Best Cardio Workout Program

By Franco Ruggiero

For bodybuilders our goal is to use cardio to become shredded. Bodybuilders aren't endurance athletes, we are strength athletes. Many guys forget strength goals and form a ton of misconceptions regarding a bodybuilder's use of cardio. Cardio is a tool for them to increase definition and muscularity so your body is conditioned properly and ready to compete at contest time.

Cardio Timing

The first issue that should be addressed with a cardio plan is timing. Cardio should be done first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Other than some black coffee and/or a sugar-free energy drink, no food should be in your system. This causes your body to burn its stored fat and carbohydrates as fuel, rather than what you have just ate. Eating carbohydrates is especially detrimental to a bodybuilder's cardio regimen because insulin will block fat from being burned. So, the only food to consume prior to a cardio session should be some kind of zero calorie energy drink or black coffee to increase the intensity and total calories burned during the session.

Cardio Time Length

Secondly, cardio should be done four days a week anywhere from 30 minutes at the minimum up to 75 minutes if absolutely necessary. Five days might be better if you are further out of shape or if your contest is a month away.

If you are simply maintaining or starting off a cardio regimen to get in contest shape, it would be sufficient to start off with 30 minutes per session. Then increase the time by five additional minutes each week until you are at about an hour. However, this has to do with the shape that you are currently in.

For example, if you are already lean than 45 minutes to an hour would most likely be the right amount that you would need to spend doing cardio. If you are overweight for a show by more than 15 pounds you may need to go up to 75 minutes to 90 minutes on a consistent basis.

Cardio Intensity for Fat Burning

Cardio should be done at a low – moderate intensity. Low to moderate training intensity burns the most fat. However, interval training is also a good component to add to your routine once a week if you desire to "shock" your body and burn more calories.

Interval Training

Interval training is when you switch exercises and intensity levels frequently during the exercise session. An example of this would be sprinting for 20 seconds and then walking for 2 minutes in a repetitive fashion. For example,switching intensity levels seven or eight times would be considered a form of interval training. The best way to burn calories is keep your target heart rate in the 65-75 percent range of your max heart rate. This is the range where fat and carbohydrates are both being burned and it is what also makes this target heart rate range ideal. To find out your max heart rate, just subtract your age from 220. The max heart rate for someone who is 20 years old is 200 beats per minute. So at 65 percent of their max, their heart rate would be 130 beats per minute. You do this by simply taking your maximum heart rate and multiplying it by 0.65.

If you want to give the other bodybuilders competing against you a run for their money than effective cardio is something that is definitely worth including. It may be grueling and tedious, but it all comes down to your willingness and desire towards wanting to win and have the best physique on stage. If you follow the criteria written above, you should definitely have success. Just remember to be patient and make the proper adjustments for best results, which will you give you the greatest opportunity to be a winner.

Franco Ruggiero is a fitness expert based in New Jersey. His major in college is Exercise Science and he supplements his lifitng with Pure Protein bars, Protein Plus Bar, Nitrix CEM3, MuscleTech Thermogain, 150 caps, Extreme Body RTDs , and ANAVOL Volumizer. Visit this page to sign up for low-cost, one-on-one personalized fitness advice from a Campus Men trainer..

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