Any Scientific Info on Necessity of Cardio, Types of Cardio, etc.?

[ucimigrate]

Hi Everyone,

I am just curious about cardio's necessity, benefits, and costs.

1. In the 1980's, experts thought cardio was the mana from Heaven. Specifically, they even thought that because you burn more fat, the long and slow cardio.

Even chiropractors, doctors, etc. seem to recommend extra long and slow cardio, even over weights, for fat loss.

Obviously, it is one extreme.

2. Others in the 1990's and 2000's believed that HIIT, etc. was better. It accomplishes more in a shorter amount of time.

3. Some people, such as hard gainers or Mike Whitfield's Bodyweight Finishers, have ways to end traditional cardio.

4. Is cardio really necessary?

5. To me, it has changed from priority #1 or #2, to priority #6, etc.

Currently, I try to do: strength training, hypertrophy resistance training, bodyweight finishers, stretching and movement exercises (during breaks), well-honed diet via cooking my own foods, then long and slow cardio.

So, it is now it is a lower priority. It will not necessarily wear down my muscle, but is working better.

6. What do you guys think? Any research?

 

[The Solution]

Cardio is a tool Is it necessary .... Absolutely not

it will be goal depending.
Are you an endurance athlete? If so demands and requirements will be higher

are trying to maximize strength?
Leave it to as little as possible so the diet and training can do the work

Are you dieting?
Keep calories as high as possible and cardio as low as possible and adjust when you stall

are you just a general gym goer who wants to stay healthy?
For most you can either do a short 2-5 minute hit sessions or a few low intensity sessions a week to enhance heart health and nutrient partitioning

how you respond to cardio varies. This will need to be a trial and error experiment on how you can either maintain muscle in a dieting phase or implement in a growing phase to help add size and strength while expanding excess calories from cardio..

there is no concrete answer as the human body is too diverse from person and person and how they respond


Good links:
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Aleksandar37]

You seem to be grouping cardiovascular health and fat loss together as one thing. Whether or not you need cardio depends on your goals. As for research, what exactly is the question?

 

[Iwilleattuna]

I recently added cardio goals but I just like to do cardio. It’s therapeutic for me . Can’t really say it makes much of a difference but I will say I’m able to achieve more reps in the gym without gassing out as quick

 

[jrock645]

You seem to be grouping cardiovascular health and fat loss together as one thing. Whether or not you need cardio depends on your goals. As for research, what exactly is the question?

this. Doing some cardio is very beneficial for cardiovascular health, but you really don’t need cardio for fatloss. Like asked above, before this question can be answered, you need to define your goals.

 

[ucimigrate]

Very good answers. I appreciate it. It sounds like informed, experienced people have shifted expectations of cardio from something necessary into something that is an optional tool.

 

[BBiceps]

Cardio is a tool Is it necessary .... Absolutely not

it will be goal depending.
Are you an endurance athlete? If so demands and requirements will be higher

are trying to maximize strength?
Leave it to as little as possible so the diet and training can do the work

Are you dieting?
Keep calories as high as possible and cardio as low as possible and adjust when you stall

are you just a general gym goer who wants to stay healthy?
For most you can either do a short 2-5 minute hit sessions or a few low intensity sessions a week to enhance heart health and nutrient partitioning

how you respond to cardio varies. This will need to be a trial and error experiment on how you can either maintain muscle in a dieting phase or implement in a growing phase to help add size and strength while expanding excess calories from cardio..

there is no concrete answer as the human body is too diverse from person and person and how they respond


Good links:
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed
Invalid Link Removed

^This^

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Does anyone hate doing cardio and would rather lift weights? Is circuit training with light weights a good enough cardio regimen?

 

[TheMrMuscle]

Does anyone hate doing cardio and would rather lift weights? Is circuit training with light weights a good enough cardio regimen?

If its good enough depends on your goals really. I can enjoy som HIIT now and then but mostly i only do 10 minutes walks post meals for my cardio. Listen to Stan Efferding talk a bit about them here:

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Jstrong20]

Does anyone hate doing cardio and would rather lift weights? Is circuit training with light weights a good enough cardio regimen?

I never use treadmills and **** like that. It’s for old people. Lol I like hitting the punching back or playing sports with my kids. Basketaball, football, and soccer.

 

[tyga tyga]

If, you're looking at cardio for longevity I would say its necessary.

Does anyone hate doing cardio and would rather lift weights? Is circuit training with light weights a good enough cardio regimen?

Circuit training isn't considered atypical "cardio" but yes, I would say it's a great substitute for cardio.

 

[kisaj]

Does anyone hate doing cardio and would rather lift weights? Is circuit training with light weights a good enough cardio regimen?

I used to until I got good at it. Nothing makes me feel healthier and fit than running up some stairs or doing anything cardio wise and breathing completely normal. It's helped lifts and pretty much everything I do.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Thanks for the responses fellas. So I have another question which I asked in another thread (but no response); if improved cardio is a result of your heart responding to increasing levels of aerobic stress then can we also achieve the same result by restricting breathing while doing a low impact cardio? Say for example I try to hold my breath for 30 seconds while walking at a moderate pace for several sets and incrementally increase the duration of holding my breath every cardio workout. Will I achieve any cardio benefit from this?