Just how important is cardio...

[nvictor]

...to a bodybuilder?

I mean, I'm already slim. I don't have weight to lose so why bother doing cardio in the first place?

I'm impressed by the number of students that run for 30-40 minutes at the gym, and the thing is that it's not even working for some of them...

I
am getting stronger with proper exercice, eating and this forum

 

[Kev07]

you don't need to cardio at all if you're already slim. 30-40 minutes of cardio is WAY too much, unless your goal is purely to lose fat because you are obese

 

[guayaballer]

depending on your goals. if u want to keep your fat in check cardio will take care of that. just low intense walking on a treadmill.

 

[EFFORT]

must read

http://www.ironaddicts.com/forums/showthread.php?p=98031#post98031

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

1. Cardio builds stamina.

Any questions?

 

[DJDoomage]

I mean, I'm already slim. I don't have weight to lose so why bother doing cardio in the first place?

You need too, so you keep cholesterol in check. 20 minutes should be enough. That prevents blood cluts, heart attacks, and keeps wood from going soft. Cardio also improves lung capacity, which leads to slower heart beat while at rest, which leads to long life, which leads to meeting and fvcking more women.

Its not enough to look good. Looking good in fact is not about looking good, its about you.

 

[nvictor]

Convinced.

I'm getting stronger with proper eating, exercice and this forum

 

[Warboss Alex]

DC said it best

For a 200lb bodybuilder:
Eat like a guy 220lbs with no cardio and end up 210
Eat like a guy 240lbs with cardio and end up 230

 

[mrRuckus]

DC said it best

For a 200lb bodybuilder:
Eat like a guy 220lbs with no cardio and end up 210
Eat like a guy 240lbs with cardio and end up 230

Maybe this just flew right over my head, but what does this mean?

From just what it says, it insinuates that cardio doesn't matter and no matter who you eat like you'll end up 10 lbs less than him.

Did you typo?

I'm assuming you're just trying to say "cardio helps gains" but i'm not sure that says it since the second guy ate more and nothing indicates that he just ended up fatter.

 

[Warboss Alex]

No, the point of the post was to demonstrate how cardio makes you potentially bigger.

Basically, cardio = better recovery, better nutrient partitioning (helps with appetite too), better management of bodyfat plus lets you eat a whole lot more food (even more so than people on standard 'bulking' diets), which all equal a bigger you.

Not doing cardio hampers your recovery and ability to handle food, plus if you're eating a surplus to gain you will most likely be gaining some fat too if you're doing no cardio, which also holds you back mentally as you cut calories or do a cut because you're gaining too much fat..

 

[danno1]

I would definitely do cardio. I thought I was in shape, but then I played some ball with some buddies and I was dead about 3 hours later.

 

[nvictor]

Doing cardio makes you last longer in bed?


--
I have strong muscles because I exercise, eat properly, and because of you all
I suggest you making some extra money with the 7 dollar method and Agloco.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Doing cardio makes you last longer in bed?

1. Cardio builds stamina.

Any questions?

ANY QUESTIONS??? :woo:

​

 

[A-Unit]

Re;

You never realize the importance of cardio until...

You move a friend over a period of 8 hours from 1 house to another.
Or play flag football for 50 minutes straight, taking on minimal breaks, and sprinting all out with guys who can run in the mid 4's.
Or walk a golf course for 18 holes on a 90 degree day, over hills, lugging a 20+ pound bag.

NOT doing cardio is probably a guaranteed pass to the grave early. While lifting provides a better physique, decreases your chances of puling a muscle doing some mundane task, and increases bone density, cardio improves your quality of life. Period. All tasks revolve around our daily endurance, and most people can't tackle what the average man should do. They're TRAINED to be desk jockeys, not SPARTANS.

It should be done at least 3 days a week, and just doing it is better than anything. There's no 1 perfect program. Just walk, run, vary the intensity, or exercise and do it. Variety is better than some consistent program you won't follow because it's boring. And view it like your lifting regimen...seek constant progress. I think walking is just the icing on the cake. I like walking if it's unseasonably warm near the water, or if I'm doing something, but walking to call that cardio is really ok for the elderly, but if you have the capacity, go for a light job for 20 or more. At such young ages, there's no reason you shouldn't, and the effect on muscle catabolism is minimal when compared to the benefit you'll gain now and over the years.

