Cardio Duration

[loco]

Should I alternate between recumbent bike and stair climber?  Or do the stair climber for a few weeks then switch since I have just started doing this?

That's up to you.  I would alternate between recumbent bike, stair climber and cross trainer (elliptical).  I do this just to keep it interesting and keep it from getting monotonous.  This is so hard and I dread doing it every time.  So I do everything I can to help make myself do it and to really push myself through it.  An MP3 player with good music helps a lot too.

[Oldschool Flip]

You shouldn't do cardio to burn fat.

Lol, that's an idiotic statement.

You should do short, high intensity cardio to speed up your metabolism.  A high metabolism will burn fat all day and all night long.

This is true to a point, but as you get older your metabolism slows down. Fact.

Long duration, low intensity cardio is not so good for bodybuilders.

Okay, you must not be a bodybuilder. Almost all bobybuilders due low intensity, long duration cardio so they don't "burn up muscle".

It burns some fat during and shortly after your cardio session, but it does nothing for your metabolism. Look a long distance runners, very skinny and not very muscular.

Bodybuilders increase their metabolism by increasing their "muscle mass". Dude are you a certifed trainer? 

[WOOO]

I've tried it, twice a week.  It works, but it hurts too.

i am doing max ot cardio for the first time... this is my 3rd week... 2 sessions per week... it's freakin awesome

[knny187]

Single session of Cardio should not exceed 45 minutes in duration. (Of course depending on intensity levels & what intended goals are ie...weight loss/body fat reduction).

Preferably....two sessions are recommended (morning & late afternoon) with a minimum of 30 minutes in appropriate target HR zone.

I've always recommended elliptical training both forward & backwards typically 5 minutes forward....5 minutes reverse (repeat).  Stair Climbers, The Gauntlet, treadmills are good....(anything thats weight bearing).

MAX-OT is a good program to follow.....so is another form called Ready Set Go which incorporates 30 seconds of max intensity (sprinting) followed by a 1 minute 30 second moderate intensity.  Requires only 8 times to be performed in one cardio session.

http://www.readysetgofitness.com/

[loco]

Lol, that's an idiotic statement.

Are you calling me an idiot? 

Okay, you must not be a bodybuilder. Almost all bobybuilders due low intensity, long duration cardio so they don't "burn up muscle".

LOL.  I must not be a bodybuilder?  Okay, "Oldschool".  Yes, you are correct.  Most bodybuilders today do, not "due", but do low intensity, long duration cardio.  So what?  Does that make it better?  Has weight training not evolved since the 50s?  Will cardio training not evolve too?  Being old school can be good, but being ignorant is not.  Low intensity, long duration cardio is better for endurance trainers.  I did not say it was not good at all for bodybuilders, just not the best.

Bodybuilders increase their metabolism by increasing their "muscle mass".

True, but increasing muscle mass is not the only way to increase your metabolism.  Bodybuilders increase their metabolism in many different ways, nutrition, increasing muscle mass, etc.  Building muscle mass is a slow process.  High intensity cardio is a quicker way of speeding up your metabolism.

Dude are you a certifed trainer?

No, I am not an ignorant certified trainer.  I do consulting work for the government, engineering, software development, computer network security, etc.  I just happen to love bodybuilding and nutrition too, and I've been training non-stop and also competing for the past 24 years.

Oldschool Flip, I'd advice against going online and insulting people you don't know.  Please don't be so ignorant as to think that in an era of cyber warfare, you are perfectly safe behind your computer monitor and behind your keyboard.  If you piss off the wrong person here, you better have the huevos to accept the consequences.

[~weed~]

Hey loco -  when you do the elliptical do you go forward and reverese?


  lovin/hatin the MAX Cardio!!    



   

  loco answer my question please

[~weed~]

i am doing max ot cardio for the first time... this is my 3rd week... 2 sessions per week... it's freakin awesome

    I am doing it 4-5 times a week  (or every time I get to the gym)

[loco]

  loco answer my question please

I'm sorry, ~weed~/~flower~!  I didn't see your question before.
When I do the elliptical, I go forward only.  I have not tried reverse, but I would think that it would be hard to keep up the same high intensity going in reverse since it is so awkward for me.

[~weed~]

I figured just forward, thanks,  

[knny187]

 

[WOOO]

    I am doing it 4-5 times a week  (or every time I get to the gym)

i find it hard to work it in around my leg workout...

[~weed~]

i find it hard to work it in around my leg workout...

 
  I do quads and hams on different days.   I still do Max OT, I just wouldn't do it on the bike those days. 

[Princess L]

    I am doing it 4-5 times a week  (or every time I get to the gym)

I'm pressed for time and too lazy to search and read today.  Anyone care to give a quick synopsis of Max OT cardio or is there a concise place to read about it?

