How important is cardio on 1 - 10 (10 being most important)?

[transcend2007]

After doing no cardio at all for the past 6 months just this past week I implemented 20 minutes of treadmill or elliptical rider after my 1 hour resistance training.

I am not where near as lean as I would like between 16% to 18% bf. My goal is to live at 12% bf.

How important is cardio to you exercise regimen? How does it effect your body fat %?

 

[milleniumgirl]

If you're trying to cut I'd say that cardio is 50% and diet 50%. If you're trying to stay in shape (and with a healthy heart), I'd give cardio a 8 or a 9.

 

[Lulu66]

Imo cardio is like a 3, just for cardiovascular health. With a good diet and a decent routine you should be gtg. If you are triying to cut bf then i would go with HIIT.

 

[63Vette]

I did cardio out the kazoo (5+ miles per day - mostly hilly outside runs) and was staying at about 13-14% bf.

I have not done cardio since May. I am currently sitting at 9.7% bf.

Diet and what I am running gear wise has a lot more to do with being lean; however, stamina is always better when you are keeping cardio in your workout.

Importance of cardio - I'll give it a five.

 

[sfstud33]

Cardio is 10 out of 10 for cardiovascular health. I do it 2-3 times a week for about an hour each session.

Lifting weights also gets my blood pumping. After an intense session i like to cool off on the elipticle bikes for a half hour.

Cardio for weight loss is another thing. My wife did cardio for a year for weight loss, it was ok, but dietary changes and muscle strength exercises really helped her recomp her body. Now shes a hot chick...

 

[transcend2007]

Awesome job going under 10% bf. Your diet must be really dialed in. I am connection with spongy to get mine on track.

I will also be implementing some HIIT as well.

I did cardio out the kazoo (5+ miles per day - mostly hilly outside runs) and was staying at about 13-14% bf.

I have not done cardio since May. I am currently sitting at 9.7% bf.

Diet and what I am running gear wise has a lot more to do with being lean; however, stamina is always better when you are keeping cardio in your workout.

Importance of cardio - I'll give it a five.

 

[63Vette]

Thank you much brother- it has been a long road. HIIT is the best fat burning exercise there is. You can also utilize it in weight training as well. I train one body part each day- six days a week for just over an hour (445am-615am). Since I cut hard for summer I am taking a break from the cardio and hitting the weights hard for a lean bulk. Even whenever I bulk I do NOT stray from the foods I know are best for me. I no longer eat for enjoyment at all. I eat to put the best fuel I can in to my body.

I can promise you this.... once you are over 40, you will have to hit on all cylinders (unless you are an ectomorph and a freak) meaning diet, gear, workouts, all of it if you want to rock a six-pack.

It took me two years of super clean eating (I do NOT have 'cheat days') to get where I am today. I hope to get even leaner but if I don't it will not be due to my diet. I am a firm believer that six packs are made in the kitchen first and foremost.

Thanks again, this is the first time in several years I have been in 'single digits' bf wise.

 

[Cashout]

I do no cardio whatsoever.

I do incorporate a rather rapid weight training pace in my routiens that allows for very little rest and many super/drop/giant sets.

I find it to be a waste of time.

Diet works much better for fat loss.

1 out of 10 in importance for me.

 

[transcend2007]

Hey Cashout....thanks for the invite over here to SI! This is an awesome community!

As for no cardio....I like the sound of that. Unfortunately, we can not all pass up our own wedding cake (as I believe you were rumored to do).....lol

Although I understand very clearly your message and 63vette. Diet is mission critical. There is no getting around that.

