Shredded people, do cardio?

[jbatts77]

So, people that have visible 6-8 packs, do you do regular cardio /run? Anyone with 8 pack who doesn't do cardio?

 

[supadupastar]

The 6-8 pack is a genetic gift, as for the cardio, yes still do cardio and light abs exercises for definition.

 

[DUbz86]

So, people that have visible 6-8 packs, do you do regular cardio /run? Anyone with 8 pack who doesn't do cardio?

Everyone is different abs are made in the kitchen. I know guys with shredded 8 packs and do no cardio they have a good diet and do light abs after every workout

 

[R1balla]

I have relatively defined abs even when I bulk. But I've always had abs. I never isolate them when training. I do cardio once a week when I bulk but when I cut, I do a lot more. HIIT, jump rope, swimming, stairs and kick boxing are my main forms of it. Diet diet diet.

 

[Rollinbeer]

Ive never been able to get my abs all that defined... but the core strength is definitely there! i do cardio once a week just for work purposes, even though my job is a daily cardio routine as it is! Lmfao just to make myself feel a bit better about myself. So im curious myself!

 

[R1balla]

Working abs is no different than any other muscle. If you want more definition, you need to build the muscle and reduce the fat. How you go about that is personal preference.

 

[Rosie Chee]

So, people that have visible 6-8 packs, do you do regular cardio /run? Anyone with 8 pack who doesn't do cardio?

Everyone is different - it's about finding what works SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU AND DOING THAT! Cardio is NOT ESSENTIAL to having visible abs.

 

[R1balla]

Everyone is different - it's about finding what works SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU AND DOING THAT! Cardio is NOT ESSENTIAL to having visible abs.

Rosie!!!!!

 

[R1balla]

Everyone is different - it's about finding what works SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU AND DOING THAT! Cardio is NOT ESSENTIAL to having visible abs.

Rosie is spot on as always. You need to learn your body and do what your body responds best to. But it always starts with diet. And ends with diet. All the other stuff in between can/will help or speed up the process but if diet isn't there, you can forget about seeing abs.

 

[jbatts77]

Thanks for the responses; I should have made it more clear I'm trying to find out if people who maintain a 6-8 pack, not just "visible abs/a four pack", which takes a decent diet, use cardio regularly in their routines.

 

[R1balla]

Thanks for the responses; I should have made it more clear I'm trying to find out if people who maintain a 6-8 pack, not just "visible abs/a four pack", which takes a decent diet, use cardio regularly in their routines.

Again, you can maintain your abs with diet only. Some people do cardio, some don't. For me, I do cardio for overall fat loss. You can't do spot reduction.

 

[jbatts77]

I'm not asking if I can maintain visible abs with diet; I know I can and do.
I'm asking if those that do keep a bodyfat around 5-7% most of the year have chosen to incorporate cardio into their routines to maintain that bodyfat.

As in, what is actually being done by those that maintain 5-7% bodyfat, not possible ways to maintain abs. There are tradeoffs to getting stricter with my diet just as their could be incorporating sprints or slow steady-state cardio.

 

[R1balla]

I'm not asking if I can maintain visible abs with diet; I know I can and do.
I'm asking if those that do keep a bodyfat around 5-7% most of the year have chosen to incorporate cardio into their routines to maintain that bodyfat.

As in, what is actually being done by those that maintain 5-7% bodyfat, not possible ways to maintain abs. There are tradeoffs to getting stricter with my diet just as their could be incorporating sprints or slow steady-state cardio.

I don't compete, so I'm never 5%. The lowest I'll go is maybe 8%. That being said, I keep my same weight routine volume wise I just modify it to have a day dedicated to various forms of cardio so I'm not doing weights and a full cardio session every time. I do cardio on weight training days, yes. But I also incorporate a full day for cardio as well (when I'm cutting). I change it up. Kick boxing, outdoor cardio (running the bleachers at my local highschool) springs, football Style footwork, swimming, jump roping...etc.

 

[Rosie Chee]

Rosie is spot on as always. You need to learn your body and do what your body responds best to. But it always starts with diet. And ends with diet. All the other stuff in between can/will help or speed up the process but if diet isn't there, you can forget about seeing abs.

"But it always starts with diet. And ends with diet." This is true for 99% of people. NOT ALL. Just remember that.

Thanks for the responses; I should have made it more clear I'm trying to find out if people who maintain a 6-8 pack, not just "visible abs/a four pack", which takes a decent diet, use cardio regularly in their routines.

Even when I am not happy or comfortable with my body I still see my abs and I eat whatever I want whenever I want - granted my "perpetual cheat" to everyone else is very unorthodox and I probably would not recommend it to anyone else, because my body is my own and responds often very differently to almost everything than "expected" - and it is my TRAINING and not my nutrition that primarily determines my body composition. That said, it is my RESISTANCE training that does this and I am someone who HAS to use WEIGHTS - I could do cardio all day every day and it would be as much use to getting and maintaining leanness for me as doing a competition diet, which only serves to do NOTHING, and if anything, have a NEGATIVE effect on my body composition.

I'm not asking if I can maintain visible abs with diet; I know I can and do.
I'm asking if those that do keep a bodyfat around 5-7% most of the year have chosen to incorporate cardio into their routines to maintain that bodyfat.

As in, what is actually being done by those that maintain 5-7% bodyfat, not possible ways to maintain abs. There are tradeoffs to getting stricter with my diet just as their could be incorporating sprints or slow steady-state cardio.

Not a male, so do not maintain 5-7% bodyfat, but I maintained 8-9% bodyfat for years and over the past year have maintained slightly higher at 9-10% bodyfat. But, again, each to their own. It is a CHOICE and a lifestyle and ABOUT WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.

 

[CJuggernaut]

Abs shape and structure are genetic (4,6,8) but body fat determines visibility. I know people that have abs that do zero cardio and those that do hours of cardio daily to have them, so again the amount of cardio you have to do to see abs is by individual needs/requirements.

 

[lifted67]

So, people that have visible 6-8 packs, do you do regular cardio /run? Anyone with 8 pack who doesn't do cardio?

I do cardio 2 times a day, usually every other day or so when I'm cutting. 15 minutes of fasted HIIT on my rowing machine in the AM, then 20-30 minutes step mill on a challenging intensity. It's mainly diet but I feel doing these two variations really help dial me in.

I do run but it's during my weekly soccer league games so that takes my mind off the fact that I'm running lol

PS doing the 2 a day sessions allow me to be less strict on the diet and makes long (er) term visible abs easier.

 

[gaz7456]

Never do cardio. Not necessary, but helpful if you need to burn more calories.

 

[EMPIREMIND]

For the most part cardio is just calorie expenditure, so this is why this question is very dependent on the person. Genetics, diet, training, daily activity level, all these things come into play. Dorian Yates used to say his cardio was walking his dogs and sex. Personally I. Would rather eat as much as I can, so I tend to do alot more cardio on my rest days and in the mornings. I don't do much hiit, I reserve all my intensity for the iron.

 

[Dustin07]

since its about caloric deficit, I'll reinforce the "abs are made in the kitchen" note, as I've said that a thousand times myself.
Yes cardio does increase the calories burned and metabolism, but that only works if you dont add more calories to compensate for how much hungrier you become.

Generally speaking I'm able to maintain a 6 pack without doing any additional cardio if my nutrition stays on point.
I'm not genetically designed to ever show an 8 pack. I get 6, even at 6% bodyfat.

and no I'm not naturally lean, I used to weigh 242 and now weigh 177.

Abs are indeed made in the kitchen though. HIIT forms of cardio can help you get there.