Do Cardio Zones have real significance for a bodybuilder

[PTB]

We've all heard of the different cardio zones, and there are various ways they are calculated - the most basic is 220 - age to get MAX HR, then using a percentage of that MAX HR to get your zone, so:

60-70% - FAT BURNING
70-80% - AEROBIC
80-90% - ANAEROBIC

do most hear go by these general guidlines? Will most burn more fat between 60-70%? And at what point does one need to be concerned with sparing muscle?

I generally train using HIT for lifting, which takes me into ANAEROBIC zone for sure, and if I ever do cardio, I will use some kind of HIIT verses a steady state form of cardio.

And lastly, are there other forms of "cardio" that others like to employ rather than treadmill or elliptal... e.g. cycling, rollerblading, basketball, swimming?

[BigZero]

I do instinctive cardio. I do my cardio after lifting so some days (leg/back) don't require the same speed or incline to reach my goal. I go just intense enough to where I can't carry-on conversation without sounding like an asthmatic. Some days I go 3.5 at .5 incline for 35 minutes, some days 2.5 at a 4.5 incline for 15 minutes. My goal is a heart rate between 120-130.

[Rocky3]

post-training cardio FTW...at that point any cardio intensity will tap into stored bodyfat since you are already in a somewhat depleted glycogen state

[davidcua]

I would suggest cardio in the morning on an empty stomach. Walking on treadmill, a comfortable pace. Anywhere from 30mins to 60 mins. Than your 1st meal for cardio.

I'm not a big fan of cardio after training. Since When you train you create micro trauma in you muscle and if you do your cardio right after training, your body will use the amino acids from your muscle (already broken down) to fuel itself, not the fat.

Remember the body is lazy, he will use the easiest way to get away with (murder) cardio ahah. hence he will eat the amino acids from you muscle before taping into fat.

That's why i'm a fan of cardio on an empty stomach, low intensity. For bodybuilding purpose

[Sunnyday]

I would suggest cardio in the morning on an empty stomach. Walking on treadmill, a comfortable pace. Anywhere from 30mins to 60 mins. Than your 1st meal for cardio.

I'm not a big fan of cardio after training. Since When you train you create micro trauma in you muscle and if you do your cardio right after training, your body will use the amino acids from your muscle (already broken down) to fuel itself, not the fat.

Remember the body is lazy, he will use the easiest way to get away with (murder) cardio ahah. hence he will eat the amino acids from you muscle before taping into fat.

That's why i'm a fan of cardio on an empty stomach, low intensity. For bodybuilding purpose

I would agree that cardio first thing is great.

Yet when cardio first thing is not an option, then post-training cardio would be the next best way to go.

[Rocky3]

I would suggest cardio in the morning on an empty stomach. Walking on treadmill, a comfortable pace. Anywhere from 30mins to 60 mins. Than your 1st meal for cardio.

I'm not a big fan of cardio after training. Since When you train you create micro trauma in you muscle and if you do your cardio right after training, your body will use the amino acids from your muscle (already broken down) to fuel itself, not the fat.

Remember the body is lazy, he will use the easiest way to get away with (murder) cardio ahah. hence he will eat the amino acids from you muscle before taping into fat.

That's why i'm a fan of cardio on an empty stomach, low intensity. For bodybuilding purpose

false. do you think that while at rest your body relies on aminos from muscles or on bodyfat to keep you alive? The point is, the less intense your physical activities are, the more your body will rely on stored bodyfat, not muscle glycogen. That is why weight training or sprint running rely so much more on muscle glycogen. If you do cardio post training, although you just finished brwaking down muscle tissue, if you know how to control the intensity, your body wont need to rely on muscle to get you moving but on body fat

[BigZero]

Fasted cardio burning more fat is another broscience myth that was debunked years ago.

[Rocky3]

Fasted cardio burning more fat is another broscience myth that was debunked years ago.

do you agree taht depending on energy expenditure and intensity, that the body will rely more on fat than glycogen? It has been proven that the human body burns the most bodyfat while at rest, it's just at such a slow rate that obviously that wont deliver any noticeable results

[Maniacal]

post-training cardio FTW...at that point any cardio intensity will tap into stored bodyfat since you are already in a somewhat depleted glycogen state

Is this how COG gets so shredded?

