Does your body adapt to Cardio?

[toddro]

I heard somewhere that our bodies adapt to a cardio routine and that after a couple of weeks or so there is no benefit by doing cardio. I do cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for approx. 40 minutes at 60%-65% of max. Since I'm 32 that would be about 125 bpm. I usually do a minimum of 4 days per weeks, usually 5. Am I wasting my time?

[Robert]

Yes I believe you do, its like anything else with shaping your body. You have to push yourself harder each time and change up the routine.

peace

[toddro]

Ok then, but that would mean upping the intensity to say 70%-75% or higher. Wouldn't that start to burn muscle. I thought the whole idea was to keep the intensity low so you will burn more fat and less muscle.

[Robert]

Are you cutting or just doing cardio for cardiovascular health?

peace

[-T-]

todd...when you say adapt to cardio...what do you mean?

I am thinking you mean oxygen uptake. This is what most people mean by running stamina....ie how long you can last. The more you run (for more than 30 mins) the better your body gets at O2 uptake.

But you probably don't care about that if you bodybuild. I would think that light-moderate (about 5 to 5.5 mph) jogging is the best for burning fat. Just make sure you do it for 45 mins.

Some people believe that jogging for fat burn is best in the morning on the theroy that since you haven't eaten anything...there is no suger in the blood. Maybe this is true..maybe not. But as long as you do for 45 mins..any convenient time should be just as good.

[Big H]

yes your body gets used to it.. just like muscles.. thats why you need to switch up your routines and ways of cardio..

[Robert]

Originally posted by Big H
yes your body gets used to it.. just like muscles.. thats why you need to switch up your routines and ways of cardio..

Exactly

peace

[amyfit]

I like to add intervals once a week. Jog/Sprint, walk/jog, whatever I'm in the mood for. I find it helps to keep my body guessing.


Amy

[Robert]

I do the same thing.

peace

[Big H]

Bump amy..
Haven't seen you around, amy, why don't you tell us about yourself.

[amyfit]

Hey Big H, let's see..... I'm 29 and just entered my first bb comp back in Oct. Under Msfit's and Todd Blue's and all the people here on this fourm's guidance, I came in second in my division. Right now I'm trying to put on as much mass as I can so I can go back to this contest in Oct and walk away with 1st. place. I work as a school cook by day and a pt/fitness instructor by night. I coach little league baseball and soccer and whatever else any one of my three kids feel like getting into(except wrestling, don't know a thing about that sport!).
Anyway, that's about it. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about my limits and this sport and be the best I can be. So this is a hint to all you experienced bodybuilders out there, share your knowledge with me please!!! I find myself confused with all of the different methods on diet and training, trail and error sucks when you're afraid of losing precious on a method that winds up not working for you.
So what about you Big H?

Amy

[Big H]

Thats cool.. I'm 17, a student.. and I help people on the boards..

[htr2001ss]

I have found that what works best for me depends on where I am in realtion to my workout cycles. If I am trying to bulk up, I stick to 20 40 minute walks after my workouts. If I am cutting, I will either jog, in-line skate, or use my exercise bike. Of course, the diet factor also comes into play as does consistancy. For me, personally, I feel that you need to do some cardio no matter what and especially as you get older (I'm 35). I prefer to keep several options open to me so that I do not get bored with it, and like lifting, you need to chage your cardio up too. Like alot of people I am sure, I'd much rather lift than do cardio, but you have to have a little of it, so keeping it fun is key to satying motivated - mix it up a little and stay with it...

[Big H]

I agree tottally.. You heart needs workout too, even if it is on a bulking cycle.

[amyfit]

I'm on a bulking cycle right now, and I still do 20-40 min 4 times a week first thing in the a.m..
Amy

[Fudog1138]

I have an eliptical trainer and excercise bike setting in front of my TV in the basement. I run in the warmer months (currently 15 F outside) I mix and match to stay fresh and keep my body from adapting. Another way to keep from adapting, or slow it down, is to do a periodized cardio workout. If your worrying about burning to much muscle then you may want to do some research into Glutamine. Check the supplements board. If you do buy some go for the powder. Caps will cost you a fortune.

[Robert]

Running/Cardio in the morning is good. Wakes me up and gets me energized for the day.

peace

[Levrone2000]

yes your body adapts to cardio how else would you be able to go longer w/ out getting tired?

[Big H]

Thats why you gotta run/walk/spring/job etc..

[amyfit]

I'm in the middle of Arnold's book right now!! Reading it cover to cover soaking up as much knowledge as I can.
Liked what you said about the pump and going until you can feel no more. Any advice on how to do that without a training partner?I go until I can go no more, but I also know a partner would help me advance with more shocking principles, forces reps, ect...
Until that happy day arrives what else can I do to keep shocking my body? I do as much negetives, super/giant sets, and rest/pauses that I can, I was just wondering if there ws something else in the meantime.

Amy

[Big H]

Ya.. going to failure I would reccomend a spotter.. or just ask someone in the gym too.

[amyfit]

I can't ask anyone to spot me. I have a home gym. And with the exception of when I train legs, I have nobody to do that. Long story, don't ask. Anything else I can do?


Amy

[Fudog1138]

A spotter is really the best supplement out there. The guy I work out with has 4 kids and is in the middle of buying a house, so spotting lately has been shabby. I asked my wife to help out on some of my lifts. She's done a great job. You mentioned you have kids. Any possibility of help there? Friend, relatives.
Sorry to get off topic.

[Big H]

Originally posted by amyfit
I can't ask anyone to spot me. I have a home gym. And with the exception of when I train legs, I have nobody to do that. Long story, don't ask. Anything else I can do?


Amy

Well, if you don't have a spotter I would not reccomend going to failure, especially on excersises that can put you in danger like bench, military press etc.. I would suggets getting a spotter ASAP or getting a smith machine with a safe lockout.

[amyfit]

and asked my older brother to spot me. He said that when he can he will. My husband works crazy hours, but I told him I'd rearrange my schedule around his, if he could spot me. He said, when he can he will. I'll give it a go with these two. It would be nice though if they were into the lifestyle like I am. Still, beggers can't be choosers, so I will make it work.
Thanks for the advice everybody! I'll let you know how they work out.

Amy

[Big H]

Ok. No problem. Hope it works out.

[jdstl1977]

Cardiovascular training increases the size of your heart and consequently the amount of blood pumped to your body and lungs. As a result, all of your heart rates are reduced at all submaximal levels. That's why in conditioned athletes you can see resting heart rates in the 40's. Your body just becomes more efficient and spends more time in the diastolic or relaxation phase of the cardiac cycle.

You increase capillary density in your working muscles and energy production in the mitochondria in your cells.

Variety in the way you achieve overload and progression is key. Keep reading these boards, test an experiment with new routines making sure, if you want to lose fat that you do your cardio at least 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes between 60-85 percent of your maximum HR.

[Big H]

It increases the size of your heart?

[jdstl1977]

Yeah, it's a response to cardiovascular training. In order to meet the working muscles' increased demand for oxygen, the heart pumps harder and faster. This increased pressure and cardiac contraction draws more blood into the ventricles of your heart, over time with cardio training, the heart adapts with the ventricles able to hold much more blood and the other cardiovascular and cellular changes I mentioned earlier.

I haven't seen any scientific data about thermogenics but some people are concerned that prolonged use of thermogenics can abnormally enlarge the heart and then after discontiuing use, a former user can encounter heart problems because their heart is TOO big. But like I said, this is some people's concern haven't seen any real literature...but yeah I hope i answered your question and another thing, anaerobic exercise achieves similar results with respect to increased heart size.

[Big H]

Thanks.. Yea you did..