[lilwoday09smb]

any body do crdio first thing in the am?

[Dos Equis]

any body do crdio first thing in the am?

Yep.  I have a treadmill and usually roll out of bed around 4 a.m., or shortly thereafter, and do 40 minutes.  I lift in the evenings.  I just started this a few months ago, in part because when I lift in the evenings it is typcially after a long work day and I have very little energy left for cardio.  It's working out pretty well. 

[~weed~]

I'm pressed for time and too lazy to search and read today.  Anyone care to give a quick synopsis of Max OT cardio or is there a concise place to read about it?

http://www.ast-ss.com/articles/article.asp?AID=97

[WOOO]

http://www.ast-ss.com/articles/article.asp?AID=97

dude, you work too hard! 

[mancow]

Here is some good cardio information http://www.rippednaturally.com/bodybuilding_cardiovascular_exercise_lose_fat_from_metabolism.html

[loco]

Here is some good cardio information http://www.rippednaturally.com/bodybuilding_cardiovascular_exercise_lose_fat_from_metabolism.html

mancow,
great article!  Thanks!

[WOOO]

yeah, that was a good read.     

i thought it looked like a lot of bla.... but if ~flower~ read it and liked it... well... be back in 5...

[Oldschool Flip]

Are you calling me an idiot?

By all means, no but to generalize that cardio is "not" a good way to burn fat is by no means an "intelligent" statement.

LOL.  I must not be a bodybuilder?  Okay, "Oldschool".  Yes, you are correct.  Most bodybuilders today do, not "due", but do low intensity, long duration cardio.  So what?  Does that make it better?  Has weight training not evolved since the 50s?  Will cardio training not evolve too?  Being old school can be good, but being ignorant is not.  Low intensity, long duration cardio is better for endurance trainers.  I did not say it was not good at all for bodybuilders, just not the best.

LOL, I use "Oldschool" for the type of music I listen to! Anyway, I agree that there is new info and training updates all the time, and I have to be responsible to read, assess and see if it applies to myself or people I give instruction to. Someone who is a bodybuilder (trying to gain as much lean muscle as they want) has a different response to cardio, then someone who just comes in to stay fit. By all means depending on the "goal" of the person, their physical fitness level and tolerance for consistentcy, will help them to decide which fat burning program works best for them.

True, but increasing muscle mass is not the only way to increase your metabolism.  Bodybuilders increase their metabolism in many different ways, nutrition, increasing muscle mass, etc.  Building muscle mass is a slow process.  High intensity cardio is a quicker way of speeding up your metabolism.

Agreed, but that type of cardio is counter-productive to MOST bodybuilders because of the muscle loss. Now for someone who wants increase their metabolism and has no further goal to get any "bigger", I would say that this is a great way to do it.

No, I am not an ignorant certified trainer.  I do consulting work for the government, engineering, software development, computer network security, etc.  I just happen to love bodybuilding and nutrition too, and I've been training non-stop and also competing for the past 24 years.

Dude, I'm not ignorant, I am just counter-balancing your overall statement. If you see I did agree with you on points, but I also disagreed on others.

Oldschool Flip, I'd advice against going online and insulting people you don't know.  Please don't be so ignorant as to think that in an era of cyber warfare, you are perfectly safe behind your computer monitor and behind your keyboard.  If you piss off the wrong person here, you better have the huevos to accept the consequences.

Advising me for insulting you? If you take what I said as "insulting" then maybe anger management is a class you should take. I said nothing insulting. Reread what I posted and point out where I was "insulting". We share advice here (for some people anyway) and if some questions arise as to why that advice was given, then whomever gave it should be able to respond with why they believe it. Loco don't THREATEN people like that because you're into COMPUTER NETWORK SECURITY. That's an abuse of power and a FEDERAL OFFENSE. Some people get rubbed the wrong way based on what they "feel" is an attack, but if I was attacking you I probably would have called you names, made baseless attacks etc. I'm not a "bad" guy here.

[loco]

that type of cardio is counter-productive to MOST bodybuilders because of the muscle loss. Now for someone who wants increase their metabolism and has no further goal to get any "bigger", I would say that this is a great way to do it.

What?  Now short, high intensity cardio causes muscle loss and long, low intensity cardio does not?  That is completely backwards.  Explain why long distance runners are so skinny while sprinters are so muscular?  You are either arguing for the sake of argument or you are just misleading people just to be mischievous.  Yes, somebody who already has a fast metabolism does not need to speed it up any more if the goal is to gain muscle.  But that is not what we are talking about here.   We are talking about losing fat while maintaining muscle.  Why would someone with a super fast metabolism be doing any form of cardio anyway, if that person's goal is to gain or maintain muscle mass?  Sorry, I don't understand what you are talking about!