[Rocky3]

Is this how COG gets so shredded?

Her problem is not training or cardio

[Young Gotti]

Best Time For Cardio: After Lifting Weights

A 2007 University of Tokyo (Japan) study showed that 10 male subjects who performed cardio on a stationary bicycle after a weight workout burned significantly more fat than when they did cardio before weights. This is especially true later in the day; University of Wisconsin-La Crosse researchers found that subjects who did cardio between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. had a higher resting metabolic rate after the workout than when they trained between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. or between 21 a.m. and 1 p.m.


Best Cardio Technique For Burning Fat:HIIT

High-intensity interval training (HUT) is a form of cardio that alternates periods of high intensity (like running at 90% MHR) and low intensity (walking at a moderate pace). Numerous studies show that HIIT leads to greater fat loss than the steady-state cardio most guys do at a moderate intensity like walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes at a constant speed.


A study from Laval University (Canada) reported that a 15-week HIIT program led to significantly greater bodyfat loss than a 20-week steady-state endurance program, despite the fact that the latter burned about 15,000 more calories than the HIIT program. The major reason HIIT burns fat so well appears to be due to the greater increase in resting metabolism that subjects experience.

[Professor X]

Cardio is overrated.

I have learned conditioning is more important...and that conditioning and "cardio" are not always the same.

[davidcua]

false. do you think that while at rest your body relies on aminos from muscles or on bodyfat to keep you alive? The point is, the less intense your physical activities are, the more your body will rely on stored bodyfat, not muscle glycogen. That is why weight training or sprint running rely so much more on muscle glycogen. If you do cardio post training, although you just finished brwaking down muscle tissue, if you know how to control the intensity, your body wont need to rely on muscle to get you moving but on body fat

I honestly don't know if you are serious or trolling.

- "While at rest" isn't the same as : "doing cardio just after weightraining".
- if you know how to control the intensity, your body wont need to rely on muscle to get you moving but on body fat => Seriously, think about what you've said twice. Do you really think that it's the optimal way. Do you really think that the body will not use amino acids readily available from muscle breakdown, instead of using an harder way i.e. "fat oxidation" .

If you have no choice but to do you cardio right after your weightraining. Than I guess do it after, it's not optimal though.
If you have the time to do it in the morning on an empty stomach, at a slow and steady pace. Do it at that moment for obvious reasons :
- Your glycemia is as its lowest point of the day
- glycogen too
- And there is not amino acids that just came from you muscle (muscle break down, micro tear/trauma etc) readily available. So you body will use the best option possible : fat oxidation for energy.

But Hey Rocky do what you wanna do.

[Young Gotti]

I honestly don't know if you are serious or trolling.

- "While at rest" isn't the same as : "doing cardio just after weightraining".
- if you know how to control the intensity, your body wont need to rely on muscle to get you moving but on body fat => Seriously, think about what you've said twice. Do you really think that it's the optimal way. Do you really think that the body will not use amino acids readily available from muscle breakdown, instead of using an harder way i.e. "fat oxidation" .

If you have no choice but to do you cardio right after your weightraining. Than I guess do it after, it's not optimal though.
If you have the time to do it in the morning on an empty stomach, at a slow and steady pace. Do it at that moment for obvious reasons :
- Your glycemia is as its lowest point of the day
- glycogen too
- And there is not amino acids that just came from you muscle (muscle break down, micro tear/trauma etc) readily available. So you body will use the best option possible : fat oxidation for energy.

But Hey Rocky do what you wanna do.

your incorrect

[davidcua]

Cardio is overrated.

I have learned conditioning is more important...and that conditioning and "cardio" are not always the same.

I'm also against too much cardio. I'm for the "right amount" or the optimal amount of cardio to do to elicit the desired results. Which is very little cardio when your diet is on point and you did not pig out during your so call offseason.