Fasted cardio bodybuilding:
Fasted cardio bodybuilding style is the latest bodybuilding craze to hit the scene. This method of training has been used by competitive bodybuilders for decades, and those results were outstanding; however, this style of training was also met with much criticism because it involved spending hours in a fasted state.
The main reason many people didn’t like this style of training was the fact that it reduces performance in the gym, and can often cause muscle loss. While this may be true to some extent, the main benefit of fasted cardio is not so much improved fat loss as it is appetite suppression.
What to eat after cardio bodybuilding?
After cardio bodybuilding training, most people are wondering what to eat. This is an important question because the nutrient that you consume after your workout affects your results. Therefore, it’s important to know how many grams of protein should be consumed after a cardio bodybuilding workout with the goal of building muscle mass.
Here are a few examples of quick and easy meals to eat after your cardio bodybuilding workout:
- A banana & oatmeal meal (oats + milk)
- Greek yogurt mixed with fruits (strawberries, apples, oranges…)
- Protein shake (whey protein powder + water or soy milk. If you use whey, choose soy if you are intolerant to lactose)
- A sandwich made of whole grains bread with lean meat, tomato, lettuce
- Brown rice & beans (brown rice + can of kidney beans)
- An omelet made of 2 eggs plus 1 egg white
- Protein bar or protein cookie
If you are looking for a healthy meal that is also fast to prepare, rice & beans are the way to go. Not only does this meal provide you with protein, but it also provides you with carbs and fiber that help to regulate blood sugar levels.
Walking for cardio bodybuilding:
As a matter of fact, many people would agree that walking has “cardio” benefits so long as it’s done in excess of roughly 20 minutes at one clip. However, this just isn’t the case for bodybuilders who are looking to move beyond being simply lean or toned and into being ripped or muscular. In fact, many bodybuilders would be better served by either ditching the walk entirely or strategically inserting it as a rest day.
There are several reasons that walking is counterproductive from a lean mass building standpoint. First off, you’re forcing your muscles into prolonged periods of time under tension at a very low load. Walking can take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes depending on your speed and terrain, but in either case, you’re looking at a duration of time that is too long to maintain the muscle-building stimulus.
Secondly, walking is conducive to strictly utilizing slow-twitch muscle fibres. This means that your Type I (or low threshold) muscle fibres are primarily recruited during the exercise. Slow-twitch muscle fibres are great for endurance activities because they have a very high density of capillaries and mitochondria. In other words, their primary source of energy is fat oxidation rather than carbohydrate oxidation, which makes them ideal for longer-duration cardio protocol.
When to do cardio bodybuilding?
Some people work out only in the morning, others train in the evening. A third group does it just before bedtime, which is actually very useful to burn off excess fat and get even better sleep. The best solution would be right after weight lifting. That’s the time when your muscles are full of blood, which means that the oxygen consumption is also high. Blood pressure drops significantly after training against resistance, so the heart rate will be sufficiently low to allow for a good workout with minimal risks.
The main problem with this option is that no one wants to work out twice per day (at least not regularly) and that makes cardio done in this way pretty useless.
The best way: to go is, however, delaying it as much as possible after weight training. Preferably 2-3 hours later. This way the muscles are full of glycogen but have no food inside so they’ll be hungry for oxygen and glucose. The heart rate will still drop because of the weight training, which will allow for a good workout.
The best time: to do cardio bodybuilding is in a fasted state. This means that you lift weights in the morning and then do cardio at night when you don’t eat anything all day long. Then your insulin levels are very low, heart rate is high enough due to the weight training, but glucose is still low so the muscles will be hungry for oxygen. Awesome!
Swimming for cardio bodybuilding:
The reasons for using this form of training are multiple, the first is that the water acts as a natural resistance against muscular contractions. It’s like trying to lift weights but with your muscles alone (no help from gravity). The second reason is that swimming (at least backstroke) doesn’t put any pressure on your joints.
