hour of Cardio every day

**Zinkcus** · 12-26-2002, 05:32 PM

In order to keep a very ripped 6% bodyfat all year around, how much cardio should one be doing? I have no problem doing a cutting phase and reaching a 6% bf, its keeping it there which is the problem. Getting ripped and then getting all bulky again and again as many bodybuilders do thur the year. But to keep it totaly ripped all year long, should one increase cardio? Thinking about how much cardio would be a full proff way to not gain any bodyfat, I decited to do 1 hour each day. Burnning off 1000 calories thru cradio a day, it will be just imposible to gain bodyfat, even with overeatting from time to time and not really doning any contest type typing (aka: not counting calories but not binging crazy ether). Don't see many people doing 1 hour of cardio a day in the gym, so I just wanted to know what you all think. It seems to me like a sure way to keep the bodyfat super low year around.

Zinkcus

**Blindfaith** · 12-26-2002, 09:29 PM

it is definitly hard to stay at 6% year round...and very impressive if you can!

what i would suggest would be to do 4 days of HIIT type of cardio for just 20 mins...that will totally help you maintain your low bodyfat%. Or pick up a sport like kickboxing...do that 3-5x a week...not only will you be a ****kicker but you will be and stay totally ripped!

and also make for certain your diet is in check!

cheers

**Kimchi604** · 12-26-2002, 10:30 PM

i do 30 min cardio before i hit the weights.. 5 times a week..
i started at 15.5% around november 10.. now im at 10.8% .. also gained around 5 pounds of fat free mass.. seems to work fine for me.. maybe u should do that too.. not sure if i can get to 6% though.. im aiming for 8-9%..

i think doin cardio more then 40min is not a good idea..
30min is a good number..
dont wanna loose muscles..

**Zinkcus** · 12-27-2002, 05:07 AM

Ack! I apologize for all the typos in the post, I just read it over =o)

Zinkcus

**Original Poster** · 12-27-2002, 05:50 AM

Bump Blindfaith's response.

But I must add............

Why would you want to be at 6% all year round ? For most it is almost impossible to maintain and probably is not a good idea IMO. 8-10 % would be a heathier BF% for most people. It would result in more strength and stamina.

If you can get to 6% as easily as you claim, why bother trying to maintain 6%?

**Timbo** · 12-27-2002, 06:25 AM

Zinkus...definitely no reason to do one hour of cardio every single day to maintain 6% bodyfat. It's still a matter of energy balance. Of course, you'd want to keep tabs on your nutrition every day. That is, count calories, weigh food and make necessary adjustments...things that you probably do anyway, so nothing too hard. Food choice, timing and combining are critical. You may also consider three to four cardio sessions per week, but no need to go over 30 minutes. As a matter of fact, you may consider alternating between 20-minute sessions of interval training and 20-30 minute sessions of moderate, steady-state cardio.

Achieving and maintaining maximum muscularity is not impossible and is actually well worthwhile, given that you also have an appreciable amount of muscle mass to flaunt as well. You also need to be prepared to deal with quite constant hungry, less than optimal hormonal environments, and other negative side effects, such as easy irritability and lack of focus.

**Zinkcus** · 12-27-2002, 07:53 AM

As for why I want to keep my 6% bodyfat year around, its because of my lifestyle. I go to clubs about x3-5 a week and usually go about showing off my body, abs are a must for that. I know when I'm at 6% thinks usually work well. Dieting down at a bodyweight x10 for calories does the job of getting there. But since we are talking about keeping it there year around, contantly dieting does not sound realistic. But an hour of cardio/1000 calories burned (+500 more thru the day because of it) allows one to not have to count calories and not have to go thru all that hunger each day.

Ok, with the cardio that high my maintance level is 4000+calories a day. That means I can eat a lot each day, which in turns does not make you feel like binging like crazy as when on a diet. I an not concerned with adding anymore muscle <--- (understand?.. I'm good in that area).

I understand the 20-30 minutes of cardio 3-4 times a week standard. But thats of course if we are talking about a bodybuilder who always needs to be building muscle, correct? Sure that sounds about right for not getting in the way of adding muscle. But what if the MAIN goal here is to keep a 6% bodyfat all year around? In that aspect, kicking up my matabolism to 4000+ cals a day sounds like its imposible to gain fat. Remember my problem is always gaining, slowly but surely, the fat back. I think its method should fix that problem. I'll keep the message board informed if its working out well.

Zinkcus

PS: Thats for the replys guys, very kool of ya.

