To cardio or not?

shizz

Just wondering where most guys here stand with regards to cardio?

Is it an integral part of your strength training?

I'm just wondering whether I should incorporate some into my training. Doing stronglifts 5x5 at the moment.

Inspector Coptoor

I haven't done much in the last while, apart from 2 weeks training for a 10k run back in early May.

I've done hill sprints & other forms of conditioning but they're just not in my programme at the moment.

Cardio, in all it's forms, be it walking, jogging, sprinting, swimming, whatever all have their place in a programme at different points in the year.


In my opinion, There's no point in being really strong if you can't move.

shizz

Would you recommend it on rest days or mixed in?

deadlybuzzman

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

In my opinion, There's no point in being really strong if you can't move.

+1
and Im starting to get embarrassed how out of shape Ive gotten, Ive no interest in being captain cardio but getting out of breath walking up inclines is now a danger so Im dusting off the focus pads and using them with the mrs.
We're lucky that where we live theres a few 1000ft+ hills around so Im walking up those now too when I get the chance

Inspector Coptoor

shizz wrote: »

Would you recommend it on rest days or mixed in?

I wouldn't set it in stone to be honest.

See how you feel at the end if a session.
If you feel good, 10 mins of 30s on/30s off on a rower is a good finisher or KB swings using the same time frames.

How many days are you lifting?
3?

Depending on the importance you place on it, you put in 1 or 2 con blocks at the end of your lifting & maybe a hill sprint session on its own on a day.

Maybe something like this:
Monday - lift
Tues - rest
Wed - lift + con block
Thurs - rest
Fri - lift + con session
Sat - rest
Sunday - hill sprints (8-12 50-80m balls out sprinting)

shizz

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

I wouldn't set it in stone to be honest.

See how you feel at the end if a session.
If you feel good, 10 mins of 30s on/30s off on a rower is a good finisher or KB swings using the same time frames.

How many days are you lifting?
3?

Depending on the importance you place on it, you put in 1 or 2 con blocks at the end of your lifting & maybe a hill sprint session on its own on a day.

Maybe something like this:
Monday - lift
Tues - rest
Wed - lift + con block
Thurs - rest
Fri - lift + con session
Sat - rest
Sunday - hill sprints (8-12 50-80m balls out sprinting)

Thanks for the reply. What's a con block and con session?

I like the idea of the sprints. I really dislike long distance running. Bores the hell out of me. Although I would like to be decent at it haha

Inspector Coptoor

Con = conditioning or physical conditioning.
Another way of saying cardio, usually involves rounds of exertion/rest.

A conditioning block is like I outlined above. 10 mins of something with 30s on, 30s off as an example.
It could be 20s on, 40s off or any other way you want to break it down.

A conditioning session would be a training session that just focussed on conditioning.
You might do a couple of different con blocks, some sprints, some work blocks, whatever. Usually around an hours worth of training with recovery in between.

Sprints are great, they really are.

shizz

Thanks for the info man. I'll defo try and squeeze something in. I usually try keep the gym to about an hour and I usually use all that up with the weights.

deadlybuzzman

Another idea for conditioning is car pushing-maybe start on a gentle decline and go like hell for 30m and go from there, more laps, longer distance etc

Gummy Panda

I did cardio for the first time after a long time. Damn that stair climber. I was dripping after 5 mins on it :mad: