More for the guys - Do you do cardio?

[Dagimp]

I worked out for years without doing cardio. Got talked into do it and changed my whole workout. You wouldn't think cardio would have a positive effect on weights but strangely it does, at least for me.

[Waifer2112]

I took it up about 9 months ago. I've found it also REALLY helps clear the head. Especially on sh!tty days, where you just can't break the bad attitude.

[rubbersidedown]

I workout 4-5 times a week and do 20-40min. of cardio each day (only lifting Sun,Tue,Thur)

I get alot more cardio in the summer as I love to hike!

[JR4X]

I like cardio for a lot of reasons. I didnt vote because there is not catagory for "used to and need to some more". It makes you feel good and drastically improves male performance in bed. Cant argue with that.

[oleblue]

If I were to do cardio right now I would keel over. I need to loose about 20 pounds and need to work up to more strenuous for longer time period workouts. Small steps right now.

[Waifer2112]

If I were to do cardio right now I would keel over. I need to loose about 20 pounds and need to work up to more strenuous for longer time period workouts. Small steps right now.

I have a really jacked up back. Had it for 20 years. I did my best to avoid any chance of having it go out, and was really out of shape. I started out walking around a school track for 12 minutes. that's as long as my back would let me before my leg started dragging and went numb. But I went back the next day and did it again...and again... After a month or maybe closer to two, I found myself jogging a little, then walking. And so on. I know you already know how to do it, I'm just trying to give you some encouragement. My cardio ability was NIL back then, and I've worked up to some pretty hard stuff at the gym.

(Patting myself on the back ;) )

[Willy36]

Well being young I was able to get away with not working out for a while...but it caught up to me. I started a lot of lifting and some cardio last summer/fall coz I needed to get in better shape in general. And chicks don't dig beer guts?! :wtf:

[zoriloco]

I could probably do more then what I do right now. I do cardio once a week at the gym.

[Kbear]

I used to do cardio a lot. Bike riding and lacrosse, but I had a DVT about 18 months ago and have been reluctant to get back into cardio since. The idea of having a PE freaks me out.

I'm not allowed to play lax anymore (still on blood thinners), but I'm sure it's safe to get back into bike riding, I just haven't had the motivation to do it. One of these days I'll get back into it.

[bsaunder]

I've flipped it around - I used to do cardio 1-3 times a week for ~40min and lift for an hour a day or more, not quite a meat head, but close. I did get pretty huge, but many joint issues later, I now lift 1-3 times a week for ~40min and do cardio (run, bike, skate ski, snowshoe, etc) for 8-15+ hours a week. I feel way better these days - sure I've lost a lot of bulk, especially in my upper body, but hey, its a heck of a lot easier finding clothes.

Besides - I'd rather be outside chasing fit and tanned ladies than stuck inside watching guys pose. :D

however - to the question, yes, cardio helped a lot for my lifting. When I was really making progress was when I would do some cardio first thing to get warmed up and then do my lifting routine, and then do some cardio for a cool down and stretching afterwards. When I hit a plateau with my legs, I would add in some sprinting drills and that would almost always kick it back into gear and start making gains again.

[ChiliPepper / Kenny]

I hate cardio. Always have. What really pissed me off is that after 8 straight months of basic training and advanced training, running at least 6 miles a day plus a ton of other cardio, my smoker friends could still kick my ass in the 2 mile run!!! I could sprint like a mofo though. And ever since my knee surgery i REALLY hate cardio. Need to get going on it again though. getting chubby!

[cwkelle]

i dont do cardio at the gym, thats ghey but my dd is my mountain bike, and i run my dog when i can

[the007forum]

i think just being on a bike or treadmill for 30 mins gets old really quick. Going for a jog at night or riding your bike is alot more fulfilling/interesting for me. but its whatever you prefer, cardio is pretty important.

[HollywoodCTS]

Oh yeah i fire up an episode of Rescue me on DVD, hop on the treadmill and next thing I know 50 minutes has melted away. And 800 calories too.

[TheCopperCowboy]

Is construction work 7 days a week considered cardio? :shrug:

[Kbear]

Is construction work 7 days a week considered cardio? :shrug:

Depends on if you're union or not. ;)

[Budman]

Just got off my fat arse and started getting back in shape. My problem is this. The only thing I like to do is run. So that is my cardio. Pushed it up last night, and ran for 52 minutes.

It helps if you can find a running partner. Helps to keep you from stopping.