**satellite cell** · 12-29-2002, 04:15 PM

I have maintained a bodyfat of below 6% for years but it is extremely difficult. First I was lucky enough to be born with a very lean but muscular body type, but I have worked hard to maintain such a low bodyfat. I dont do hours of cardio, I weight train 5 days a week, and do cardio for about 20-30 minutes 3 days a week after my weight training sessions, but I eat extremely clean, I never have a cheat meal ever. I havent had pizza or sweets or anything like that in at least 4 years. Just to let you know you will suffer from side effects, such as always being hungry, and for the first 9 months to a year I had little if any sex drive, and before this I was always horny, but after a year I added more efa's to my diet and my sex drive has returned. I hope this helps you out.

**IronLoader** · 12-29-2002, 04:32 PM

my friend claims to be tested at under 5% and have been there ever since his first bf test (14 months ago)

He has little muscle mass but he is extremly ripped.

I dont get how tho he eats junk all day and does no cardio.

Maybe a fast ass motabolism?

**Meni** · 12-29-2002, 08:46 PM

Zinkcus, i'm with you bro, I'm around 7%, chicks dig it.
You hit the clubs, you wanna look good. Just had a chick hit on me and then ask me my waist size, hee hee.
too bad she's bigger than me
hee hee

**Timbo** · 12-30-2002, 05:27 AM

Zinc...I still don't necessarily see the need for a whole hour of cardio on a daily basis. I have found that 4000 calories is hardly maintainance for me, and that's with training 5 days out of 7 and doing high-intensity cardio for 20 minutes four days out of the week. About two weeks ago, I had my body composition assessed via DEXA and it measured me at 86kg (~196 pounds) and 4.5% fat.

What you have to take into consideration is the elevated metabolism achieved after a high-intensity bout, as well as the increased overall efficiency (i.e., nutrient partitioning and greater reliance on fat as fuel) from this type of cardio.

Like I mentioned before, diet will be very crucial, with meal timing, frequency and composition, as well as food choices, being the most important aspects.

Good luck, bro!

**MeImmortal1** · 12-30-2002, 06:08 AM

Originally posted by Timbo
Achieving and maintaining maximum muscularity is not impossible and is actually well worthwhile, given that you also have an appreciable amount of muscle mass to flaunt as well. You also need to be prepared to deal with quite constant hungry, less than optimal hormonal environments, and other negative side effects, such as easy irritability and lack of focus.

Another very significant negative side effect is catabolism. If you are constantly maintaining a very low body fat percentage, and doin mad cardio, burnin up the dance floor, etc. 190lbs will be 186, 182, 175, 170, 164... ur gonna lose muscle slowly but surely, it may not happen over night, but in 3-5 years expect to be 10-15lbs less than u weigh now. You gotta bulk dude, screw the clubs, take a few months off and bulk every winter, it will do u good to get away from that scene once in a while anyway. Then when u go backa few months later lookin lean n mean with a few more pounds of lean mass, u'll be all the more appreciated!

**Zinkcus** · 12-30-2002, 06:40 AM

Thanks to everyone who replied, all very interesting info for sure.

Zinkcus

P.S: what body whould you rather have, brad pitts or arnolds? Now theres a question for this board...

**Meni** · 12-30-2002, 07:07 AM

pitt
no doubt, ask 100 girls
hit facethejury
hit avn expo
pitt in movie with norton
fight club yeah
that'll pull in way more pussy

**Scar** · 12-31-2002, 07:50 PM

HHmmmmm....you say that getting down to 6% bf is no problem for you AND that you want no more muscle??

Then just diet down and stick to an Atkins/low carb diet and train for muscle maintainance with a moderate amount of cardio.. 3 sessions of 30 minutes will more than suffice if you're happy with your muscle mass.

**s0me0ne** · 12-20-2009, 06:53 AM

lol 7 years later...

**Tommy W.** · 12-20-2009, 09:51 AM

Burning 1,000 cals a day on cardio does not guarantee weight loss.
If your maintenence for the day is 3,000 and you eat 4,000 and you burn an extra 1,000 your're still at maintence

**SocratesTX** · 12-20-2009, 10:32 AM

Meni and the OP sound like they should start their own version of Jersey Shore.

**Buildinmuscle7** · 12-20-2009, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by Kimchi604

i do 30 min cardio before i hit the weights.. 5 times a week..
i started at 15.5% around november 10.. now im at 10.8% .. also gained around 5 pounds of fat free mass.. seems to work fine for me.. maybe u should do that too.. not sure if i can get to 6% though.. im aiming for 8-9%..

i think doin cardio more then 40min is not a good idea..
30min is a good number..
dont wanna loose muscles..

Do cardio after u hit the weights.

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