This means that if you have problems with your knees, hips, or shoulders then it’s a good idea to swim. Swimming is also a very complete form of exercise, it works out your arms (pulling), your core (your whole midsection from the hips up), and your legs. The only muscle group not really targeted by swimming is your chest, but if you put a few bricks in your backpack to increase the resistance you will still feel it working!
Is Cycling good for cardio bodybuilding?
Cycling can be good for anyone looking to improve their physical fitness, including bodybuilders. It’s very important however to understand how it fits within your training program so that you can get the most out of it.
Generally speaking, cycling is an endurance sport which means a low rep/high resistance approach will not be as beneficial as a higher rep/lower resistance one. If you do decide to use cycling in your program it’s a good idea to introduce it early on when your energy levels are still high and then gradually increase the demands as the workout progresses, much like a pyramid. For this reason, I would suggest using cycling twice each week for 30-40 minutes at a time. Your first session of the week should involve a steady ride at about 80-90% of your maximum heart rate, while the second one can be used to push yourself harder for interval training or hill climbs.
I prefer using cycling in my off-season for athletes who are looking to gain size because it can help keep their body fat low and can also act as an active recovery session after more strenuous training. As usual, though, I would suggest cycling last in your workout routine to avoid any negative interference in the growth of your muscles.
By training, this way you will be able to take advantage of the increased calorie uptake which occurs during exercise, and this along with a nutritious diet should help you to achieve the results you are looking for.
Boxing for cardio bodybuilding:
Boxing for cardio bodybuilding is a training method in which the boxing bag is used to increase cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle mass, and bone density. It does this by using “shadow boxing” or hitting mitts while doing various exercises on the heavy bag.
The main objective of the training is to increase endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness through the use of boxing techniques. A number of different exercises are performed on the punching bag with a focus on technique rather than power. Some people have taken this concept further by adding weights, jump ropes, or other methods of exercise to their bag training for an even greater athletic benefit.
Boxing for cardio bodybuilding is an extremely efficient way to get in shape, lose weight and increase fitness. The drills are designed to quickly build cardiovascular strength while also toning muscles. You can burn more calories by adding some jumping rope or plyometric work on the bag when you feel like you need a challenge.
Cardio bodybuilding benefits:
Fat loss: For those with a high body-fat percentage, cardio work can be incredibly important for reaching reasonable levels without dieting and keeping cardiovascular risk factors in check.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking all fat is created equal and you’ll never have to worry about it as long as you keep training hard –– that’s just being stubborn and short-sighted. It’s a throwback to the days of Rambo mentality, but it’s not productive in today’s society.
There’s also some evidence that cardio can help you lose fat faster, even if your primary goal is muscle growth. This has been demonstrated with HIIT (high-intensity interval training, for example), especially when it’s implemented during a cutting phase.
Sports performance: Even if you’re not an athlete, cardio work can translate to better sports performance. This is simply because of the carryover between physical activities and muscle fibre recruitment patterns. If you practice sprinting, running, biking, or swimming with good form and explosiveness, chances are that when it comes to using these physical tools in a sport, you’ll do it better.
Muscle retention/growth: Even if your primary objective is muscle growth, cardio work shouldn’t necessarily be abandoned altogether. There’s some evidence that including low-intensity steady state (LISS) training can help retain more muscle while dieting for a hypertrophy phase. This is especially true if the overall calorie intake goes down to very low levels and the diet is carb-restricted (with a typical hypocaloric deficit).
Depletion routines: Performing cardio after weight training, in the so-called depletion mode, can be an effective tool for muscle growth. The idea behind it is to increase the training volume by doing cardio after lifting.
As you tire out, your ability to produce force will be compromised and the risk of injuries goes up. For this reason, it’s not advisable to do depletion cardio with high-intensity interval training or any other form that requires explosive movements. Steady-state exercise, it’s safer for joints and tendons (and it’s much more time-efficient).