I always hated running, even though I tried track in high school, and I know why. I had no endurance and stamina, so my chest burned like a fuel pit. Now I'm better, but obviously not 'content.'

A-Unit

 

[djbr]

NOT doing cardio is probably a guaranteed pass to the grave early. While lifting provides a better physique, decreases your chances of puling a muscle doing some mundane task, and increases bone density, cardio improves your quality of life. Period. All tasks revolve around our daily endurance, and most people can't tackle what the average man should do. They're TRAINED to be desk jockeys, not SPARTANS.

My father died because of a cardiovascular disease. That gives enough motivation.

I do not know if anyone has experienced it, but cardio has a MASSIVE effect on my mood.

Really, I am like a chick magnet when I am doing regular cardio, effortlessly. I just become more of a cheerful person. This does not happen with lifting.

It's the #1 DJ rule to me: get some cardio exercise. It puts 70% of the game stuff on track.

It should be done at least 3 days a week, and just doing it is better than anything. There's no 1 perfect program. Just walk, run, vary the intensity, or exercise and do it. Variety is better than some consistent program you won't follow because it's boring. And view it like your lifting regimen...seek constant progress. I think walking is just the icing on the cake. I like walking if it's unseasonably warm near the water, or if I'm doing something, but walking to call that cardio is really ok for the elderly, but if you have the capacity, go for a light job for 20 or more. At such young ages, there's no reason you shouldn't, and the effect on muscle catabolism is minimal when compared to the benefit you'll gain now and over the years.

The key is finding something that you like. I discovered that I just LOVE cycling. I parked my car and started going to places using my bike. With that I take care of many things: save money from gas, look better, feel better and get healthier, all this going to one place to another, that I would have to anyway. And I save time too.

I always hated running, even though I tried track in high school, and I know why. I had no endurance and stamina, so my chest burned like a fuel pit. Now I'm better, but obviously not 'content.'

I HATE running! I can go to the moon cycling, but I just HATE running! It's too slow! :crackup:

Again, the key is finding something that you LIKE. These boards put too many emphasis on weight-lifting. It IS a good activity, but there are so many more. If you do not like weight-lifting, do something else!

Remember, it's your well-being that matters.

1. Cardio builds stamina.

Any questions?

I second that. When I slack the cardio, I get all sloppy. As soon as I get it going again, hmm... LOL

 

[Throttle]

a-unit is dead-on about including variety. find a couple types of cardio you enjoy, and stay away from the gym cardio options unless you really enjoy them (intrisically or...um, fringe benefits). personally i only hit the gym cardio when it's too cold outside to enjoy biking or other outdoor options.

 

[nvictor]

you are all so right
I'll quickly find a bike. an important point is that I can discover this whole new country I'm in by doing cardio. let's start the adventure...


--
I own my strong muscles to exercice, proper eating and you all.

7 dollar theory and Agloco.

 

[Throttle]

are you in towson MD? there are some cool bike trails around, including the north central, an old railroad line that ran north to york PA.

 

[spesmilitis]

Cardio will make you hungrier to fulfill you enegy balance. That hunger will make it easier to fullfill protien requirements.

The human body can do a lot more than the ammount of cardio reccomended on this thread, and still be able to make serious mass gains. However, it takes time for the body to adjust to new training sessions put into your routine. Like it takes time for the body to accumulate strength by adding 1.25 and 2.5's to your lifts.

When I started doing BJJ, it was 4 sessions of intense cardio a week (nothing compared to the ammount of cardio reccomended on this thread). It did hinter my strength gains at first, but when my body got conditioned, my strength gains went through the roof. I could work out more and harder in the same ammount of time. I was now able to pull of PR's on the exercises I did at the end of my workouts (I used to get too tired before). I could do intense 10-20 rep squats. I could feel better faster after my workouts.