Loco don't THREATEN people like that because you're into COMPUTER NETWORK SECURITY. That's an abuse of power and a FEDERAL OFFENSE.

LOL...you are so naive.  Threat? Warning?  Lesson?  Pick one.  I don't care.

[Oldschool Flip]

What?  Now short, high intensity cardio causes muscle loss and long, low intensity cardio does not?  That is completely backwards.  Explain why long distance runners are so skinny while sprinters are so muscular?  You are either arguing for the sake of argument or you are just misleading people just to be mischievous.  Yes, somebody who already has a fast metabolism does not need to speed it up any more if the goal is to gain muscle.  But that is not what we are talking about here.   We are talking about losing fat while maintaining muscle.  Why would someone with a super fast metabolism be doing any form of cardio anyway, if that person's goal is to gain or maintain muscle mass?  Sorry, I don't understand what you are talking about!

Sorry, here maybe you'll believe the article from above:

Why NOT do the same "fat burning phase" cardio sessions with your gaining muscle phases? Cause like I said, this will stop you from gaining muscle along with fat. Your goal during the gaining muscle phase is to slow your metabolism down a bit so you can gain muscle. Doing cardio will prevent this. But, like I said, short sprints will not hinder muscle mass gains, while keeping your fat in check as best as possible.

You cannot tell me that TRIATHLON Competitors are skinny and frail, and they DO ENDURANCE training. They aren't bodybuilders, but they are not "skinny" either. I know most sprinters also squat and use the leg press, to create explosive power whereas marathon or long distance runners rarely do and when they do it's not to gain muscle size. There are so many other factors involved. And again I said for a bodybuilder because they want to get as much mass as they desire as stated above.
Why so condesending in your remarks? I believe in the HIIT and Max OT methods. It applies to some and not to others. To just believe that just high intensity cardio is the ONLY method to burn fat is wrong. Again I'm going off the previous statement you made:

Long duration, low intensity cardio is not so good for bodybuilders. It burns some fat during and shortly after your cardio session, but it does nothing for your metabolism.

Most bodybuilders are not TRYING TO INCREASE their metabolism but slow it down as stated in the above quote. So for the bodybuilder, a lower to moderate intensity cardio seesion is more "feasible" in it's effects on them.

Another study published by Ballard, et al in the same journal (51(2):142-6, 1990) showed identical findings. High (80-90% VO2max) versus low (40-50% VO2max) intensity rates were compared in two groups with duration carefully controlled to ensure each group burned the same number of calories.

The high intensity group exercised for only 25 minutes and the low intensity group for 50 minutes...

***both groups lost the same amount of body fat! ***

Keep in mind BOTH approaches worked, but the high intensity group got it done in half the time!

Regardless of whether your cardio sessions are 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, or whatever, the higher the intensity during that time period, the more TOTAL calories you will burn. The more TOTAL calories you burn, the more fat you burn.

Although many factors are involved in exercise-induced fat loss, the most important factor is the total number of calories burned, NOT whether the calories burned are fat or carbohydrate.

It's also important to consider energy expenditure after the workout, not just the calories burned during the workout. Higher intensities not only burn more calories per unit of time, but they also elevate your metabolism more at rest after the workout is over. This post workout increase in metabolic rate is known as "excess post exercise oxygen consumption" or EPOC for short.

It has been proposed, based on the results of several studies comparing the amount of calories burned at rest after low intensity versus high intensity exercise, that HIIT is a superior method of fat loss due to its effect on post workout metabolic rate.

Clearly, HIIT is the logical protocol of choice if you are healthy, already fit and you have little time to work out.

However, it's also logical that time permitting, more frequent and longer duration exercise might cause even greater overall fat loss if intensity is sufficient, simply because more total calories can be burned over the course of a week.

Some people CANNOT do HIGH INTENSITY cardio for various reasons. And although low to medium intensity cardio would be done on a longer duration, it will still burn fat off the body.

LOL...you are so naive.  Threat? Warning?  Lesson?  Pick one.  I don't care.

Call it what you want, but if you are what you say you are, you have the capability of doing what you said. I'm just covering all bases.

[Bolo]

alright.....i have a recumbent bike at home i had for the last 2 weeks....ive been doin 35 mins of moderate cardio every other day......now i wanna try the max ot on it....so hows do i do it....16 mins.......so 30 secs sprint......1 min and a half moderate?.......whut should the level of resistance be?

[Saskbb]

LOL,

I comp. this weekend.  I was ripped to the bone and full---- x-mas tree right up my back.  I did a long slow cardio. 

SaskBB

PS And I won!