 

[coltmc4545]

I've never been a fan of cardio. Only cardio I like to do is in the bedroom. For fat loss I feel diet is most important. And like cashout said, if you do short rest periods and drop and supersets with a strict diet, you should shed fat just fine. Now if your obese, I think cardio should be a part of your weight loss system. For me though, I'd rather save my energy to do a few more reps. My thinking is if it's in the back of your mind that you have to go do 30 min of cardio after you train, you might consciencly or subconsciencly save energy for it by not training as hard. Or while your buddy's eating plain chicken and brown rice and running 5 miles a day, you could run tren and eat like a king and still shed more bf then him lol

 

[Bro Bundy]

cash and colt both make great points but thats what works for them it may not work for u.Imo everything depends on your body structure and bf and what are your goals.I like doing 20 30 min of cardio after lifting but not them wacky machines in the gym,I go old school with a bmx and a street.

 

[corvettels3]

What cashout said.. You can get your heart rate racing if you superset with very short rest periods. I personally do cardio twice a week. I do it not for fatloss, but to relieve stress..

 

[SFGiants]

Cardio = loss of strength!

 

[transcend2007]

This reminds me of those Lite beer commercials: Taste great ~ Less filling

Cardio bad ~ Cardio good.

I am not concerned with strength as much I am with lower bf % and being fit more overall. But, I am going back to the diet drawing board as I know there is room for improvement. Spongy to the rescue!

 

[theminister]

Cardio is for days off and anti stress with getting those endorphins running. You never get cut without it imo. Although I say off days, by doing it everyday for min 30mins,I drink alcohol eat whatever I want and still remain tight and firm. I eat healthy but I don't have to worry too much about it

 

[Cashout]

On another note, a lot of folks will advance the position that dedicated cardio is necessary for heart health but I'd say you can accomplish the same effect by tailoring your weight training as I previously mentioned.

I take a yearly VO2 Max uptake test, just did August 1st, and having done no cardio in the past 20 years, I still consistently score over 75 ml/kg/min with an initial resting pulse rate of 48-50 bpm which puts me in the 99% percentile for cardiovascular conditioning.

With everything else - diet, training, ect - don't just assume the "traditional theory" is correct and the gospel when building your program. Tailor what you do to meet your specific goals and you will have much greater success.

 

[Cashout]

Hey Cashout....thanks for the invite over here to SI! This is an awesome community!

As for no cardio....I like the sound of that. Unfortunately, we can not all pass up our own wedding cake (as I believe you were rumored to do).....lol

Although I understand very clearly your message and 63vette. Diet is mission critical. There is no getting around that.

That is a factual statement.

 

[63Vette]

On another note, a lot of folks will advance the position that dedicated cardio is necessary for heart health but I'd say you can accomplish the same effect by tailoring your weight training as I previously mentioned.

I take a yearly VO2 Max uptake test, just did August 1st, and having done no cardio in the past 20 years, I still consistently score over 75 ml/kg/min with an initial resting pulse rate of 48-50 bpm which puts me in the 99% percentile fro cardiovascular conditioning.

With everything else - diet, training, ect - don't just assume the "traditional theory" is correct and the gospel when building your program. Tailor what you do to meet your specific goals and you will have much greater success.

I completely agree with your premise and have been a proponent of HIIT resistance training for years. Three days a week I wear a heart band monitor when I lift. I lift as hard as possible and include supersets until I get my heart rate in to the 170s. I then rest until it is in the 130s and hit it again. I do not rest more than 30seconds between sets and no more than a minute between exercises.

Pounding it out on a treadmill or road is not as effective for heart conditioning unless you are using HIIT when you run and even then, the benefits are limited to your cardiovascular system and for that your body and legs take a beating.

Respect,
Vette

 

[63Vette]

That is a factual statement.

I don't cheat - EVER - on my diet. Food is fuel and I work too damn hard to blow it because my tongue wants to do a little dance for 30 seconds.

It is much easier to flat out reject the things you KNOW are unhealthy and counter productive than to have them sometimes and not others in my opinion.

I have NEVER been a believer in 'cheat days'. That is just caving in to weakness IMHO.

Kudos for setting and example-
Vette

 

[theminister]

cashout you dont represent the mass public or readership here