In Your opinion, what is the best type of cardio to do while still preserving muscle?

[emptywallet]

In Your opinion, what is the best type of cardio to do while still preserving muscle? I'm thinking of doing 30- 45 minutes of something 2 to 3 times per week. Or, Ive heard sprints are great and that would cut down the time I'd have to do cardio as well I believe. Should I do the cardio directly after training? Or on a day of its own? Since I was thinking of doing it after training, it couldnt be 30 minutes since it takes me around an hour to lift, and then 30-45 minutes of cardio after that seems like to much. I dunno, any suggestions?

 

[JG1]

I came down from 233lbs to 200. Took me several months, but I was able to maintain most of my muscle mass while leaning out...naturally also.

I weight train 3 days a week, and did 30 minutes of cardio after my workout. On my off days, I would hit the treadmill first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Been doing an hour, three days a week of that.

 

[GENETIC_FREAK]

Cardio on an empty stomach? After an 8 hour sleep w/o food? Seems CATABOLIC to me----------Freak

 

[gilly6993]

Treadmill and rocumbant bike......

 

[Nelson Montana]

The best move for preserving muscle while losing fat:

Walking away from the dinner table before eating too much.

 

[Robpoppa]

JG1 is right to do his cardio 1st thing in the morning, on an empty stomach. Fat loss has been shown to be greater when doing your cardio 1st thing in the morning. Also, walking is best for fat loss....jogging is best for cardiovascular health......and sprinting can actually build muscle.

 

[Nelson Montana]

I'm the last guy in the world to ask for references or to assume that studies are conclusive proof. But where was it shown that cardio first thing in th morning burns more fat? Or that walking is best for fat burning?

It's ridiculous. The body only knows calorie expenditure. It doesn't say "Ooh, I'm on a recumbant bike so I'll burn 3 calories --Ooh, wait a minute, now I'm walking so I'll burn 5 calories.

Speed. Exertion. Effort. Duration. Current physical status. Ability to perform an activity. These are all factors. Saying one is better than another is absurd. A bad swimmer will burn more calories than a good swimmer. Think about it folks. It's not that hard to figure out.

 

[ClenAche]

IMO, Robpoppa is right on. ive tried all sorts of training routines, and the best IMO is 45-60 min of low intensity cardio at your target heart rate (like walking or bike) first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with ECA or NYC, followed with weight training in the late afternoon or early evening. no references, but i once had them, but it just makes sense. body's got to get energy from somewhere, and when empty, gets it from stored energy in the form of fat, hence fat loss in the a.m. essential to replenish (especially protein quickly) post weight training to maintain muscle, but not too late in the p.m. b4 sleep, where u may store excess cals as fat. try it, trust me, you'll be pleased!

 

[jc21]

i find walking at an incline on a treadmill works best for me.

the reasoning behind the first thing in the morning on an empty stomach is your body doesnt have any food in your body to use for energy so it will feed off fat. and you do low impact to not kill your muscle.

 

[SuKY_GeNeTiCs]

RUN FELLAS! Build those calf muscles up while your at it.