[JeepWheelin02]

I didnt vote because there is not catagory for "used to and need to some more".

X2

That being said. I use to do cardio on my own 3X a week (20 minutes) and lift 3X a week. I would then go to Physical Training with the Army and do whatever they had us doing that day. Quite a few injuries later, I have gotten extremely lazy, and I have not worked out in over 2 years now. I am feeling it to. I've got a bad ankle, 2 bad knees, a bad shoulder, and a bad back. Im going to attempt to get back into working out shortly. Take it easy, lots of stretching and never "over-do-it" like I did before. So we shall see how that goes.

[starbreaker666]

I walked by the treadmill today. That count? If I run more then ten steps old knee injuries flame up.

[Dagimp]

I walked by the treadmill today. That count? If I run more then ten steps old knee injuries flame up.

I always take it easy on treadmill. Fat arses and treadmills are a dangerous combo. Really hard on your knee's impacting the treadmill with body weight.

Elliptical is your friend until your knee gets better.

[chopped]

I am not a huge fan of cardio, so I jumped onto the bandwagon of polymetrics. check out www.crossfit.com for some good circuit training workouts. it's taking your qeights and your cardio and combining them into one. really jump starts the metabolism and shed lbs and add lean, usable muscle. if your into looking like a body builder it's not the workout for you but crossfit has brought my fight game to a whole different level in the ring!

[gsellers]

I switched to light beer, seems to go down faster - that count?

[oleblue]

I have a really jacked up back. Had it for 20 years. I did my best to avoid any chance of having it go out, and was really out of shape. I started out walking around a school track for 12 minutes. that's as long as my back would let me before my leg started dragging and went numb. But I went back the next day and did it again...and again... After a month or maybe closer to two, I found myself jogging a little, then walking. And so on. I know you already know how to do it, I'm just trying to give you some encouragement. My cardio ability was NIL back then, and I've worked up to some pretty hard stuff at the gym.

(Patting myself on the back ;) )

Congrats, and thanks for the encouragement. I'm working on it, one step at a time. I find I can walk a little farther/faster as each week goes by. It is getting better. Just have to keep it up. Some weeks are good for me, some are not. But I have not given up. Hey, I quit smoking back in Nov of 2006.

[jnschwie]

Only cardio, never lift.

[cjchamp]

I am not a huge fan of cardio, so I jumped onto the bandwagon of polymetrics. check out www.crossfit.com for some good circuit training workouts. it's taking your qeights and your cardio and combining them into one. really jump starts the metabolism and shed lbs and add lean, usable muscle. if your into looking like a body builder it's not the workout for you but crossfit has brought my fight game to a whole different level in the ring!

Ive looked into this quite a bit....very intresting program and have even looked into gyms near by. I find it harder and harder to stay in good cardio shape lately, and feel like I need a driving force (like a coach) to keep me moving. I prefer to lift a crap load than run forever, so this cross fit seems awsome...lemme know what info you have or if you attend a gym.

[chopped]

CJChamp,

I was just going to PM you but thought others might benefit form this as well. Crossfit is pretty simple- you can either go with their "workout of the day's" or find a few circuits you like and rotate them out. It helps a ton to have a partner, it's even better to have a bigger group to help push yourself...thier mascot is pukey the clown and for good reason- you get a very high intensity workout in a pretty short amount of time. When I first started doing this 4 years ago the big gym's kinda frowned on it. you toss weights around, make a ton of noise and grunt a lot. I've noticed it's catching on though and now they just kinda turn the other cheek. It's not a workout to gain muscle mass, but more for cardio endurance. I started doing it when I was a cop and it segwayed perfectly into MMA training as well.

As for gyms I can be of much help there, If your in Lakewood you can head over to Gumm's Mixed Martial Art's, they have a 11am class that is crossfit. other than that I just get the workouts in during training mostly- part of a warm up or cool down routine after rolling or boxing. If your really interested in a gym I could get a hold of my crossfit guy at Gumm's and see where the closet crossfit friendly gym's are to you...

-Seth

:beer:

[Hippie]

Only cardio, never lift.

X2 - All I do is cardio - I don't need to try to look like I spend all my time in the gym :shrug: my intent is to stay in decent shape not impress people :shrug:

[jnschwie]

X2 - All I do is cardio - I don't need to try to look like I spend all my time in the gym :shrug: my intent is to stay in decent shape not impress people :shrug:

:beer: