how much cardio is too much?

[Louis]

Hi guys

a newbie with stupid question again :-)

I just need some help again from experts

in one of my post,

http://www.nzbodybuilding.co.nz/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15996

somebody told me I may do too much during the day and use too much energy.

the cardio I do almost daily

(I bike everywhere) 30mins to work and 30mins work

1hrs cardio on running machine or rowing machine.

Weights after that

then stretching and swimming to finish

the reason why I do so much cardio is because I realised it help me to lose lots of bodyfat but I also noticed that if I do too much my muscle shrinks as well.

it is hard to find a balance.

so how much cardio is too much? Shall I stop doing cardio? or do it when I am not doing weights?

thanks

[teamfatboy]

Okay....

What are your goals, here ??

If your goal is just to get stronger, or bigger - don't do cardio. Focus your attention on training aimed at building strength or size, with an adequate conditioning and flexibility regime.

You won't suffer appreciable losses in cardio-vascular fitness quickly. A 30 min ride to/from work is going to ensure that.

You have to view the day as a whole - to a large extent, the body doesn't see the 30 minute commute as any different to 30m at the same intensity in the gym. Assuming the cardio time at the gym takes 30-45 minutes, add that time to your weights workouts.

If you must do cardio at the gym, don't do it first.

Cardio before weights means that your muscles are freshest during cardio, glycogen stores are depleted when you start lifting... so you won't be able to lift as much, which will in turn affect your lean muscle mass.

Because you're already lean - if you want to persist with the same levels of cardio, the answer can only lie, as others have said, in diet.

Have a read of this and this - and then calculate how much you're eating.

[Louis]

Hi,

thanks for your reply.

well, my goal is a bit too ambitious.

http://www.nzbodybuilding.co.nz/file.php?id=12336&mode=view

Ideally, its pretty much like C in the photo above but with great strength and flexibility. It is sort of between a Male model and Male athlete. Muscle is great to have but I don't want to have too much.

Also, is there a way to get stronger without putting on huge mass.

thanks

[Shutupandsquat]

Hi,

thanks for your reply.

well, my goal is a bit too ambitious.

http://www.nzbodybuilding.co.nz/file.php?id=12336&mode=view

Ideally, its pretty much like C in the photo above but with great strength and flexibility. It is sort of between a Male model and Male athlete. Muscle is great to have but I don't want to have too much.

Also, is there a way to get stronger without putting on huge mass.

thanks

Strength without mass; powerlifting. Of course, you will gain mass, but not if you were to do a bodybuilding regime.

By the way, C is the exact same as D. Just without fake tan and downlighting I don't think you realize how much muscle those guys actually do have though

Best of luck with your goals and ambitions

[teamfatboy]

:ditto: there's a saying "Big isn't strong, only strong is strong".

If you want mass (hypertrophy) stick to sets in the 10-12 rep range.

If you want strength, stick to sets in the 4-6 rep range.

[OB rocker]

Do about 45min a day bro

[simon007]

haha, yeah, thats the same photo i got in mind for what im trying to acheive, and yes, its very ambitious for me also.....

30% of the way there i would think im at rofl

[dogg196]

It is sort of between a Male model and Male athlete. Muscle is great to have but I don't want to have too much.

Also, is there a way to get stronger without putting on huge mass.

thanks

People who say this shit must think they have godly genetics for building muscle anyways... just get in the gym lift heavy and unless you have godly genetics your not going to get

swole as hell.

my suggestion would be drop the unnecessary amounts of cardio bike ride to and from work everyday is more than most and concentrate on building the phyisique you want then bring back the cardio do help drop/ maintain low bf%

[jimmybro1]

It is sort of between a Male model and Male athlete. Muscle is great to have but I don't want to have too much.

Also, is there a way to get stronger without putting on huge mass.

thanks

People who say this shit must think they have godly genetics for building muscle anyways... just get in the gym lift heavy and unless you have godly genetics your not going to get

swole as hell.

my suggestion would be drop the unnecessary amounts of cardio bike ride to and from work everyday is more than most and concentrate on building the phyisique you want then bring back the cardio do help drop/ maintain low bf%

Got to remember diet is going to dictate how much muscle mass you grow as well not just the training....

[The Legend Killer]

LOL, not the old "I'm worried I'll wake up after a hard week of lfiting and discover I'm 300lb of muscle" line again.

[soundsgood]

LOL, not the old "I'm worried I'll wake up after a hard week of lfiting and discover I'm 300lb of muscle" line again.

Bro it happens! My cousins Daves mate started going to the gym then his missus left him after 2 weeks because he got too massive. :roll:

[DANIEL8]

get to C in 15 weeks first and then start worrying about getting any bigger

[tomsammce]

Bout 350minutes a day

[Kalidane]

LOL, not the old "I'm worried I'll wake up after a hard week of lfiting and discover I'm 300lb of muscle" line again.

Hey it's a very serious concern. One protein shake too many and boom you're tanking. Being the year of the bieber we have to understand that chicks just don't dig guys that are strong and look good.

You heard what happened to that guys cousins Daves mate.

Stay safe out there.