Cardio after Weight Training?

[added_juice]

What's up guys? I have been working out off and on for about 5 years. The "off" was do to snowboarding and motocross accidents. I have been been back to hitting it hard for about a year now. I have had some good gains, however I have neglected cardio and I would guess I am around 20% bf. My goal is 10 or less. My schedule makes it hard for me to make it to the gym more than once a day so after weight training(about an hour) I have started doing about 30 min of cardio. I do 15 min high intensity and 15 min moderate. After only a couple weeks of this routine, I feel like I am losing strength. I can deal with minimal gains while trying to lose fat, but I don't want to lose hard earned muscle & strength. I might be able to squeeze the cardio or weight training in at night, but I find it hard to sleep after getting my hr up so close to bedtime. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. BTW, I alternate between 1 day on/1day off and 2 days on/one day off every few weeks. Have also been doing cardio on off days with exception of one total body rest day.

[*Narkissos*]

i do cardio after my weight-training.. with no effect on strength-gains

If you're losing strength.. look at your diet

[mitch911]

i do cardio after my weight-training.. with no effect on strength-gains

If you're losing strength.. look at your diet

how long do u usually go for nark

[helium3]

i would never do cardio after a weight workout you will most likely sacrifice gains and run the risk of putting yourself in a catabolic state if you go too long,once your glycogen stores etc are depleated from a hard workout your body will find other sources for energy,yes that includes fat but muscle also,do them on different days,it maybe possible to still get strength and muscle gains but they will be effected,keep the calories up too.

[helium3]

i would reccomend doing 30-45 mins of cardio in a session something to keep the heart rate constant(around 70%) to allow your body to switch from sugars to fat(simplified).

[bazerk]

It would also be in your best interests to get you PWO drink in before you start the cardio. This would help you from going catabolic as Helium suggested.

[Warrior]

I generally like cardio before resistance training 'cause it warms me up... but I am a minority in amny cases. But I have found it gets me alert, warmed up and primed to get it on...

Many feel cardio before will effect strength output - and most cases it can, especially for your legs - kind of a prefatigue for them... but this is also depending on how intense and how much resistance was used during the cardiovascular work...

If the cardio is really intense (brings your heart rate up high) you can burn up your immediate energy stores before moving into resistance work - then your body will be forced to produce more energy from a less immediately available sources (unlike the stored glycogen - which was readily able to be used). If the cardio is pretty moderate - you can tap those immediate stores but not completely drain them... the more intense it is, the more the body will use what burns the fastest. Logs (like stored fat) will burn long and hot - but tissue paper (like stored glycogen) burns quickly Keep the heart rate down to where you can still talk comfortably and your body will be more likely to use fat for fuel... effectively warming you up without completely draining you...

I generally have liked to get warmed up for heavy weights with some cardio and then after the resistance training move right into post-workout nutrition...

All this does depend largely on goals and nutrition... as well as your somotype and general metabolism...

[helium3]

I generally like cardio before resistance training 'cause it warms me up... but I am a minority in amny cases. But I have found it gets me alert, warmed up and primed to get it on...

Many feel cardio before will effect strength output - and most cases it can, especially for your legs - kind of a prefatigue for them... but this is also depending on how intense and how much resistance was used during the cardiovascular work...

If the cardio is really intense (brings your heart rate up high) you can burn up your immediate energy stores before moving into resistance work - then your body will be forced to produce more energy from a less immediately available sources (unlike the stored glycogen - which was readily able to be used). If the cardio is pretty moderate - you can tap those immediate stores but not completely drain them... the more intense it is, the more the body will use what burns the fastest. Logs (like stored fat) will burn long and hot - but tissue paper (like stored glycogen) burns quickly Keep the heart rate down to where you can still talk comfortably and your body will be more likely to use fat for fuel... effectively warming you up without completely draining you...

I generally have liked to get warmed up for heavy weights with some cardio and then after the resistance training move right into post-workout nutrition...

All this does depend largely on goals and nutrition... as well as your somotype and general metabolism...

i was going to use the kindling and brickett analogy..lol
but its all good.

[SwoleCat]

It would also be in your best interests to get you PWO drink in before you start the cardio. This would help you from going catabolic as Helium suggested.

That's not a good idea whatsoever.

Burning the calories and fuel from the pwo shake will negate the recovery as it will be burned for cardio, and more importantly NO FAT will be used for fuel as the body has a more readily available source of fuel, that being the shake that was consumed.

So, you negate your muscles receiving the pwo nutrition they need and you do nothing productive to mobilize fat and burn it.

~SC~

[energizer bunny]

i do cardio after my weight-training.. with no effect on strength-gains

If you're losing strength.. look at your diet

What type of cardio do you do and for how long?

[added_juice]

On my weight training days, I have started going kind of easy with cardio.....10-15 minutes on the bike at a pretty easy pace. On cardio only days I was planning on switching it up every other workout: Intervals(2 min moderate/30 sec sprint) for 10 min on the treadmill, then same thing on the bike. My other cardio only routine is 10 min at 8 mph, 5 min at 6 mph, then 5 min at 3mph(treadmill). I plan on extending them to at least 30 minutes in a couple weeks. But for now that takes a lot out of me. It's amazing how out of shape you can get without ever noticing. I still snowboard and ride bikes, but when it comes to just plain running, it kills me.

[added_juice]

SC, what do you recommend as far as pre and post workout shakes for my goals and routine? I normally drink a whey shake as soon as I wake up which is usually about an hour or so before workout and then of course immediately after workout as well. I take casein at night and was thinking about using it instead of whey as my morning shake. Also, what is your opinion on adding some dextrose to post workout shake?

[Billy_Bathgate]

do it right after, people say OMFG you will lose gains and you have to drink a PWO blah blah blah

youll be fine, MANY do it who are over 250lbs and have no trouble

[*Narkissos*]

how long do u usually go for nark

Depends on the phase of 'cutting' i'm in.. i.e how far out from my contest (as this is the only time that i do a structured cardio regime).

My cardio is done in phases.. increasing in duration as my contest gets closer.

During phase one i do 30-45 mins pwo.

During phase two.. i train twice per day (double split).. and i do 30-45 mins pwo at each session.

If needed, i implement a 'phase three'

During phase three.. i train following a double split.. My cardio may be 1hr following the morning session (which is usually a small bodypart).. and 30-60 minutes during the evening session. The evening session's duration depends on my perceived energy level and other factors

The only strength i lose on a contest prep cardio regime is during the last 2 weeks when i start to deplete.

That's why in my first post i suggested he reviewed his diet for the source of his 'loss of strength'

~Narkissos

[*Narkissos*]

What type of cardio do you do and for how long?

I use the stationary bike; the treadmill; or the stairmaster

Which device is decided by my perceived energy level