Cardio vs. Fat Burn

Rhyalus

Rhyalus

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Hi guys,

I am coming up on the anniversary of my first year back to lifting and being healthy.

I am doing great, but I have a question about cardio.

I can only manage a three day split of lifting (Tues/Thurs/Sun), but I work my ass off. It takes me about 60-75 mins to get through the workout, and the whole time my pulse rate does not drop below 115-120. I then follow this up with ~30 mins on the eliptical where I keep the pulse between 120-135.

The other day I decided to switch it up and I jumped on the stair master. It kicked my a$$. My pulse was up around 160 and I could not stay on for the intended length of time.

I want to buy some cardio equipment for the house so that it is easier for me to do cardio on off days, but now I don't know what to buy - an eliptical or a stairmaster! My goal is to burn fat, but I also want to be healthy.

Stats:
38yo
Resting pulse: 60
6'2" 225lbs
BF? My guess is about 17% but I have not had it checked professionally. I have one of those BF scales at home and this is on avg. what it reads.
I have lost about 40lbs this year, and then gained back another 10-15 or so of good muscle. No AAS.
Diet: VERY clean - no sugars of any type, clean protein, low carb. All bloods are good - low cholesterol, tri, etc. 5-6 meals / day.

Goal: To shed the BF and look the best that I can with the most muscle. I have not gone into it in this post, but health is an important aspect for me as well - big family history of cardiac disease (but not me so far!) and I am a controlled type II diabetic - so more muscle mass is better.

I guess the question is, am I fooling myself on the eliptical?

Thanks!
R
 
bpmartyr

bpmartyr

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The starimaster is just more work. If the eliptical is getting your hr where you want it then keep it up. As long as you are moving, you are burning calories. If you are in a caloric deficit, you will lose weight. Too much of a deficit, you will lose muscle.
 
TheCrownedOne

TheCrownedOne

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It doesn't matter what machine you use. Hell, you can just use weights for cardio if you know how.
 

Achilles13

:::6'4 240lbs EndoMorph:::
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I'd stick with the elliptical. Better on my knees and burns more cals than the tread. I haven't tried the stairmaster yet but elliptical has been burning fat just fine.
 

ZackMurphy

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Just yesterday, I did cardio with weights.

4 supersets of each of the following pairs, sub-maximal weights with short rests:
DB Thrusters & High Hang Pulls
Push Presses & BB Curls
Bench Presses & V-ups
Squats & Pull ups

Took about 40 minutes for all 16 sets, and my heart rate was 120 at the end. Breathing hard, muscles tired - perfect.
 

ZackMurphy

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You mean cleans? Or front squats? Not sure what a squat clean would be. In all non-power cleans, you drop to a front squat.
 
TheCrownedOne

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I figure it goes from doing a clean and press, drop the bar across your shoulders and squat to the floor, quickly stand, press the bar overhead, then allow it to drop back to the front and return to your starting position.
Lather, rinse, repeat as needed.
 

ZackMurphy

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I figure it goes from doing a clean and press, drop the bar across your shoulders and squat to the floor, quickly stand, press the bar overhead, then allow it to drop back to the front and return to your starting position.
Lather, rinse, repeat as needed.
Gotcha. If you're doing a front squat and somewhat simultaneously pressing the BB overhead, then that's typically called a barbell thruster. Can be done with DBs, too. Better with DBs, in my experience.

If you're just doing a front squat and added a push press at the end, such that the movements are separate, then, well, front squat + push press.

Not trying to be overly detailed - just wondered if there was some new and interesting move someone had come up with.

:burger:
 
Rhyalus

Rhyalus

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I don't doubt that you can keep the heart rate high doing weights, straight up. Heck- I keep the pace up for an hour straight - I know that I am there.

But I guess what I question is how much is enough?

Should I trust the settings on the Life Fitness machines that say that I should be at 118???

I have some fat to lose, no doubt, but I would rather keep building muscle mass and diet down a bit later. And when I jump on the stair master and get my butt kicked...it makes me wonder.

Regards,
R
 

Danl4560

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I don't doubt that you can keep the heart rate high doing weights, straight up. Heck- I keep the pace up for an hour straight - I know that I am there.

But I guess what I question is how much is enough?

Should I trust the settings on the Life Fitness machines that say that I should be at 118???

I have some fat to lose, no doubt, but I would rather keep building muscle mass and diet down a bit later. And when I jump on the stair master and get my butt kicked...it makes me wonder.

Regards,
R
The stairmaster is the devil.
 
TheCrownedOne

TheCrownedOne

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I see little reason why one couldn't walk in the mornings before breakfast while building muscle.
Or, should you be so inclined you could turn to sprints.
 

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