm-up level, easy
· Level 5: low to moderate intensity, still fairly easy
· Level 6: moderate intensity, working and breathing a little hard
· Level 7: moderate to high intensity, breathing harder, more challenging
· Level 8: high intensity, very challenging, breathing very hard, difficult to talk
· Level 9: very high intensity, busting your butt to keep up, breathing seriously hard
· Level 10: maximum intensity, feels like your heart will burst out of your chest.



Few more Links in relation to the explanations of High Intensity PWO Cardio


http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybui...tness_tip.html

http://www.fitfaq.com/high-intensity-cardio.html

[eatrainrest]

After having numerous comversations with a couple friends who are body builders said that doing high intensity cardio after a workout is better than Low intensity.

There are a few people on here that COMPLETELY disagree with my opinnion on high intensity cardio after a workout for 20 minutes and just wanted to release some information that supports my ideal.



High Intensity Interval Cardio


Twenty minutes of high intensity interval cardio increases your aerobic capacity (VO2max) dramatically, maintains lean muscle mass, boosts your metabolism during and after exercise, and burns more fat calories than 30-45 minutes of low intensity cardio. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. In one research study participants who engaged in 90 sessions of traditional cardio over a 20 week period lost 1% bodyfat, while participants who engaged in 25 sessions of moderate intensity cardio then 35 sessions of high intensity cardio over a 15 week period lost 3% bodyfat. Additional studies have shown that participants who engaged in short high intensity training lost 9 times more fat than those who performed long low intensity training. Longer low intensity cardio can actually be counterproductive for more fit individuals because it burns up hard earned muscle decreasing fat burning. It’s also incredibly boring and time consuming and doesn’t do much for your aerobic capacity.

How To Start
The key to high intensity cardio is to incorporate it into your existing cardio routine. Because it’s a much more demanding workout you should start by replacing two of your weekly long low intensity cardio sessions with two short high intensity cardio sessions. Eventually you can work up to three sessions of high intensity cardio per week.

Measuring Intensity
Using a heart monitor guarantees that you’ll stay within 60-90% of your target heart rate but using a ratings of perceived (RPE) scale is much easier for beginners. The scale goes from 0-10 with 0 being no effort and 10 being maximum effort but it has been simplified by various fitness experts as follows:
· Level 4: low intensity, warm-up level, easy
· Level 5: low to moderate intensity, still fairly easy
· Level 6: moderate intensity, working and breathing a little hard
· Level 7: moderate to high intensity, breathing harder, more challenging
· Level 8: high intensity, very challenging, breathing very hard, difficult to talk
· Level 9: very high intensity, busting your butt to keep up, breathing seriously hard
· Level 10: maximum intensity, feels like your heart will burst out of your chest.



Few more Links in relation to the explanations of High Intensity PWO Cardio


http://www.askmen.com/sports/bodybui...tness_tip.html

http://www.fitfaq.com/high-intensity-cardio.html

the only time i had a problem with the advice you supplied about high intensity cardio is when you were doubling the time of high/low. id stick to high intensity intervals to half of your low intensity cardio. low intensity uses fat as primary and thats a fact. the article actually agrees 100 percent what i believe, 20 minutes alternating (does not mention anythign about throwin in higher intensity longer than low intensity), because in fact if you double the time of high to low on a caloric/carb deificient diet you are going to sacrifice muscle tissue post workout in a glycogen depleted state. also, you have to understand that the body adapts to cardio training, im sure taht these participants did not up their cardio every 2 weeks like they shoudl have because the body will plateua

[MACKATTACK]

the only time i had a problem with the advice you supplied about high intensity cardio is when you were doubling the time of high/low. id stick to high intensity intervals to half of your low intensity cardio. low intensity uses fat as primary and thats a fact. the article actually agrees 100 percent what i believe, 20 minutes alternating (does not mention anythign about throwin in higher intensity longer than low intensity), because in fact if you double the time of high to low on a caloric/carb deificient diet you are going to sacrifice muscle tissue post workout in a glycogen depleted state. also, you have to understand that the body adapts to cardio training, im sure taht these participants did not up their cardio every 2 weeks like they shoudl have because the body will plateua

I am doing 1 minute high 2 minutes low now after workouts....

[eatrainrest]

I am doing 1 minute high 2 minutes low now after workouts....

im not trying to flame by any means bro just trying to do you a service, try 1.5 minutes high followed by 3 low this will give you 4 high intensity runs. try to aim at 80-85% HR followed by 60% HR for the low.

