Cardio questions

[qwerty33]

From my reading, it is best to do cardio in the morning in a fasted state for 20-30 mins of medium intensity.

As a natural bodybuilder and someone who is looking to hold onto muscle, is this the best way to do it? just roll out of bed 3-4x a week and go for a jog/run on an empty stomach?

[coldseed]

I've read that too, but also have read drink some whey or at least get some BCAA's to hold onto your muscle while you burn the fat.

[BryanM]

Many like HIIT for cardio for results on this board from what ive seen

Ive tried both and get better results from fasted AM cardio

I get up first thing and do low intensity for 45-60 minutes

you have to keep track of your heart rate though

220 - your age x .65 -.75 keep your heart rate in this range and your golden

Ive yet to really worry about loosing muscle if my diet is in check for the rest of the day

some people freak out and think they are going to go catabolic and take BCAAS before hand but I never bothered and generally dont loose any LBM.

[Rosie Chee]

From my reading, it is best to do cardio in the morning in a fasted state for 20-30 mins of medium intensity.

As a natural bodybuilder and someone who is looking to hold onto muscle, is this the best way to do it? just roll out of bed 3-4x a week and go for a jog/run on an empty stomach?

The best time to do cardio is when it's best for YOU. you can do it fasted, non-fasted, first thing, or last thing - whenever it fits into your daily schedule. It also depends on WHY you're doing cardio - whether for fitness, fat loss, etc. Again, what is best for someone else may not be for you - you may find that you can't train on an empty stomach, or you may be fine.

[qwerty33]

The best time to do cardio is when it's best for YOU. you can do it fasted, non-fasted, first thing, or last thing - whenever it fits into your daily schedule. It also depends on WHY you're doing cardio - whether for fitness, fat loss, etc. Again, what is best for someone else may not be for you - you may find that you can't train on an empty stomach, or you may be fine.

basically for me it would be to lower my triglycerides, get in better cardio shape.

[Rosie Chee]

basically for me it would be to lower my triglycerides, get in better cardio shape.

Then it doesn't matter when you do it, or what heart rate you have whilst doing it (although 60-75% of your maximum heart rate provides cardiovascular fitness improvements) - just do it when it fits into your schedule.

~Rosie~
The Primordial Woman

[Exercise123]

I've read that too, but also have read drink some whey or at least get some BCAA's to hold onto your muscle while you burn the fat.

Consuming BCAA/carbohydrates/protein pre-fasted workout would just be giving your body energy to burn during the workout. BCAA and/or whey protein consumed with low glucose levels will just be converted to glucose through gluconeogenisis, therefore inhibiting your fat loss approach as the body will immediately use the newly created energy (glucose).

[qwerty33]

so for purely blood triglycerides what heart rate should i be in? fat burn or cardio

[Exercise123]

so for purely blood triglycerides what heart rate should i be in? fat burn or cardio

Fat Burn zone/60-75% of your maximum heart rate/LIT (low intensity)

You can use the Karvonen Formula as BryanM posted above or since technically the KV formula has been proven inaccurate you can surf the web and there are a bunch of calculators to asses a more accurate fat burning heart rate. Most involve an individual's resting heart rate, which can be determined by taking your pulse for one minute first thing in the morning or after prolonged rest. The average resting heart rate is 90 bpm.

Also, another good way of assessing a fat burning or low intensity heart rate during cardio would be to increase intensity until a point where it becomes difficult to not solely breather through the nose.

[Rosie Chee]

so for purely blood triglycerides what heart rate should i be in? fat burn or cardio

Doesn't matter, honestly

[vadox6466]

Consuming BCAA/carbohydrates/protein pre-fasted workout would just be giving your body energy to burn during the workout. BCAA and/or whey protein consumed with low glucose levels will just be converted to glucose through gluconeogenisis, therefore inhibiting your fat loss approach as the body will immediately use the newly created energy (glucose).

is this true? Taking 5g of BCAA before fasted cardio is actually detrimental to fat loss?

[kingk0ng]

I always recommend it on your off days. First thing in the morning can make it more muscle sparring, pre workout burns away glycogen needed for ATP during resistance training, post workout has shown to be muscle sparring, even though I can't remember what exactly the study said about it.

