Best Cardio During Cut?

Hi!

Which intensity is better during cardio for weight loss and still maintaining as much muscle as possible - walking, running or intervals?

Okay, most people (myself included) will say intervals, but I have a gut-wrenching method if you can stomach it.

Basically, after any day (and even off days) you get on an elliptical for twenty minutes, no more (you DON’T need it.) Depending on the volume in which the levels on your elliptical are, crank that shit to like twenty. Make the level so hard that it sort of feels like your trotting through sludge. Do this for eight minutes, then drop it down a good amount for two minutes. After that, do the high level again for 7 minutes. Take it down for two minutes to the easier level. And then finally, for the final minute, crank it up one level higher than the difficult level you were using before and sprint for the whole last minute.

Take it from me, it works. The workout gets REALLY brutal after leg days.

to retain as much muscle as possible it is low intensity, you burn less calories but a higher percentage from fat… The others are better for “weight loss” low intensity is better for “cutting”

There is a poster in my gym written by a PT who is part owner of the shithole… it reads…

“Walking burns more fat than running, so reduce the speed and lose weight faster!”

That is the biggest amount of bollocks i have ever been misfortunate enough to witness!

My god… that guy may wind up in a heap on the floor soon…

Low: Keep your HR <120 bpm & workout for 30-60mins, assuming you have a heart-rate monitor.

I like intervals better. The only exception is if you are doing low-carb, you can’t use high intensity intervals as it uses glycogen as a fuel source which your muscles are lacking. You end up breaking down your muscles for fuel. CT has written a lot about this in his locker room thread.

I found this article at work today for Charles Poliquin’s website.
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=861&Itemid=10029

I’ve been having 3/4c oatmeal with whey and berries for breakfast, high fat, moderate protein, and green veggies with the rest of my meals. I’m still getting about 200g protein a day. Then I take Surge with my workouts and do high intensity intervals. My carbs are usually ~100g net on workout days and less on rest days.

I usually do fairly intense jump rope/sandbag/kettlebell circuits and c2 rower intervals for my fat loss workouts because personally, I can’t stand steady state cardio. I would rather eat more carbs during training and actually do something hard and rewarding then twiddle away on the elliptical or slowly jogging on the treadmill.

If anything, I’ve added a little lbm and not lost any.

I like the stair stepper personally. I only did it 2X a week this year and things like the elyptical more often.

Next year though I’m doing the stair stepper all the time.

Incline walking will always be the best method of cardio for smallest rate of muscle loss. It’s also the least taxing on your body, so it would be my recommendation during cutting. If you are during cardio while bulking, HIIT is generally the best bang for your buck.

[quote]theuofh wrote:
I like intervals better. The only exception is if you are doing low-carb, you can’t use high intensity intervals as it uses glycogen as a fuel source which your muscles are lacking. You end up breaking down your muscles for fuel.
[/quote]

So if i want to do intervals on a low carb diet -heard a lot of good things about them ;)- I should consume some amount of carbs in the meal prior to my intervals?

If you’re low carbing it, you don’t want to give your body more carbs to use before doing any exercise (although some people on limited carbs will ingest some of their allotment before and after training, I prefer to use a high fat snack before training so that I feel full).

S

I think doing things like Elliptical, and incline walking(incline 12+ @ 3.0+ mph) is the best. I used to do intervals, but it took too much out of me and my muscles during a calorie restricted state. It would leave me with no energy the next day in the gym. I think most people will agree that low intensity cardio is the best for 30-60 minutes.

I do 20 minutes of HIIT and 20 minutes of low-intensity steady state on my high and medium carb days. On my low carb days I do 40 minutes of steady state.

[quote]esk221 wrote:
I do 20 minutes of HIIT and 20 minutes of low-intensity steady state on my high and medium carb days. On my low carb days I do 40 minutes of steady state.[/quote]

Ding ding ding… we have a winner - I’ve always found that neglecting any exercise whether its weight lifting or cardio is never good in the long run (get the pun? hehe).

Anyways - low intensity, HIIT, and steady state cardio all have their places. It really depends on your goals. If your a bodybuilder or powerlifter, then steady state cardio isn’t for you. But if you’re the average joe that likes to lift, wants to be fit, look good on the beach, etc. Then mix it up!

Loosing a pound of muscle along with the 10lbs fat you drop while running 10 miles a week may be detrimental to a competitive bodybuilder, but unless that’s you, your respiratory system will thank you in the long run!

  • AB

Sorry I have to disagree a bit, correct me if I’m wrong.

I believe sprints would be the best.

To do:

First take the carbs you eat on breakfast and put them Post-Workout.

Take Whey Protein after Sprints.

Sprints (High Intensity) promote anabolic hormone production too. More calories burn easier the calories deficit is made.

For sure if you want to loose 4 pounds of fat a week while maintaining muscles that’s impossible or almost … I mean I can cut on 2.5k cals diet while having all my proteins and many food still …

I seriously believe steady state cardio/ low intensity will only lead to shitty results compare to high intensity.

For sure you can’t sprint 3-4 times a week 2 time max. but 2 HIIT + 3 Weights is far enough for fat lost …

You’ve put a doubt in my mind … DAMN YOU !!! lol

[quote]warsoe wrote:
So if i want to do intervals on a low carb diet -heard a lot of good things about them ;)- I should consume some amount of carbs in the meal prior to my intervals?
[/quote]

Warsoe, hate to interrupt, but what the hell is that thing you’re sucking in your photo? It looks like Frosty The Snowman’s dick.

[quote]Christopheel wrote:
Sorry I have to disagree a bit, correct me if I’m wrong.

I believe sprints would be the best.
[/quote]

Christopheel. When do you do your sprints? Off-days or workout days?

On monday my “cut” start,

Program wise :

1 Lower Body (Squat as main)
2 Sprints (Last like 10-13mins)
3 Upper Body (Bench as main)
4 Sprints (Again no more than 13mins)
5 Lower Body (Deadlift as main exercises)
6 Upper Body (Here I lower the intensity and volume for recovery purpose)
7 OFF

That’s how it’s gonna looks like, at the moment it’s exactly this but without the day 4 sprints.

For time of the day:

Breakfast, 1h30 after, training, PWO and then all my day meals

To lose the weight while retaining the most muscle mass its hands down walking on a treadmill on a high incline plane.

[quote]LillGuy001 wrote:
To lose the weight while retaining the most muscle mass its hands down walking on a treadmill on a high incline plane.[/quote]

why ?

[quote]LillGuy001 wrote:
To lose the weight while retaining the most muscle mass its hands down walking on a treadmill on a high incline plane.[/quote]

1000s of bodybuilders who’ve dieted down for competition can’t be wrong.

I’d also add that I prefer cardio pre breakfast(but after some BCAA or small protein only shake), but anytime is better than none.

Okay, but why !?

Have you ever seen a sprinters who looked like loosing muscles ?

Do you have an article or facts about HIIT would make you loose muscles while trying to cut BF ?

Lift Like a Men
Eat Like a men
Sleep Like a men

BUT walk as a 6 years old girl ?