ECA and cardio

[mglenn79]

Getting ready to run some ECA, my first time. My question is should I alter my cardio style? I currently do HIIT three days a week and routinely push my heart rate over 200 bpm. Is this safe on ECA? Thanks in advance.

[Back In Black]

I wouldn't be taking ECA before cardio. Either time it so you take it after or several hours before.

[mglenn79]

Ok, makes sense. What would you recommend for time between doses? I always read three times a day, do most take that as 4 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours? Just don't want to take them too close together and cause an issue.

[Back In Black]

It's about your tolerance and any interference with sleeping patterns. 3 hours was ok for me but I know people who can only do 2 doses because its too much for them. A bit of trial and error starting with erring on the side of caution.

[bcaasdirty]

I personally cannot do anything high intensity immediately after dosing ECA, whether it be cardio or training (I feel woozy, light headed and wanna puke ><).

If I cannot train first thing in the AM, I find ~5hours after my last dose to be my cutoff point to avoid above symptoms. That being said I take my doses as close to 5 hours apart as possible.

On off days (aka cardio only days), or nights when I'm doing PM cardio, I do dose ECA immediately beforehand. I do not do HIIT like you. I keep it low intensity, 60-70% of my max heart rate for 45-60min, typically on the elliptical. This method allows me to keep strong through the duration of my cardio session and avoid feeling like shit. It also makes me sweat bullets. I'm extremely mindful of my water intake when I do this.

[mglenn79]

Thank you both, you've been extremely helpful. I'll be sure to take initial dosing slowly and to wait until after training for my first dose (I'm in the gym by 4am).

[Kalani9976]

Yeah just staying in the fat burning range will have you sweating like a pig while on stack

[mglenn79]

I hear you, I tried it pre cardio friday and I swear I could wring the sweat out of my clothes. But I loved it. I don't know what most people people experience as far as weight loss, but I jumped from an average of 1-2 pounds per week to 5 this week with no other changes. Excited to see what I've lost at the end of 6 weeks!

[cj111]

More sweat doesn't mean more fat burnt. Means your body is trying harder to cool itself down. Like stem said eph right before a cardio session is probably not the greatest idea. Grats on losing some weight though, must feel good

[mglenn79]

Thanks. And, yeah, I don't plan on doing it again. I was afraid to push myself too hard, definitely wasn't going to try HIIT. I just kinda wanted to see what it felt like.