how many days of cardio in the mornings?

LaggingBiceps · 10-08-2005, 02:18 AM

i do HIIT on an empty stomach followed by a protien shake. but how many days should I do HIIT? i do 3 now but how is doing it 5x a week. and i tried low intensity in the mornings but i never got good gains.

**Peaked_18** · 10-08-2005, 02:21 AM

Don't expect any gains from cardio.

HIIT 3x times a week is fine. You probably want some Amino Acids before cardio.

Hybrid · 10-08-2005, 02:22 AM

If you are cutting, it's fine.

If you are bulking, i'd suggest never doing HIIT on an empty stomach. At the minimum, take 20g of BCAA's before doing cardio. There's no need to burn any of that muscle you pump so hard in the gym for.

If your cutting, I'd still suggest 20g BCAA's before your HIIT, and maybe up to 4 sessions. If not BCAA's, 1 scoop of whey in water to help preserve muscle mass is my personal recommendation.

LaggingBiceps · 10-08-2005, 02:23 AM

no, i meant from low intensity i never lost fat. and for HIIT, eating 20 grams before and after i do the session is fine?

**EME** · 10-08-2005, 02:30 AM

When contest dieting, I do 5 days of HIIT ( 20 mins, stairmaster ) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, followed immediately by a Protein shake and oats.

It's been my experience that the time immediately after your workout is the most important time for nutrient consumption to prevent muscle loss when doing fasted state cardio. This is dependent upon the fact that you aren't doing fasted state cardio for an excessive amount of time.
20 mins HIIT, or 30 mins steady state is plenty for fasted state cardio. More than that in a fasted state, and you can risk muscle loss, regardless of nutrient timing.

I do not do ANY fasted state cardio when working to add mass.

- EME

LaggingBiceps · 10-08-2005, 02:39 AM

so i shoud do HIIT 3-5 times a week...ill work my way up to 5x a week. and do it and have a shake after? and about 20-30 min after the shake i usually eat my breakfast meal

**Peaked_18** · 10-08-2005, 02:55 AM

Do it 3-4 times a week at max since your just anting to add muscle.

Take some BCAA's before and then a whey shake with BCAA's after.

**EME** · 10-08-2005, 03:12 AM

Are you focusing on adding mass now, or on cutting?

I personally wouldn't recommend any fasted state cardio at all if you are focusing on adding muscle right now.

If you are cutting, 3-5 days is fine, provided you get your post workout nutrition in as soon as possible after your cardio.

The BCAA's before your cardio aren't necessary, save them for afterward.

Contrary to popular belief, elevated cortisol during your workout isn't such a bad thing, especially during short duration training sessions, like properly done HIIT cardio.

It's immediately after your workout when elevated cortisol becomes a problem. The BCAA's, carbs, and protein after your workout will make sure you aren't in a prolonged catabolic state that can lead to muscle burning.

Let me stress again though... it's important for you to focus on a specific goal if you truly want good results.

The commonly heard goal " I want to build muscle and lose fat at the same time" simply doesn't happen for most people. If you try to focus on both at once, it's likely you will see a very flat return on the investment of your time and effort spent in the gym.

Eating to gain muscle, and eating to lose fat are two very different things. Unless you have very advanced knowledge of how your body responds to diet and training, or unless you are using an anabolic product, you are unlikely to be able to do both at once.

You can, however, come up with a cyclical plan that allows you to focus on one aspect of your goal, then the other, for specific periods of time, and ultimately achieve the goal of being bigger and leaner over a period of time and alternating training periods.

My recommendation is to get lean first, then focus on building muscle, and always remember to have very specific goals in mind that you are working toward to achieve your best results.

- EME

**Peaked_18** · 10-08-2005, 03:17 AM

EME,

He is training for sports now, I think he is not in-season right now. Wanting to add mass and get faster I believe.

**EME** · 10-08-2005, 03:27 AM

In that case, I wouldn't suggest any fasted state cardio.

The cardio is fine, because it will improve overall conditioning, but I would focus on steady state, fed state cardio for overall cardiovascular conditioning, and more sport specific conditioning exercises such as running bleachers or other targeted conditioning training for the particular sport he plays.

Fasted state HIIT cardio is for burning fat and losing weight. Great for bodybuilders wanting to get shredded. It really isn't the best for sports conditioning and building muscle.