Anyway, I always have clients do it on their off days and around 7 in the morning. They usually wake up at 6 and I tell them BEFORE doing the cardio, to have a shake of whey protein with water, fish oil, and BCAAs to prevent amino acid breakdown.

Really though it just depends whenever you respond from it the best. Studies will conclude different things with each study and the answer is simple - everyone is different.

[Rosie Chee]

is this true? Taking 5g of BCAA before fasted cardio is actually detrimental to fat loss?

It shouldn't be - there's no calories in BCAAs, and they're already the simplest form of protein so your body does not have to digest them. Others may disagree, but it doesn't matter when you do your cardio if you're looking for fat loss, since it doesn't matter what substrate is used during cardio.

[prld2gr8ns]

It shouldn't be - there's no calories in BCAAs, and they're already the simplest form of protein so your body does not have to digest them. Others may disagree, but it doesn't matter when you do your cardio if you're looking for fat loss, since it doesn't matter what substrate is used during cardio.

If it's not water, it has calories. Isoleucine and Valine are glucogenic amino acids and quickly undergo gluconeogenesis to provide the body with fuel when needed. Straight leucine may be a better choice since it's non-glucogenic if your looking for a pwo drink. Honestly though(like Rosie said), cardio is cardio. If your marcros are in line and you are getting the heart rate up, you'll see the results you want.

[wearedbleedblue]

If it's not water, it has calories. Isoleucine and Valine are glucogenic amino acids and quickly undergo gluconeogenesis to provide the body with fuel when needed. Straight leucine may be a better choice since it's non-glucogenic if your looking for a pwo drink. Honestly though(like Rosie said), cardio is cardio. If your marcros are in line and you are getting the heart rate up, you'll see the results you want.

Agreed, BCAA have calories in them, anything that gives you energy (kilocalories are a standard unit of energy) does.

[drvinnybombat]

Is the fasted morning cardio going to do anything other than promote weight/fat loss? I'm talking specifically about increasing VO2 max, endurance, 100m time, and generally performance based goals.

[Exercise123]

Is the fasted morning cardio going to do anything other than promote weight/fat loss? I'm talking specifically about increasing VO2 max, endurance, 100m time, and generally performance based goals.

Heart health. Whether it need be fasted morning cardio...or LIT cardio anytime during the day; no, the time doesn't matter.

[Rosie Chee]

Is the fasted morning cardio going to do anything other than promote weight/fat loss? I'm talking specifically about increasing VO2 max, endurance, 100m time, and generally performance based goals.

If you want to increase 100-metre time and performance-based goals, then set your training programme up for it! Improving VO2 max and endurance is something else altogether to improving speed, power, and speed endurance - although some elements are required for both.

[drvinnybombat]

If you want to increase 100-metre time and performance-based goals, then set your training programme up for it! Improving VO2 max and endurance is something else altogether to improving speed, power, and speed endurance - although some elements are required for both.

Then what is the point of fasted morning cardio? I just don't see the point...the people that run 3-5 miles just seem slower and weaker than me, and they work so much harder. I interval train 15-20 min, 2-3 times per week not fasted in the afternoon, and it's an easy workout. I never traverse more than 2 miles, and I'm the fastest person I know (granted I don't hang out with Deion Sanders).

I just feel like the fasted morning run so specific to weight loss, am I totally wrong?

[Rosie Chee]

Then what is the point of fasted morning cardio? I just don't see the point...the people that run 3-5 miles just seem slower and weaker than me, and they work so much harder. I interval train 15-20 min, 2-3 times per week not fasted in the afternoon, and it's an easy workout. I never traverse more than 2 miles, and I'm the fastest person I know (granted I don't hang out with Deion Sanders).

I just feel like the fasted morning run so specific to weight loss, am I totally wrong?

Personal preference, as well as goals. I prefer to do first thing fasted cardio, but that's just me - in fact, I do ALL of my training first thing in the morning, fasted (unless I decide to add in a pm cardio session, or don't have time in the morning to do my weights). I don't work any harder doing cardio (or training in geneeral) in that state than I do if I do it later in the day after several meals.

Others use it re fat loss, because it is so commonly thrown around that it works better. However, since everyone is different, we all know that you have to find what works best SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU re fat loss (and any other body goal).

~Rosie~
The Primordial Woman