Cardio twice per week? or in Cutting/Bulking Intervals??

[BrendanK]

Hi all, I'm hoping you guys can help me with a question I have here.

I've started working out pretty hard since my thumb has healed (was broken, out for a month) Currently, I take optimum nutrition's meal replacement protein, and Nutrex Creatine. However, right now i'm 6'0 180. I would like to be about an even 200 or so but with some real definition. Currently my lifting schedule is as follows:

Mon: Triceps/Chest
Wed: Biceps/Forearms/Back
Friday: Legs/Shoulders

So, I have tuesdays and thursdays off. My question is this. Should I do my cardio on these days? or should I be shooting for my goal by bulking for say a month, and then cutting for a week? I'm really not sure the best way to go about this. Thanks very much in advance,

-Brendan

[blueprint27]

I'd like to hear the responses too since I'm basically in the same position as you.. However, I don't think cutting for one week is going to give you any noticeable results..I'd say to stick to bulking until you reach your goals and worry about the unwanted fat when cutting...Bulking with cutting is near impossible but it can be done over a long period of time..

I change my routines every week, I'm doing this for this week:

Sunday-moderate cardio 20 minutes, abs
Monday-Chest/Traps
Tuesday-Back/Shoulders
Wednesday-Off
Thursday-triceps/biceps/forearms/grip strength
Friday-morning:12 minutes HIT on treadmill, then 6 hrs later Legs
Saturday-Off

[PeddlerOfDeath]

doing cardio on off days is the way to go if you can swing it cuz it keeps you from overtraining. also, if you're going to do a three day routine, you might want to think about doing full body workouts and spreading out your sets a little more. otherwise i might go with something closer to blueprint's routine

Sunday-moderate cardio 20 minutes, abs
Monday-Chest/Traps
Tuesday-Back/Shoulders
Wednesday-Off
Thursday-triceps/biceps/forearms/grip strength
Friday-morning:12 minutes HIT on treadmill, then 6 hrs later Legs
Saturday-Off


the most important thing is your diet though. protein, good carbs and keeping your fats low and unsaturated is the best thing.

[BrendanK]

Hmmm..full body workouts? From what I know, and have posted on here, my routine seems pretty decent..But, I'll post it again just for more opinions. However, in the mean time, is it the general concensus that doing cardio while trying to gain mass is possible? Anyway, here goes:

Monday: Chest: Bench Press: 1 warmup set.
3 X 6-8 reps
Flat Bench Fly: same
Incline dumbell press
Decline dumbell press
Triceps:
Tricep extensions
Close grip bench press
Skull Crushers


Wednesday: Biceps: Standing Barbell curls
Preacher curls
Hammer dumbell curls


Forearms: Forearm barbell curls: both ways


Back: Bent over Rows
Sitting Cable Rows
Lat pull downs
Deadlifts


Friday: Shoulders: Dumbell military press
Shrugs
Standing dumbell front raises


Legs: Leg extensions
Leg press
Calf raises
( i stay away from squats due to a bad knee)

So thats it pretty much...Any suggestions, constructive criticism is welcomed!

[blueprint27]

with your schedule, cardio on off days will seem to keep fat gain to a minimum.. make sure to eat about 500-700 calories above maintenance and you should be fine..

**IMO, just a few tweaks if you want..**
Chest: replace decline dumbbell with weighted leaning forward dips and I like the cable flat bench flys because of constant tension but that's my opinion..

Tris: looks fine, dips hit them pretty hard(if you keep your body straight)

Biceps: I'd throw in incline DB curls to replace preachers
Forearms: you can do reverse grip curls and farmer's walk/static holds

Back: Replace Lat Pulldowns with regular overhand pullups and maybe one-arm rows or V-bar pulldown for sitting cable rows

Shoulders:anterior delts get hit well with your flat bench..add in side lateral DB raises in replace of that

Legs: you don't have any ham exercises..stiff-Legged deads hit the hamstrings nice, hit the calves hard(superset with donkey calf raises to make it brutal)..

There you go, just my 2 cents..

[BrendanK]

Sounds good man...thanks for the advice..I'll go back then to doing cardio on my off days...

As for Hamstrings, I did deadlifts last week with some good weight on there and sweet mother mary of God, my Hammy's were sore from Thursday till Sunday! Thanks also for the advice on the shoulders I think I'll do that..