Got a question and would like your opinion on this matter regarding cardio. I workout 3-4 times a week. On my workout days, I train in the afternoon during my lunch hour. Then on my days off from weight training, I do cardio which I do first thing in the morning. My cardio consists usually of 35-45 minutes either jogging or on an eliptial trainer. Anyway, I want to kick my fat burning into over drive and need your opinion on whether or not doing cardio everyday - even on my workout days first thing in the morning - would hinder my progress/strength in my weight training in the afternoons? Anyone else training this way? Do you think this would lead to over training?
Paul,
Too much “steady state” cardio can actually be detrimental to lean muscle mass. Meaning, that when you consistently perform steady state cardio, your body might actually go after lean muscle mass, which is the LAST thing that you want to do. I would switch to more HIIT sessions during the week. Instead of your 35-40 minute jogs in the morning, do 15 minutes of HIIT. Doing so will result in an increased oxygen consumption, otherwise known as EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen consumption) which in the long run will burn more calories and make your body more efficient at using fat as fuel during the inactive part of your days. I’m sure others will say the same thing, or atleast close to it. Hope that helps…Tony G
After much prodding by my trainer I all but quit long bouts of sweating on the machines. After reading about HIIT here on the mag I started doing more sprint work…which is lots more fun than running like a hamster. It is also more challenging and efficient time wise. He showed me pictures of a sprinters body and then pictures of a long distance runner and asked me what body I wanted. that was enough to convince me to change. I want Flo Jo’s legs!!
Read CT Running Man great stuff.
Ken
Two words…
Cardio Roundtable
Check those articles out. Probably answer most if not all your questions and do HIIT. Cardio only burns calories while you are doing it, HIIT will burn calories several hours after your done running. Plus you’ll get faster and might actually build some mass.
Have Fun.
-Junior
I was actually planning on posting a very similar question. Except the cardio that I do is cycling for about an hour to 1 1/2 hours every few days (probably 3-4 days a week). If I just make sure to take in at least maintenance calories for lifting weights as well as cycling on all 7 days, I could still make some pretty good gains (because JB said that if you take in maintenance cals 7 days a week, the overflow of calories on days when you don’t lift would be where you get your mass from).
How about steady state cardio on weight days and give interval training a go on off days.