I’m currently doing BBB on the 4 day program. I’m gaining weight and adjusting calories so I’m in surplus constantly. If I was to add in low intensity cardio on off days for an hour would it slow down my muscle gains or would it limit fat gains?
[quote]Chrispy61 wrote:
I’m currently doing BBB on the 4 day program. I’m gaining weight and adjusting calories so I’m in surplus constantly. If I was to add in low intensity cardio on off days for an hour would it slow down my muscle gains or would it limit fat gains? [/quote]
More than anything, doing low intensity cardio isn’t that productive.
Try high intensity cardio (There are a lot of good articles about cardio on the site)
This way, you can add even more mass and loss fat simultaneously.
Good Luck.
[quote]Chrispy61 wrote:
I’m currently doing BBB on the 4 day program. I’m gaining weight and adjusting calories so I’m in surplus constantly. If I was to add in low intensity cardio on off days for an hour would it slow down my muscle gains or would it limit fat gains? [/quote]
I don’t know what BBB type of a program is, but search for cardio that will carry over (sprinting to squats) and help with your long term plans.
It’s also important to find cardio you like so you will more probably keep doing it.
I personally like this article
Sprints on off days will add lean mass, and increase GH levels, in my opinion anyway. Just make sure you have your legs day done atleast 48 hrs. before your off day.
I’ve found that works the best. I think some sort of “athletic” work needs to be done year round.
[quote]Mike T. wrote:
I personally like this article
Sprints on off days will add lean mass, and increase GH levels, in my opinion anyway. Just make sure you have your legs day done atleast 48 hrs. before your off day.
I’ve found that works the best. I think some sort of “athletic” work needs to be done year round.[/quote]
Interesting article, although there are some articles that go a bit deeper into the subject.
Another benefit I forgot to mention is increased recovery from strength training, meaning you can lift more times in a certain period of time creating more stimuli. This may probably due to a combination of improved blood circulation, release of growth and repair factors, better sleep (High Intensity cardio knocks you out).
Sprints and BBB probably wont get along very well IMO. BBB is a very intense program and you legs will need all the recovery they can get. So I would say low intensity would be best. Do it fasted. Lots of benefits to low intensity fasted cardio. The low intensity will really help recovery as well. Strech and foam roll after and you will feel great.
[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
Sprints and BBB probably wont get along very well IMO. BBB is a very intense program and you legs will need all the recovery they can get. So I would say low intensity would be best. Do it fasted. Lots of benefits to low intensity fasted cardio. The low intensity will really help recovery as well. Strech and foam roll after and you will feel great.[/quote]
What about doing aerobic work that don’t overload the legs, for example: complexes, Tabata, high rep movements (grab the heaviest dumbell in your gym and do as many bent over rows you can and repeat The process).
In this case would you still prefer the benefits of low intensity cardio?
Getting into the mindset of “will doing this or doing that, hamper gains,” 99% of the time is actually what hampers your gains…Your body is capable of a lot more than you can imagine, you just can’t mentally put a hold on your progress because you are afraid something might indirectly affect something else.
You weren’t made to lift weights and then be sedentary the other 22-23 hours of the day…
I run, I lift, I’ve been making a lot of progress.
OP, what kind of weights are you pushing at this point?
I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with doing low intensity cardio on off-days, or training days for that matter. I haven’t had a problem with walking a couple of incline miles on a treadmill after my BBB sessions.
That said, I’m not sure how this scales with strength: I haven’t had any problem making strength gains up to the point of doing 365 on squat for my 8-10 rep day. I can’t speak to how it would affect strength levels beyond that. MODOK got extremely strong with BBB (getting at like 500lbs on squat on his lowest rep days), so he could speak to that much better than I.
Overall, the best advice is to just give it a try for a couple of weeks and see how it affects your performance. I strongly believe (but can’t really prove) that my doing the LISS helped me to put on less fat while I was bulking with BBB (I never do BBB when in a caloric deficit).
With an intense program, steady state is king imo.
Try it for a month or so and see what you think.
stairmaster is the master.
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
stairmaster is the master.[/quote]
x2
I agree with austin_bicep he is right on the money there… Your body is tough, and can do a hell of a lot of work, you should be doing cardio regardless of what you do. If you feel like you might get run down, have more rest and eat well.
[quote]The3Commandments wrote:
(I never do BBB when in a caloric deficit).[/quote]
Totally agree with this, your ass would be chewed up if you did!!
From the general replys im feeling any type of cardio on off days is good. I think on the ramp phases of BBB hiit would be way too much for me to handle. I think im gunna hit the stairmaster for 45 mins on my off days but keep it relativly low intensity
[quote]Chrispy61 wrote:
[quote]The3Commandments wrote:
(I never do BBB when in a caloric deficit).[/quote]
Totally agree with this, your ass would be chewed up if you did!!
From the general replys im feeling any type of cardio on off days is good. I think on the ramp phases of BBB hiit would be way too much for me to handle. I think im gunna hit the stairmaster for 45 mins on my off days but keep it relativly low intensity
[/quote]
If you choose to do some high intensity cardio (let’s say sprints) for short periods of time, you can consider this will help you not only to burn fat the rest of the day but also build important muscles that develop with sprinting: sartorius, psoas, etc. There’s no way to lose.
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
stairmaster is the master.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
PIGGYBACK!!!
(x3)
[quote]HoustonGuy wrote:
With an intense program, steady state is king imo.
Try it for a month or so and see what you think.[/quote]
Cardio will only hamper an early death. Its important, not just for epic leans, but for overall heart health. Not to mention you feel & function better, and will be able to perform better in the weightroom as well.
If your training hard, steady state should be the only thing you can consistently manage…don’t know how some of you guys can bust ass in the weight room and then do HIIT or Tabata or stuff like that.
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
stairmaster is the master.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
Wish my gym had one. I love them
[quote]Proud_Virgin wrote:
[quote]HoustonGuy wrote:
With an intense program, steady state is king imo.
Try it for a month or so and see what you think.[/quote]
Cardio will only hamper an early death. Its important, not just for epic leans, but for overall heart health. Not to mention you feel & function better, and will be able to perform better in the weightroom as well.
If your training hard, steady state should be the only thing you can consistently manage…don’t know how some of you guys can bust ass in the weight room and then do HIIT or Tabata or stuff like that.[/quote]
The cardiovascular benefits (delaying arteriolosclerosis / atherosclerosis) along with other health benefits which your preferred type of cardio produces which makes you live longer, can be intensified with high intensity cardio.
“If you’re training hard, steady state should be the only thing you can consistently manage”. I find this ironic because if you have the Testosterone Induced Attitude… I can’t fucking stand that steady, slow, predictable, slow twitch fiber, low adrenaline producing shit.
What you say about feeling good is true, long aerobic workouts cause massive endorphin release, and you will feel relaxed for hours. However, feeling good is subjective (Deadlifting 2.5 times body weight also feels good).
About “busting your ass lifting weights”, I think that in our free time, if we feel energized, and feel like doing cardio, do some sprinting. We shouldn’t have to be that meticulous about it.
[quote]SSC wrote:
[quote]gregron wrote:
[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
stairmaster is the master.[/quote]
x2[/quote]
PIGGYBACK!!!
(x3)[/quote]
(x4) usually I will do this with anywhere between 50-80 backpacking pack on.
Appearently though the stairmaster we have DOES have a weight limit…ha ha hah.