[MACKATTACK]

im not trying to flame by any means bro just trying to do you a service, try 1.5 minutes high followed by 3 low this will give you 4 high intensity runs. try to aim at 80-85% HR followed by 60% HR for the low.

It's all good. Trust me I appreciate all the help given to me by this forum, including yours!!

[eatrainrest]

it wouldve also been very intersting for that study to reveal the muscle preservance and if the people doing high intensity cardio were losing more muscle then then people not doing it... which ihtink would be the case.. thats why people dont usually advocate high intensity unless you are carb/calorie up

[kickinit]

it wouldve also been very intersting for that study to reveal the muscle preservance and if the people doing high intensity cardio were losing more muscle then then people not doing it... which ihtink would be the case.. thats why people dont usually advocate high intensity unless you are carb/calorie up

Just thinking the same thing.

[The Deuce]

SO What is it if u jump on a treadmill for half an hour everyday after lifting and run at 7 mph ?? Just a cardio workout? Is it doing anything at all?? I have never tried this high intensity/low intensity stuff before. I RUN... I Lose Fat.... I Gain Muscle.... so whats the deal ya know ???

I Cant see trying something new when the old works.... kinda like the saying IF ITS NOT BROKE DONT FIX IT !!



Am i just wrong and stubborn???

[eatrainrest]

SO What is it if u jump on a treadmill for half an hour everyday after lifting and run at 7 mph ?? Just a cardio workout? Is it doing anything at all?? I have never tried this high intensity/low intensity stuff before. I RUN... I Lose Fat.... I Gain Muscle.... so whats the deal ya know ???

I Cant see trying something new when the old works.... kinda like the saying IF ITS NOT BROKE DONT FIX IT !!



Am i just wrong and stubborn???

well, there are ALOT of other factors. 1st off it all depends on your HR, that can be at 2.5 or 10.5. 2nd, i read many posts about you on gear so that could be a reason lol, as well as diet/sleep/hydration, etc. will all play key roles on gains. im sure though by following these protocols of low intensity cardio post workout youd lose more fat and gain more muscle

[The Deuce]

oh ... learn something new everyday ... didn't mean to make ya mad at me cuz i didn't know about this stuff ... sorry

[eatrainrest]

oh ... learn something new everyday ... didn't mean to make ya mad at me cuz i didn't know about this stuff ... sorry

dude not at all, no flame intented, just trying to help people out. sorry that the computer cant show emotion lol

[collar]

in my opinion short time of high intensity interval training is fine
BUT! if you extend the time of high intensity interval for longer period of time, i can be sure to tell you.

YOU will lose muscle, i have experimented with both and tried it on a lot of people and hign intensity interval is good for short term to kick start the fat loss but i would not maintain it through out.

[eatrainrest]

in my opinion short time of high intensity interval training is fine
BUT! if you extend the time of high intensity interval for longer period of time, i can be sure to tell you.

YOU will lose muscle, i have experimented with both and tried it on a lot of people and hign intensity interval is good for short term to kick start the fat loss but i would not maintain it through out.

agreed, i would implement this as long as i wasnt at a calorie/carb deficient diet.. 1-2x per week postworkout while refeed with some sort of amino acid (s)

[collar]

^^^^ nods same page and agree to all.

[collar]

we are not getting any younger and our purpose for training is to maintain and gain as much muscle as possible.

So i tend to play it on safe side and stick to low intenstity these days, due to i am not getting any younger and i want to maintain as much muscle as possible.

[thabeastmaster]

ok...forgive me...but after reading this.....what are you saying exactly?

20 min total
1 min high
3 min low
and keep that cycle for 20 min?

3 days a week

[eatrainrest]

ok...forgive me...but after reading this.....what are you saying exactly?

20 min total
1 min high
3 min low
and keep that cycle for 20 min?

3 days a week

who and what is this question in reference to?

[thabeastmaster]

im not trying to flame by any means bro just trying to do you a service, try 1.5 minutes high followed by 3 low this will give you 4 high intensity runs. try to aim at 80-85% HR followed by 60% HR for the low.

sorry, forgot to attach the quote

[eatrainrest]

sorry, forgot to attach the quote

np, my recommendations are in my cardio link that i posted under
http://forums.steroid.com/showthread.php?t=384553