- EME

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peaked_18

EME,

He is training for sports now, I think he is not in-season right now. Wanting to add mass and get faster I believe.

LaggingBiceps · 10-08-2005, 03:38 AM

alright yeh, thx. because i want to get better for sports, i really want the conditioning of HIIT which i guess ill do in a fasted state from above posts....

thx

and if u said doing it in the mornings, later on in a few months when i start cutting again, i eat a shake before it or no?

**EME** · 10-08-2005, 03:47 AM

Bro,

I don't think you read anything I just wrote!

But hey.. do what you like.

- EME

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaggingBiceps

alright yeh, thx. because i want to get better for sports, i really want the conditioning of HIIT which i guess ill do in a fasted state from above posts....

thx

and if u said doing it in the mornings, later on in a few months when i start cutting again, i eat a shake before it or no?

**Peaked_18** · 10-08-2005, 03:47 AM

This is a reason they do speed drills and plyometrics and all that fun stuff.

**EME** · 10-08-2005, 03:50 AM

Exactly.

Speed drills and plyometrics are specifically what he needs to be doing for sports conditioning, not fasted state HIIT cardio.

- EME

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peaked_18

This is a reason they do speed drills and plyometrics and all that fun stuff.

LaggingBiceps · 10-08-2005, 01:58 PM

no, i know. i mean im going to be doing HIIT NOT in a fasted state. and use that as conditioning....because thats the only kind of conditioning i can get now.

EDIT- i see in the aboev posts that i wrote for conditoning ill do it in a fasted state....that was a typo. lol i meant ill do it not in a fasted state.

so bulking i dont do it in a fasted state. cutting i do on an empty stomach, correct?

**Peaked_18** · 10-08-2005, 02:52 PM

Why don't you do agility, speed, and plymoetric drills?

LaggingBiceps · 10-08-2005, 04:44 PM

i cant do them because i have nowhere to do them except a treadmill. and by plyometrics you mean like the pushups with clap in between?? and jump squats, and things like those are called plyometrics right?

LaggingBiceps · 10-08-2005, 06:07 PM

ok, so im doing westside right now. on the days im supposed to do sport drills, i can do HIIT right?

**Peaked_18** · 10-08-2005, 06:14 PM

So all you have is a treadmill?

No back yard or basement?

Weird...

LaggingBiceps · 10-08-2005, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peaked_18

So all you have is a treadmill?

No back yard or basement?

Weird...

well, i have no room in the backyard. and my basement is where my gym is...i have space but not enough to do sprints and stuff

10-08-2005, 02:18 AM	#1
LaggingBiceps Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 246 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	how many days of cardio in the mornings? i do HIIT on an empty stomach followed by a protien shake. but how many days should I do HIIT? i do 3 now but how is doing it 5x a week. and i tried low intensity in the mornings but i never got good gains.

10-08-2005, 02:22 AM	#3
Hybrid IMPC Contestant Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gibsonia PA Posts: 827 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 13	If you are cutting, it's fine. If you are bulking, i'd suggest never doing HIIT on an empty stomach. At the minimum, take 20g of BCAA's before doing cardio. There's no need to burn any of that muscle you pump so hard in the gym for. If your cutting, I'd still suggest 20g BCAA's before your HIIT, and maybe up to 4 sessions. If not BCAA's, 1 scoop of whey in water to help preserve muscle mass is my personal recommendation. __________________ If you even dream about beating me you'd better wake up and apologize - Muhammad Ali

10-08-2005, 02:30 AM	#5
EME Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3,651 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 55	When contest dieting, I do 5 days of HIIT ( 20 mins, stairmaster ) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, followed immediately by a Protein shake and oats. It's been my experience that the time immediately after your workout is the most important time for nutrient consumption to prevent muscle loss when doing fasted state cardio. This is dependent upon the fact that you aren't doing fasted state cardio for an excessive amount of time. 20 mins HIIT, or 30 mins steady state is plenty for fasted state cardio. More than that in a fasted state, and you can risk muscle loss, regardless of nutrient timing. I do not do ANY fasted state cardio when working to add mass. - EME __________________ PhysiqueFXonline - Online Nutrition and Training with Michael and Kendra Elias: www.PhysiqueFXonline.com www.MichaelandKendra.com My wife, and IFBB Fitness Pro Kendra Elias' personal site: www.KendraElias.com Proud member of Team ALR: www.ALRIndustries.com

