|
Post by sicario on Jul 20, 2006 15:46:50 GMT -5
As some of you guys know, I NEVER did cardio as part of my pre-contest prep. Johnny D never believed in it. So for the first time in my competitive career, I decided to incorporate it into this year's pre-contest regimen that I began in May, and it becomes the primary cause for the injury problems I just went through!!!! I am resuming pre-contest training next month, and I really don't think I'm including cardio! High volume, double-split, fast paced workouts, full of supersets and trisets, along with the low carb diet, always got me shredded. Never had a problem holding onto muscle either, like I've seen so many struggle with when doing alot of cardio. Keith I am a firm believer in doing what works best for each INDIVIDUAL. I hate "one size fits all" training routines, so if you can get shredded without doing aerobics, more power to ya buddy. Wish I could get away with that, but at only 5'6, I'm more of a natural "Endo" than anything else, and I can't get down to 6 or 7 percent without aerobics. Sicario.
|
|
|
Post by serenebeing on Sept 8, 2006 22:02:06 GMT -5
Same here.....if I do another comp, I'll take a week or two off afterwards, then go back to doing a little cardio to keep from ballooning up so much......that is, if I can stop long enough!! Dieting for each show seems to "reset my set-point" 15-20 lbs. higher! I know this post is from a long time ago. But, is it true that your "set point" changes? Is that a real term even? This has me a bit alarmed.....like if I cut down, will I be doomed to be a fatass after, or is it a matter of diet and cardio? ? Explain this to me.
|
|
|
Post by chrystalr on Sept 9, 2006 19:09:04 GMT -5
I know this post is from a long time ago. But, is it true that your "set point" changes? Is that a real term even? This has me a bit alarmed.....like if I cut down, will I be doomed to be a fatass after, or is it a matter of diet and cardio? ? Explain this to me. You can change your set point over time - (set point being the weight in which your body regulates to and likes to "hover" around). It's difficult to change your set point, and takes a long period of time, but it is possible. Consistancy is the biggest key to that. And you're not "doomed" to be a "fatass" after a competition. Basically it's a matter of increasing your cal's slowly and steadily after a competition - not jumping into a Mile High Mudd Pie like I did. If you do it right you're able to keep a low body fat % and not balloon up after a comp.
|
|
|
Post by serenebeing on Sept 9, 2006 19:20:37 GMT -5
Then why did she say hers went up? Is it a matter of food, or is it more than that?
....still not convinced....
|
|
|
Post by chrystalr on Sept 10, 2006 10:25:48 GMT -5
Think of your set point as a range of numbers that your body will fluxuate between. Mine is normally 180-190, has been since 8th grade. In order for me to drop down below that set point I have to REALLY watch my food intake and be very good with cardio and weight training. The 180-190 is where my body is comfortable, where the internal processes (digestion, menstral flow, heart rate, etc) feel safe and secure. My body sends signals to my brain saying, "everything's A-OK". Your body likes to be in "homeostasis" - or a steady state, and no matter what you do your body will work to be in that homeostasis. Think about it in terms of lifting and cardio - you have to change it up every once in a while because your body gets used to it, it becomes balanced with the workout and you no longer see the gains you want. You can change your set point but it's not easy. Like I said before, your body wants to be in balance and it will fight to keep you in balance. Think of it as a tug-o-war with your body. You're pulling with all your might through good nutrition, good workouts, hard cardio and consistancy (that's the key right there), and your body is on the other end of the rope sayin', "hell no I'm not giving ground, I'm COMFORTABLE here! Stop trying to rock the boat!" Slowly your body gives way, SLOWLY because as we know, nothing in the body happens overnight. Through consistant good nutrition, workouts, and cardio your body gives way. Slowly your body lowers or raises it's body weight, begrudingly mind you. You get to the weight you want to get to and your try to hold your side of the rope without giving way to your body pulling on the other end. You're in a balance. Now if you stay there on that balance then you're telling your body to create a new set-point. The longer you hold that balance the stronger that set point will be. Where most people fail is they get to the weight they want to be at and then they start to go back to the foods and choices that they had PRIOR to working out and eating right. It's like easing up too much on the rope, the bodie's going to take that slack and RUN! Most of the time you don't realize how much slack you've given the body until it's too late and you're 10lbs over what you were BEFORE. Hense why people who go on and off "diets" usually get the yo-yo effect with their weight. If people are consistant and make a lifestyle change rather than a week/month/year change then their bodies would balance differently. Maybe that didn't help to clarify it for you - ask more and I'll try to answer ~C
|
|
|
Post by serenebeing on Sept 10, 2006 10:49:32 GMT -5
First, thanks. OK, is it hormonal shifts that we are messing with. I remember something about thyroid functions getting messed with if we bobble above 15# or so of contest weight. Second, I know the body isn't very forgiving, so lets say I do gain a ton....how much harder will it be to loose again? In fact, how hard will it be for me to loose now. When I was on a plan with Emma, she said for me to loose, Id have to be as low as 1300 cals a day.!!!! This kinda shocked me. So I guess I am concerned that for me to ever go and get back my "normal" body, will I have to eat like a friggin cardio bunny? I know alot of the yo yo comes from people thinking they can eat again after the goal has been reached. They dont realize they weigh less....=eat less to maintain....blah blah so on..... I just dont want to end up a bitter chubby old hag, with one pic of me competing........and never being able to regain control of my body. But I guess alot of that fear comes from now.....where I feel less control that what I want. But thats another story. Thanks for your time.
