Pro's and Cardio

[MrSilverback]

The condition, i know their main goal is the fat loss but you do need to not run out of breath every now and again too.

The latter part is irrelevant to bodybuilders lol. However, pro's are getting less and less "fat" in the offseason. Cardiovascular health plays little role if any as to why bb'rs do cardio.

I heard something about 20 rep squat sets as a substitute for cardio, was a long time ago and not sure if it's a worthwhile idea or idiotic.

Called the "widowmaker" from the old DC training days. You can also HIT circuit train and it works like cardio as well. Keeps the heart rate up.

[Groggery]

Called the "widowmaker" from the old DC training days. You can also HIT circuit train and it works like cardio as well. Keeps the heart rate up.

I'm guessing that couldn't possibly make one's quads smaller as a result, so the reason they don't do it is...joint health again?

[ZBlacktt]

Oh for sure. I also suspect that a lot of bb'rs probably have very low 40 times. In the long haul...no good. LOL

Weight ratio to speed was the subject you talked about. Along with about your times etc, lol.

[Own3r]

Quite frankly cardio is the worst thing for your body compositions, I know a few pros they try to stay away from it as fire, I personally just do 16 weeks pre contest and 0 cardio. WORST case cardio up to 4 weeks in.

[Ajthemeso]

Quite frankly cardio is the worst thing for your body compositions, I know a few pros they try to stay away from it as fire, I personally just do 16 weeks pre contest and 0 cardio. WORST case cardio up to 4 weeks in.

what kind of cardio are you talking about? low pace, moderate pace or high intensity?

[Brofessional]

Quite frankly cardio is the worst thing for your body compositions, I know a few pros they try to stay away from it as fire, I personally just do 16 weeks pre contest and 0 cardio. WORST case cardio up to 4 weeks in.

I'm always amazed at guys that can get really lean without any cardio. What does your deficit look like starting out and at the end of that period?

[backlash278]

Well doing slow cardio actually uses mostly fat, while getting into higher cardio ranges you use more carbs for energy, so they are just trying to be smart about it and stay anabolic.

Also, saw Phil jogging in the hills in the preview of the new bodybuilding documentary. Doubt he does it with any regularity though, as he has mentioned knee problems even just starting bodybuilding. And the reason more pros don't jog is exactly like the above poster said. It is tough on the joints which in their case already take a beating and also they weight up to 300 in the offseason, so it would be like an obese guy running every day. It would grind your knees down.

your wrong. At low intensity fat is the primary source but you also have to know that as intensity increases so does the amount of fat being burned. As cardio gets more intense more fats AND more carbs are being burned its just viewed that when someones RER is at .85 it is 50% fats and 50% carbs but the fats being burned are still more than doing low intensity just less of a concentration. At 1.0 RER it is 100% carbs being used in the production of ATP. It is important to know that the fuel source being used in the production of ATP has nothing to do with losing weight. Losing weight is simply a product of being in caloric deficit.

In the average person HIIT is the most beneficial form of cardio because it is more efficient than LISS and recruits more motor units and fast twitch fibers than LISS making it a more anabolic environment and promoting greater protein synthesis. Like other have stated in this thread many pro's stay away from HIIT because the risk of injury and they dont need that added protein synthesis because of their "supplements"

[tumtum]

[QUOTE=Brofessional;976020333]I'm always amazed at guys that can get really lean without any cardio. What does your deficit look like starting out and at the end of that period?[/QUOTE

last time i dieted for about 14 weeks i started at 2800 (maintenance was 3100) and then i ended at about 2200..

and for the record i got just as lean as i did in 16 weeks.. doing the stairmaster for 45 min 5 times a week for the entire time.. and my calories were at abuot the same

so to me... diet>cardio

[refractor]

i'm nowhere near pro size and it's safe to say my condition/stamina is utter **** when it comes to running... put me on a bike and i'll last a reasonable time

Did you just say put you on a 'bike'?


Hahaha just kidding man :P

[Musc1eBound]

Did you just say put you on a 'bike'?


Hahaha just kidding man :P

[MrSilverback]

I'm always amazed at guys that can get really lean without any cardio. What does your deficit look like starting out and at the end of that period?

Rodney Roller really never did cardio. The first time he ever did cardio I was on the treadmill next to him at my old gym prepping for my show. Same one he was doing the masters class in. He told me it was the first time in his life he ever did cardio pre-contest.

[MrSilverback]

I'm guessing that couldn't possibly make one's quads smaller as a result, so the reason they don't do it is...joint health again?

I honestly don't know. My legs were the biggest they ever had been using his principles. For quads you'd do basically 2 exercises:

1) Heavy compound: Squat, Front Squat, Hacks, Leg press
2) Ancillary: Lunges, Extensions, etc.

For the compound movement you'd do a bunch of warm ups to get the blood flowing then:

- 1 heavy ass set for 8 reps
- Widowmaker 20 rep set (heavy as you can go with just barely making 20 reps)

TBH, my knees feel better with high rep sets.

Now...I'd rather do 3 sets of 225x20 vs. 3 sets of 315x10, 365x8, 405x6

[TropicalSunset]

your wrong. At low intensity fat is the primary source but you also have to know that as intensity increases so does the amount of fat being burned. As cardio gets more intense more fats AND more carbs are being burned its just viewed that when someones RER is at .85 it is 50% fats and 50% carbs but the fats being burned are still more than doing low intensity just less of a concentration. At 1.0 RER it is 100% carbs being used in the production of ATP. It is important to know that the fuel source being used in the production of ATP has nothing to do with losing weight. Losing weight is simply a product of being in caloric deficit.

In the average person HIIT is the most beneficial form of cardio because it is more efficient than LISS and recruits more motor units and fast twitch fibers than LISS making it a more anabolic environment and promoting greater protein synthesis. Like other have stated in this thread many pro's stay away from HIIT because the risk of injury and they dont need that added protein synthesis because of their "supplements"

You are right about there being more fat lost OVERALL, but there is also a lot of carbohydrates lost. I am sure that pros who eat like pigs as it is, don't want to have to eat another 1000 calories to make up the calories used up during HIT cardio. For you and me, HIT is the way to go, for the pros, like it was already said here......more stress on the already overstressed joints, muscles, depletion especially pre-contest, their size all add to them not doing it I believe. Also quite frankly I don't think most of them are in good enough of a shape to do HIT.....carrying that much muscle around has to make it almost impossible to work out that hard for any amount of time. Most of them are out of breath just being alive.......lol.