10-08-2005, 03:12 AM	#8
EME Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 3,651 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 55	Are you focusing on adding mass now, or on cutting? I personally wouldn't recommend any fasted state cardio at all if you are focusing on adding muscle right now. If you are cutting, 3-5 days is fine, provided you get your post workout nutrition in as soon as possible after your cardio. The BCAA's before your cardio aren't necessary, save them for afterward. Contrary to popular belief, elevated cortisol during your workout isn't such a bad thing, especially during short duration training sessions, like properly done HIIT cardio. It's immediately after your workout when elevated cortisol becomes a problem. The BCAA's, carbs, and protein after your workout will make sure you aren't in a prolonged catabolic state that can lead to muscle burning. Let me stress again though... it's important for you to focus on a specific goal if you truly want good results. The commonly heard goal " I want to build muscle and lose fat at the same time" simply doesn't happen for most people. If you try to focus on both at once, it's likely you will see a very flat return on the investment of your time and effort spent in the gym. Eating to gain muscle, and eating to lose fat are two very different things. Unless you have very advanced knowledge of how your body responds to diet and training, or unless you are using an anabolic product, you are unlikely to be able to do both at once. You can, however, come up with a cyclical plan that allows you to focus on one aspect of your goal, then the other, for specific periods of time, and ultimately achieve the goal of being bigger and leaner over a period of time and alternating training periods. My recommendation is to get lean first, then focus on building muscle, and always remember to have very specific goals in mind that you are working toward to achieve your best results. - EME __________________ PhysiqueFXonline - Online Nutrition and Training with Michael and Kendra Elias: www.PhysiqueFXonline.com www.MichaelandKendra.com My wife, and IFBB Fitness Pro Kendra Elias' personal site: www.KendraElias.com Proud member of Team ALR: www.ALRIndustries.com

10-08-2005, 02:21 AM	#2
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,297 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	Don't expect any gains from cardio. HIIT 3x times a week is fine. You probably want some Amino Acids before cardio.

10-08-2005, 02:23 AM	#4
LaggingBiceps Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 246 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	no, i meant from low intensity i never lost fat. and for HIIT, eating 20 grams before and after i do the session is fine?

10-08-2005, 02:39 AM	#6
LaggingBiceps Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 246 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	so i shoud do HIIT 3-5 times a week...ill work my way up to 5x a week. and do it and have a shake after? and about 20-30 min after the shake i usually eat my breakfast meal

10-08-2005, 02:55 AM	#7
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,297 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	Do it 3-4 times a week at max since your just anting to add muscle. Take some BCAA's before and then a whey shake with BCAA's after.

10-08-2005, 03:17 AM	#9
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,297 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	EME, He is training for sports now, I think he is not in-season right now. Wanting to add mass and get faster I believe.

10-08-2005, 03:38 AM	#11
LaggingBiceps Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 246 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	alright yeh, thx. because i want to get better for sports, i really want the conditioning of HIIT which i guess ill do in a fasted state from above posts.... thx and if u said doing it in the mornings, later on in a few months when i start cutting again, i eat a shake before it or no?

10-08-2005, 03:47 AM	#13
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,297 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	This is a reason they do speed drills and plyometrics and all that fun stuff.

10-08-2005, 01:58 PM	#15
LaggingBiceps Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 246 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	no, i know. i mean im going to be doing HIIT NOT in a fasted state. and use that as conditioning....because thats the only kind of conditioning i can get now. EDIT- i see in the aboev posts that i wrote for conditoning ill do it in a fasted state....that was a typo. lol i meant ill do it not in a fasted state. so bulking i dont do it in a fasted state. cutting i do on an empty stomach, correct?

10-08-2005, 02:52 PM	#16
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,297 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	Why don't you do agility, speed, and plymoetric drills?

10-08-2005, 04:44 PM	#17
LaggingBiceps Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 246 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	i cant do them because i have nowhere to do them except a treadmill. and by plyometrics you mean like the pushups with clap in between?? and jump squats, and things like those are called plyometrics right?

10-08-2005, 06:07 PM	#18
LaggingBiceps Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 246 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	ok, so im doing westside right now. on the days im supposed to do sport drills, i can do HIIT right?

10-08-2005, 06:14 PM	#19
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,297 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	So all you have is a treadmill? No back yard or basement? Weird...