Let me know what you all think about cardio, off season and contest prep. It's going to take me a few days, but Dr. Squat's info is quite stunning, considering all of our thoughts on it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Frank,

It depends.

It depends on level of conditioning and diet approach. And where people hold stubborn fat...

I lean towards light intensity cardio with a higher calorie diet than most, I stay full and gain lean muscle while losing fat. There is a time and place for HIIT too though...

so yeah aram is right, it depends...

I agree w/ them both. With my metabolism and diet scheme, If I added cardio during my contest prep, I know I would burn muscle in no-time. The only cardio I did in preparation for this past show was one fitness standard run for SWAT (1 1/2 mile run). It all depends on the person's metabolic rate and diet scheme.

Our belief is that cardio will burn muscle and so will excessive cardio.

Arnold's body building book states running or cardio after the workout is important. I had a couple of other pro body builders say the same, cardio is important, especially in off season gains. I do know this to be true because 2003-2005, I had built myself in the best condition ever, gaining size and strength, keeping fat to a minimum.

This year, I'm attempting to recreate that same scenario. I cannot say it is the same principles as Crossfit because I have not studied the methods, but the little input I have gathered, it is close.

Fred Hatfield shows where cardio is absolutely important.

quote:

Originally posted by Frank:
Our belief is that cardio will burn muscle and so will excessive cardio.

Arnold's body building book states running or cardio after the workout is important. I had a couple of other pro body builders say the same, cardio is important, especially in off season gains. I do know this to be true because 2003-2005, I had built myself in the best condition ever, gaining size and strength, keeping fat to a minimum.

This year, I'm attempting to recreate that same scenario. I cannot say it is the same principles as Crossfit because I have not studied the methods, but the little input I have gathered, it is close.

Fred Hatfield shows where cardio is absolutely important.

Hi Frank, I don't usuaully take advice from IFBB pro bodybuilders, and Arnolds book was great only as a source of entertainment. You might be a freak if you respond to their suggestions, I certainly am not. Not every differing genetic specimen will respond in kind to the same training principles, diet, stress levels, etc. The two times I did incorporate cardio into my pre-contest strategy, I was eating like a horse, close to 300gr carbs a day but still ended up flat and stringy at the show. Never again for me! LOL

*at least not for fat loss purposes

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Hi Frank, I don't usuaully take advice from IFBB pro bodybuilders,

LOL, I can understand where that comes from and Aram, you're a piece of art.

However, I do filter what they're saying and have found if it is related to steriod use or not.

Working with some of the pros did work for me and that's where I was first introduced to higher carbs in the contest diet. Jason used white potatoes, I used sweet potatoes.

Now, David Henry before going to the dark side did not use cardio and I don't know if he will ever use it.

I have four months to test and will report, that's for sure! I did 15 minutes yesterday after a grueling back workout.

Frank, you might be familiar with IFBB pro Kai Green. A virtual newcomer. Back in 1995 I competed with him in a natural show (before he crossed over) where I won my class, but he wound up trashing everybody in the overall. Won his natural Pro card. He was only 20 years old, if memory serves me right. In between the prejudging and night show I spoke with him for a little while and discovered that he also did no cardio and rested quite a bit between his sets. Not too much volume either. Fast forward to today, I recently read an interview where his training has taken a complete 180 since he decided not to compete as a natural anymore. He literally goes from one exercise to the next with no rest in between to elicit more of an aerobic response. If he is training with the same exercise for multiple sets, he rests only a few seconds between and breathes with an exaggerated cadence. Pretty interesting when I read it. It's a totally different ballgame when enhanced. I'm sure his diet has changed as well. As an aside, cardio only became popular when AAS's came onto the scene in earnest.

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He literally goes from one exercise to the next with no rest in between to elicit more of an aerobic response. If he is training with the same exercise for multiple sets, he rests only a few seconds between and breathes with an exaggerated cadence.

It's pretty much the same concept of HIT or High Intensity Training. I do that once in a while for change up on a two week schedule, very little rest to none at all. I can't lift heavy, that's for sure. That idea of a volume of O2 and once I can locate that article, I'll post it.

Excessive cardio literally destroyed me back in 2000. Bottomline, I was not taking in enough calories and my trainer should have known and guided me better. When you lose a large amount of strength, you've lost muscle...a lot of it.

I was benching at the end of my workout, 225, 3 sets of 20. 12 weeks later I couldn't even do 135 for 10. That's messed up. From then on, I was afraid of cardio. I overcame that and began running and biking with higher calories. I rocked in my next contest, hard, defined and strong and that was in 2003, my best contest and no freakin pics.

I'm still shy of cardio, but Dr. Hatfield's article has changed my thinking. The point: Don't overdo and go too far under cals.