Cardio's role?

[Ghost]

What does Cardio actually do?

Does it have any benefits, if so what?

What are some of the most efficient/effective forms of cardio?

Is it recommended for off-strength days?

Thanks!

[Critter]

Decreases your risk of developing heart disease and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus by strengthening your heart muscle, decreasing your resting heart rate, increasing your veinal and arterial elasticity, improving your lung efficiency, lowering your LDL cholesterol, raising your HDL cholesterol, and improving your insulin sensitivity.

I do my CV right after weighlifting on the same days. I like keeping my rest/recovery days as rest/recovery days. But there's different strategies. Find what works best for your desired lifestyle.

[Waldo]

Cardio exercise is like squats for you heart, it makes your heart operate stronger and more efficiently. It leads to efficiency in your aerobic energy system, and it strengthens the type of muscle fibers that enable you to do physical activity for a long time.

A lot of strength/bodybuilder types tend to hate it and badmouth it, but see it as a necessary evil when cutting. I think in moderation when in a surplus and bulking, expecially lower impact cardio, tends to help with partitioning, so that your excess calories go mostly to muscle gain. Low-moderate impact cardio does burn fat more effectively than other exercise types; as long as there isn't a big recovery expense, this fat burn helps to keep bulking cleaner IMHO, you just have to take the cardio into account when calculating your calorie needs.

I run on my off days and walk on my lunch breaks, whether bulking or cutting (about 10 miles a week each of running and walking).

[Makwa]

I am an amateur triathlete, so cardio to me is crucial.

I feel that cardio is paramount. Even when you are lifting weights you are doing cardio to an extent. Granted, with the lift really heavy, then walk around the gym puffed out for two minutes mentality, you are not working your cardio. But, if you do a superset with heavy as hell weights.... tell me what your heart rate is at then . Google Cosgrove's Evil 8 for an example. These weights don't seem heavy, but believe me.... you're going to be straining when your finished.

I agree with Waldo that people badmouth cardio a lot. But you have to ask yourself what your goals are. If you plan on becoming Tony Atlas, then smaller amounts of cardio than say Craig Alexander. That, or strap a feed bag on because your wasting calories burning them running when trying to bulk.

Personally, I love cardio. I love getting on my bike and hammering a 165hr pace for over an hour. Nothing (workout wise) puts a smile on my face like taking my bike outside.

Your heart is a muscle, and it needs training just like the rest of you. And, just like the rest of you, whatever you can do for cardio that you will enjoy and do often is what you should do.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Cardio is weightlifting for your insides. It makes your heart and oxygen delivery systems stronger and more efficient. Anyone who doesn't incorporate it into their workout is missing something. You hear a lot of people say they want to be strong because every man should be able to save his family from a burning building. Without cardio, you're going to wear out and have to chose who to save.

As for weight loss, it's the easiest way to create a caloric deficit and get a fat burn without going anaerobic and making your body burn muscle. I always use it when trying to lose fat and I should include it more on a few off days when building.

[YoukaiLegend]

Decreases your risk of developing heart disease and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus by strengthening your heart muscle, decreasing your resting heart rate, increasing your veinal and arterial elasticity, improving your lung efficiency, lowering your LDL cholesterol, raising your HDL cholesterol, and improving your insulin sensitivity.

So nothing really important huh Critter? _^

[Ghost]

So now that we (I) know what cardio finally does.

What are the most effective types?

Such as, biking, swimming and running?

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Whatever you enjoy most and are most likely to keep doing, they're all effective.

[notanartmajor]

I personally enjoy the rowing machine, though I am also running at least once a week despite my burning hatred for it.

[Erick the Red]

Rowing, distance running. I want to get into sprint work as well, but that is just enough more complicated than just warming up and running for a certain distance that I haven't done it yet.

[Ghost]

I found my old cable jump/skipping rope!

I knew it was around somewhere. It seems a bit more fun than running, and unfortunately I have nowhere to row.

Does the trick though, the heart rate goes right up!

How should I measure it, jumps or time?

Also, how much is too much when it comes to cardio?

Thanks all.

[eseng666]

Does doing burpees count as cardio?

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

It gets your heart going, so yes, it's cardio.

For cardio, go for 20 minutes sustained at a moderate heart rate or do a few minute burst that really gets the heart rate up there (which is HIIT), break for a minute, and repeat for 15-20 min. Both have similar results.

[notanartmajor]

Burpees count mainly as masochism, but also as high intensity cardio.

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

Burpees count mainly as masochism...

[Frost of the Gloaming]

On my highschool wrestling team there was this heavy weight body builder who hated cardio, so he would just lift to get wicked strong, well during the regular season he would destroy kids with ease, however when we started to get to Sectionals and States he would lose by points because he would run into other kids like him, so people would just ride him out until the 2nd period where he got tired and people would bring him down for the points and that would be the end; so between our Soph and Jr year he started working cardio into his plan he ended up going far into States his Jr and Sr year

So you can be strong as a bull but if you don't have the stamania to use it what is it good for?

[eseng666]

Burpees count mainly as masochism, but also as high intensity cardio.

Hahah no pain no gain!!