Questions about cardio

[Latin]

First I want to say if this is the wrong forum, if so sorry. But the reason i'm writing here is because i'm going to enter my first bodybuilding contest in 4 months and wanted to ask here directly from other competitors.

I've been doing cardio before when on diets however it will never be as serious as this one.
I just want to optimize the burning and cutting down the loss of muscles as much as possible.
The question also is about cardio in the morning before breakfast and in the night before bed.

Around 5 weeks out I will start doing cardio 2x times / day.

First off, how long time after you've woken up do you start of doing cardio?
Secondly, how long time after do you actually start to eat something?

My last question is how long time do you wait before you eat something at cardio before bed.
While i'm at it I could also ask for lengths of the cardio timewise. Usually i've done it 45 - 60min before.
I just want to be perfect on this one so i'd appreciate the help.

[bigsd67]

Have you tried to lose body fat more with diet vs. more cardio? I've done the 2 a day approach and currently at 3 weeks out still only have been doing 30 minutes a day.

Regardless I find that if you mix up cardio doing alternating HIIT and Low and Slow the reaction is better. Usually I'll do HIIT for 15 to 20 minutes MWF and Low and Slow 25 to 30 minutes TTHSun and Saturday is off from cardio.

I'm hoping to not have to go to 2 a days.

[makelovenotwar21]

if ur thinking about fasted cardio in the morning this is a good article: http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_a...dio_roundtable

[FireGuy]

I am about as "pro cardio" as they come but even I wouldnt recommend doing cardio last thing at night then again first thing in the morning. That is a recipe for eating lean mass and unless you are way behing schedule for an upcoming show I would look for a different type of schedule. I am a big fan of two sessions per day but prefer them AM empty stomach and then again PWO.

[hankdiesel]

I am about as "pro cardio" as they come but even I wouldnt recommend doing cardio last thing at night then again first thing in the morning. That is a recipe for eating lean mass and unless you are way behing schedule for an upcoming show I would look for a different type of schedule. I am a big fan of two sessions per day but prefer them AM empty stomach and then again PWO.

I did cardio last night and then had my last meal. I woke up this morning and had eggs only. I'm about to do cardio in an hour or so. How does that sound? I don't mean to hichjack. As a side not I'm 4 1/2 weeks out and my prep coach says I'm right on pace.

[bigsd67]

Hank, if you are working with a coach who says you're on pace and you also agree with him I wouldn't really change anything.

[FireGuy]

I will take it even a step further, if you are working with/paying a coach, you dont change what he says even if you disagree with him.

Back to your question Hank. Contest prep has a whole other set of rules and conventional wisdom doesnt always apply.

[hankdiesel]

Since I've been doing well he hasn't told me much about cardio. We discuss diet more than anything. I read your comment Fireguy and I was just wondering what you thought. Several weeks ago I told my guy I was going to do a second cardio session that day and his response was, "you can't be to lean." He knows what I'm eating and my supplemetation program. I don't think he's worried at all about me losing muscle.

[bigsd67]

That's interesting Hank...i suppose if you are not losing strength rapidly in the gym then you can up the cardio if needed. I've found that maintaining my weights in the gym is a pretty big indicator of muscle retained.

[hankdiesel]

That's interesting Hank...i suppose if you are not losing strength rapidly in the gym then you can up the cardio if needed. I've found that maintaining my weights in the gym is a pretty big indicator of muscle retained.

I know it is hard to believe but I am actually getting stronger.

[Latin]

Have you tried to lose body fat more with diet vs. more cardio? I've done the 2 a day approach and currently at 3 weeks out still only have been doing 30 minutes a day.

I'm really not sure if I understood the question correct, but last time I tried to define I was not 100% doing it. Still I did it descently and got results that where pretty good for me. This however was not for a competition or anything it was simply due to see how much I could do and how far I could push myself also to understand the preassure it brings to my body and mind.
I simply did cardio 4x times / day, started cardio 10 min after I woke up for 45 minutes then didnt eat for 1 hour or so.

So you only do cardio for 30 minutes? How is that working out for you? I thought the burning process started around 20 min or so on the treadmill or whatever slow pace cardio someone is doing.
Cheers for replying.

[Latin]

I am about as "pro cardio" as they come but even I wouldnt recommend doing cardio last thing at night then again first thing in the morning. That is a recipe for eating lean mass and unless you are way behing schedule for an upcoming show I would look for a different type of schedule. I am a big fan of two sessions per day but prefer them AM empty stomach and then again PWO.

Thanks, do you have by any chance any link or anything to a good "cardio" plan for an incoming competition?
I've been reading alot of what you have written over the time i've been here, though I have not been very active on the forums I can say that you have helped me alot already.
May I also ask why you wouldnt recommend doing cardio before going to sleep?
PWO sounds a bit rough since I can imagine my body struggling for energy while working out. Though it sounds very intressting, what are the pros and cons with this?
Also on the AM cardio, how many minutes AFTER the cardio do you eat anything?
Cheers again Fireguy =)

[Latin]

if ur thinking about fasted cardio in the morning this is a good article: http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_a...dio_roundtable

Thanks I will check it out.

[FireGuy]

Thanks, do you have by any chance any link or anything to a good "cardio" plan for an incoming competition?
I've been reading alot of what you have written over the time i've been here, though I have not been very active I can say that you have helped me alot already.
May I also ask why you wouldnt recommend doing cardio before going to sleep?
PWO sounds a bit rough since I can imagine my body struggling for energy while working out. Though it sounds very intressting, what are the pros and cons with this?
Also on the AM cardio, how many minutes AFTER the cardio do you eat anything?
Cheers again Fireguy =)

I was saying I would not recommend cardio before sleep AND after sleep. One or the other would be fine with me. As far as cardio plans...they change for me it seems every show depending on my state of conditioning and whether or not I want to drop calories. Right now I am coming up on 14 weeks out and doing 35 minutes AM fasted cardio and 30 minutes HIIT cardio PWO 7 days per week. I eat immediately after both sessions as well.

[Latin]

Thanks for making that clear to me. May I just ask about those exact 35 minutes, is it to of minimize the muscle loss?
I usually do 45 minutes and sometimes even up to 60 minutes.
I will try your technique out about cardio PWO.

Cheers again.

[FireGuy]

Thanks for making that clear to me. May I just ask about those exact 35 minutes, is it to of minimize the muscle loss?
I usually do 45 minutes and sometimes even up to 60 minutes.
I will try your technique out about cardio PWO.

Cheers again.

It will be up to 60 minutes before it's over. I am only doing 35 right now cause I am still over 14 weeks out and ahead of schedule conditioning wise.

[bigsd67]

Wow FireGuy that's a good amount of cardio...what is your current calorie intake?

Latin at 2.5 weeks out I'm doing 30 min per day pretty good intensity...I've never been this lean in my life and this will be my 5th show so it's working for me well.

[Latin]

Wow FireGuy that's a good amount of cardio...what is your current calorie intake?

Latin at 2.5 weeks out I'm doing 30 min per day pretty good intensity...I've never been this lean in my life and this will be my 5th show so it's working for me well.

Sounds really nice, I wish you all the best of luck and you deserve the feeling you probably have right know. Its well earned.

Hope to be there soon aswell =)