Cardio for bodybuilders

Cardio for bodybuilders is often misunderstood or overlooked, but when done correctly, it can significantly improve conditioning, endurance, recovery, and fat loss without sacrificing muscle mass.

Here’s a breakdown of cardio strategies for bodybuilders, whether you’re bulking, cutting, or maintaining:

🔥 Why Bodybuilders Do Cardio


Fat Loss:
 

Essential during cutting phases to help reduce body fat while preserving muscle.
Heart Health:
Improved cardiovascular health aids in nutrient delivery and recovery.
Recovery Aid:
Light cardio improves blood flow, helping muscle recovery between intense weight sessions.
Increased Work Capacity:
Boosts endurance, which allows for longer and more intense lifting sessions. 

🏃‍♂️ Types of Cardio for Bodybuilders

1. Low-Intensity Steady-State (LISS)

What it is: Walking, light cycling, incline treadmill.

Best for: Cutting, recovery, maintaining muscle during fat loss.Pros: Muscle-sparing, easy to recover from.Common schedule: 3–6 days/week for 30–60 minutes.


2. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

What it is: Short bursts of intense effort (e.g., sprints) followed by rest or low activity.

Best for: Quick fat loss, time-saving.Pros: Time-efficient, boosts metabolism.Cons: Can be tough to recover from, may interfere with leg days or muscle recovery.Common schedule: 1–3 times/week for 15–25 minutes.


3. Moderate-Intensity Cardio

What it is: Jogging, swimming, biking at moderate pace.

Best for: General health or offseason conditioning.Risk: Slightly more muscle loss risk if overdone, especially during calorie deficits. 

⚖️ How to Balance Cardio & Muscle Gains

Goal

Cardio Frequency

Type of Cardio

Notes

Bulking

2–3x/week

LISS or light HIIT

Keep volume low to preserve calories for muscle growth.

Cutting

3–6x/week

LISS & occasional HIIT

Increase volume slowly; monitor recovery.

Maintenance

2–4x/week

Mix of LISS & moderate

Helps keep fat off and heart healthy.

🧠 Tips for Bodybuilders Doing Cardio

Timing matters:
Do cardio after weight training or on separate days to avoid energy drain.

Fuel properly:
Especially important during cutting — consider fasted LISS if you’re adapted, but not necessary for most.Avoid overdoing it:
Too much cardio can spike cortisol and lead to muscle loss.Track body composition, not just weight:
Ensure you’re losing fat, not muscle. 🏆 Example Weekly Plan (Cutting Phase)

Day

Workout

Cardio

Mon

Upper Body

30-min incline walk

Tue

Lower Body

HIIT (20 mins sprints)

Wed

Rest or Core

45-min brisk walk

Thu

Push

30-min light bike

Fri

Pull

HIIT (battle ropes/sprints)

Sat

Legs

Rest or 20-min walk

Sun

Rest

Optional LISS

 

0
0 comments