|
|
|
Post by sicario on Sept 10, 2006 17:31:00 GMT -5
First, thanks. OK, is it hormonal shifts that we are messing with. I remember something about thyroid functions getting messed with if we bobble above 15# or so of contest weight. Second, I know the body isn't very forgiving, so lets say I do gain a ton....how much harder will it be to loose again? In fact, how hard will it be for me to loose now. When I was on a plan with Emma, she said for me to loose, Id have to be as low as 1300 cals a day.!!!! This kinda shocked me. So I guess I am concerned that for me to ever go and get back my "normal" body, will I have to eat like a friggin cardio bunny? I know alot of the yo yo comes from people thinking they can eat again after the goal has been reached. They dont realize they weigh less....=eat less to maintain....blah blah so on..... I just dont want to end up a bitter chubby old hag, with one pic of me competing........and never being able to regain control of my body. But I guess alot of that fear comes from now.....where I feel less control that what I want. But thats another story. Thanks for your time. Let's see if I can help clear this up for you, and hopefully easy your mind some at the same time. Let me ASSURE you that while many times your body has to be "coxed" into doing what you want it to, it just CAN'T get fat on its own!!!!!!!!!!!!! Believe it or not, YOU are in control to a great extent (excluding some genetic factors) to how your body looks. Using diet and exercise to work towards your goals, YOU will decide how your body looks, and not the other way around. I know how you feel to a certain extent, as after EXTREME dieting and then EXTREME "BLOWING UP," I have felt on several occasions I had "blow out" my metabolism. While it was harder to get back down after blowing up 30 or 40 pounds in the off season, it wasn't impossible. I have learned from that, however, and don't "blow up" any more. What I want to get across is that you don't need to be "afraid" of your body getting out of control, "by itself," because it can't. Allowing for your own personal "genetic limitations," you can stay lean as long you want by eating sensibly and keeping your muscle mass up with the weights. Hope that helped some, Vin.
|
|
|
Post by nwtrnr on Nov 6, 2006 17:23:33 GMT -5
There has to be a balance, I have been running for over a year now and have never looked better. I lost a little mass but have gained much more definition and my endurance is far better. After I compete in a half marathon I going to do a contest within the year and slowly put a little weight back on. I went from 200lbs to 170lbs at 6ft in a year and half and people noticed and said I look great. I was never fat but lacked a cardio endurance, it is very important to keep your heart in shape. I have lowered my blood pressure and finally can see my abs. Carbs are extremely important I just don't uderstand people who say they don't eat carbs, cardio is a key component but for some of us to cut the fat we need to add heavy cardio to feel and get healthy especially to reduce stress. I run just under 5 miles some days and only 2-3 on others but incorporate hills to build endurance and speed up my cadence to speed up my heart rate. It is also very important as Tim mentiones, not to overtrain. Listen to your body, if it aches or you feel anxiouos, have lost a significant amount of weight (muscle) you may have overtraining syndrome or be starting along that path take a rest and rethink the amount of exercise and the volume of exercise. High blood pressure and increased heart rate are also signals of the syndrome. Moderation is key just like anything.
|
|
|
Post by beckie on Nov 6, 2006 18:00:04 GMT -5
congrats on your achievements so far! I hope you can start up a journal when you get near competing
|
|
deang
Novice Bodybuilder
Posts: 51
|
Post by deang on Jan 2, 2009 8:26:36 GMT -5
One alternative is not to regard cardio as mutually incompatible with weights. In the past, I've trained very quickly with weights, using short rest periods between sets, or super-setting with minimum rest and this generates a terrific workout, both in terms of working the musculature and impacting the cardiovascular system. Doing so, of course, creates a significant impact on the metabolism, which lasts far longer than moderate intensity cardio and also utilises exercise that is entirely in keeping with your goal of maintaining muscle, while stripping away fat. Fast-paced weight training is pretty tough to beat, even when preparing for a show!
|
|