Cardio...

HyperActive136 · Post by **HyperActive136** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 11:23 am

During the Famine phase, i plan on doing cardio in the morning on the 3 designated workout days, i will also do cardio in the afternoon on my days off.

Is that a good strategy for cardio? If so, would you reccomend HIIT or low intensity?

ALSO, for the Feast phase, when would be the best time to do cardio (on workout days AND non-workout days)

Appreciate the input fellas.

Hank! · Post by **Hank!** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 1:15 pm

Remember the reason for the famine phase.

YOU are depriving your body of sufficient nutrients and forcing it to work harder. All this to trigger the stress response. Based on this logic i think cardio is a fine addition but probably not a 10 mile jog especially if that is normal. Change it up, force your body to compensate. If you jog normally do sprints or Mtn Climbers, drag a sled run some stairs etc.

I hate running for more than 35-45 minutes, If i am on the tread mill that long I am usually doing sprints on a 15 Incline, or some sprint - walk -sprint on a 1.5 incline. Me @ 255+ lbs pounding 10.5 mph on a treadmill in my fivefingers..turns some heads

Feast it all depends on your goal
Looking for size / Strength then cardio is okay as long as you eat enough cals. (maintenence +)

Looking to lean out then less than maintenance on off days

Big.jazayrli · Post by **Big.jazayrli** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 1:24 pm

i always use cardio as a secondary way to make sure i'm NOT getting enough calories

though i stick to 8x BW or less, i actually feel its too much, at no point in the day am i severely hungry EXCEPT post cardio

RobRegish · Post by **RobRegish** » Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:11 pm

Cardio is best done on off days, IMO.

Much prefer GPP to long distance stuff too!

HyperActive136 · Post by **HyperActive136** » Sun Jul 04, 2010 1:06 am

My overall goal is to gain vascularity and get lean.

Looks like i will be doing cardio in the morning on my days off (HIIT)

Thank Fellas

sovabrat · Post by **sovabrat** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:41 am

I think Cardio on off days is a good idea. HIIT when performed correctly is great. I see a lot of people in the gym half assing it. Most are hardly sweating when they finish.

Go big or go home.

HyperActive136 · Post by **HyperActive136** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:57 pm

I definately go all out on HIIT (hense: HIGH INTENSITY). I would like to do it in the morning on my days off.

What do you think...mornings or afternoon?

DaCookie · Post by **DaCookie** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:58 am

HIIT is just sprints at full speed for say 30secs then wlak for 30secs, repeat, yeh?

sovabrat · Post by **sovabrat** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:48 am

Yeah Cookie, although you can tweak it even more. I like to do 30 seconds of sprint with 15 seconds of slow jog (never a walk). That really gets you panting.

DaCookie · Post by **DaCookie** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:02 pm

Ok thanks.Ive never done it before, gonna try it tomorrow.Think I will stick to 30secs on 30secs off for the time being and when im pretty fit, go down to what you said.

Hank! · Post by **Hank!** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:05 pm

Funny I use a totally different approach than SOVA

I will go full out run for a minute to two minutes until i feel like I am gonna piss myself , then I slow to a walk. When my heart rate comes down I repeat. By the end of the workout I can only sprint for maybe 25-30 secs at 10 mph before HR is in the 168-172 range

sovabrat · Post by **sovabrat** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:26 pm

I think the intentions are the same Hank.

Hank! · Post by **Hank!** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:56 pm

So right Sova in this instance the ends are justified by the means.

I do love HIIT over conventional cardio for sure

Big.jazayrli · Post by **Big.jazayrli** » Thu Jul 08, 2010 5:11 pm

Hank! wrote:So right Sova in this instance the ends are justified by the means.

I do love HIIT over conventional cardio for sure

me too. nothing tops burning more calories in FAR less time.