Thread: Cardio on off days

for me,i consider walking cardio.so even on my off days when i'm bulking,i'm doing some kinda cardio.i really dont think its gonna hurt.. just my opinion

It shouldn't hurt. Cardio is like a day off after a good lifting session. And it will help get rid of some fat

a little cardio is not goin to kill you gains but after you take you fitness test you might want to cut it out.

Hey thanks guys for your help!!

To be honest, I seriously doubt that running a 1/2 mile would help. Your heart rate is never going to get high enough, or maintain that lvl to be of any consequence.

It takes only a few minutes to run a 1/2 mile (on average). Depending how healthy you are aerobically, your heart rate may never rise to the lvl it needs too, and even if it does, you would not be sustaining it long enough to see any gains in this area.

It's recommeded that you get to @70% of your max heart rate, and sustain that for at least 20-30 minutes 3x a week. Max heart rate can be *estimated* as such: 220 - (your age) = Max HR. Not entirely accurate, but pretty close.

I usually ride my bike (not after leg day) on days I do not lift. I tend to stay @ 80% of MHR for about 30-40 minutes (20 or so miles, not counting the warm up period which eats a few of them).
That's what I do, and have seen vast improvement on the VO2 test I have to take every year. (Not a true VO2 test, it's a hack version to make it cheaper - but I still have to meet the standards).

A 1/2 mile run just doesn't last long enough to do anything major for you. Any exercise is good, but unless you are sustaining the time the HR is in the "zone", it's probably a non factor. Most of us can run a 1/2 mile in 4 or 5 minutes, and alot of us can do it in 3 or 4 minutes (example - I can run a mile and 1/2 in 10 or 11 minutes). Just not enough time to get the HR up, and certainly not enough time to sustain it to see any benefit from doing it.

This is only my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt. I do a cardio program so my bike endurance increases - your results may vary. I think you will need to run alot longer distance to see any improvement cardio wise.

Actually its not just running a half a mile. I run a shuttle run that has cones set 87 feet apart. You start in the middle and run around the two cones to complete on lap. I do 15 laps to complete 1/2 mile. It is very strainous and it will definetly get your heart rate up. Try it sometime!!

Heh, you didn't specify.....I just assumed you meant a straight out 1/2 mile run.

How long does it take you to do this shuttle run? (just curious)

wtf is running i'll run to the store and get more food, but i take the car.RUNNING, OMG ya want to watch me faint or what.

what your doing is a great idea cmajor