Best Time For Cardio?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Ello,
I was just wondering when is the best time for cardio? I think i remember reading somewhere that you should do cardio 6hours after you lift. Is this true?

Thanks

JM

2

Best time is --quite simply-- dependant on your goals and when you can do it.

Off days from lifting are great.
Mornings supposedly burn more fat.
right after a workout- a short intense cardio is great for fat loss as well.

Cardio at night after working out is ok if you have that kind of time.

There are so many factors involved.

I think you first need to define the result you wish to achieve from the cardio. Fat loss, weight maint., whatever. Then you can build a program/plan to mix in cardio with your weights.

Or for a guy like Tri
How to squeeze in some weights between his training.

It all depends on your current goal.

Sorry if this doesn’t answer your question, but give a little more infoe and maybe someone can clarify

3

Yea, I am looking to burn some remaining fat off.

4

I personally do not like a.m. cardio, but some claim it to be the holy grail of fat loss cardio.

Get up, drink a little Grow! to help fight muscle loss and do your thing.

I think if your diet is in order time of day is less important than proper intensity.

2 times a week ya got to go hard. Maybe 3 if you cut back on weights and are strictly looking to burn fat/weight via cardio. 1 or 2 more of lesser but longer bouts will round out your week.

This said, there are a million ways to skin a cat, but you won’t be hurt by these recs.

Fat loss is all about nutrition though. You can sprint till your blue in the face and the results will be directly related to your nutrition. Take a good look at your eats, and make sure you are doing everything you can to eliminate wasted calories.

5

The best time really is whatever time you will do it on a consistant basis.

I am a fan of AM cardio, getting it over with. Also walks at night are good. It is said to help boost seratonin which aids in sleep as well.

But really once again when ever you will do it is best.

These may answer a few ??'s as well
Cardio Roundatble I&II
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=461325
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=461524

Hope That helps,
Phill

6

I agree with the morning cardio. Again it may just be pure coincidence.

I have spent builds where I was stuck doing my training mostly in the morning and I have been stuck doing builds mostly at night.

I notice that my body composition was much more “ideal” for those races where my training was heavier in the morning.

If you are doing your cardio in the morning you have more time to recover from it and you aren’t taking away from muscles that are looking to repair.

If you do your cardio at night (after weights) you might get some active recovery but I would argue that it is detrimental to your recovery if you are doing anything worthy of significant fat loss.

Dan John recommended that I do my weights at night and my training (intesnse “cardio”) in the morning. I trust what he says and have the exp. to support it.

In the end, my vote goes to Sasq’s idea. Wake up, a bit O’ Grow! and hit the cardio machine. Props if you can handle it. Even as an endurance athlete, I dread hitting the pavement as my first task in the morning.