Tipping point : Cardio Vs. Atrophy

[elcrisp76]

Hi folks.. I wasn't really sure where to post this so if a mod thinks it more appropriate elsewhere plz shift...

Umm. Okay, this could get long winded so I'll try to just list the basics.. I'm a personal trainer and have been trying for the last few years to stack on as much muscle mass as is possible.. I take spin classes and do some squash coaching, so I tend to have a point of equilibrium where I have decent muscle, speed, and endurance, without trying to go psycho on "the gear"..

Recently I made a boo boo.. Got home from the gym one night totally pumped after a crazy leg set, went to slice up a banana for my PWO protein shake and nearly severed the index finger of my right hand. DOH! Anyhow, I needed microsurgery to reattach, and walked around in a full cast for nearly a month.. Not to worry, it's come along great - I'm out of the cast, and even using the finger in my weight sesions again..

Problem is:- I lost cardio fitness, I lost muscle mass, and put on a bit of b/f whilst out of action. This week I finally was given the all clear to start training again, oh my god does it feel good to be back into the regeime! I haven't started back at work yet, so I have all of the time in the world to train. I'm pretty disciplined, and though I keep my weight sessions down to a certain lengh of time - and always allow for recovery, I'm doing a LOT of running. Three sessions of 10Km per day atm, but want to do even more! (as much as my joints will allow)

I'm eating like a horse.. High protein, only slight fats (unsaturated, pref Omega 3), mininim carbs (only low GI in the mornings after AM cardio), and I'm stacking up every hour and a half or so.. My body is definately getting all of the clean protein it can, and possibly then some...

What is the tipping point I'm wondering.. I can force myself to run until my legs fall off, actually I quite enjoy it, but I want to retain as much MM as possible whilst I'm burning off that fat.. I know I can't retain all of it, but is there a tipping point?

Cheers

 

[elcrisp76]

Oh, I generally do a 5-day split routine, with one extra day to hit areas that I felt disappointed with during the week, and take several spin classes every day.. I hit abs/core about three times a week, and I instruct kung fu every second night, I always eat high protein, and think my timing/choice is pretty spot-on.. :-/

 

[downunder hunter]

A few spin classes a day, kung fu eod, 10km runs 2x a day, core 3x a week, 6x weights a week wtf and your doing all of this on low carbs and fat pffft cmon please you are either full of shit or skinny like an ethiopian. If that is really the case which Im sorry i must say is questionable that is WAY TOO MUCH to build muscle.

 

[elcrisp76]

Hmmm well I've put on some kg since this was taken, but a lot of that is b/f.. I'm not the biggest fooker out there that's for sure, but I don't think I'm an Ethiopian either..

I'm kickstarting my summer training schedule.. I''ve only been running since my arm came out of the cast about a fortnight ago... Was only in the cast for about 4 weeks from memory, and you don't tend to lose much muscle until the 6-week stage.. So I'm just about burning off the love handles and getting back upto speed.. Then I'll let it drop off a bit again...

I'm not really trying to build muscle.. just retain.. Once I have my cardio fitness back and my bodyfat down a bit, THEN the real fun begins!

I know it does sound like a lot, I also play squash a few times every week, but I'm really really impatient and have plenty of time to kill!!

 

[downunder hunter]

No pic came up.

But sorry unless i seen you in person train for like what 5-6 hours a day 6 days a week like you claim i just wont believe you

 

[elcrisp76]

Hmm okay.. Well the pic loads for me, so I don't know what the deal is..

Basically I'm more of a p/t than a bodybuilder.. My training regeme is more that of a boxer's than a beefcake..

I have headed out to my family residence in the country (rural Victoria) to focus on the training, and there is absolutely nothing else to do.. I don't watch tv, so the only alternative is to use the net (which I'm currently doing lol).. It's not a case of training like this for the next four months, I'm just trying to get super-fit as fast as possible to loaunch myself back into work..

From what you've replied, I'm evidently overtraining.. I have a tendency to do that.. lol.. But honestly I'd go insane if I kept this up for months on end (and definately end up looking like an Ethiopian)

Consider it a bootcamp.. I'm just doing as much as I can so that I'm back asap.. (but don't want to lose huge amounts of muscle)

Does that make more sense?

 

[downunder hunter]

sorry mate i dont know if its just me or not but your posts seem to be a bit all over the place, your saying completely different things now I dont get it but anyways the pic came up now so I must say if thats you in your pic you def dont look like an ethiopian because your white and got more muscle rest assured lol

Maybe let someone else chime in because im obviously not giving you much help here haha

On a side note my mate is aus middleweight champ boxer and he doesnt even train that much

 

[elcrisp76]

I'm addicted to the training.. I've just had a month off, and every day a little piece of me died.. I was aching to get back into it, and I've always been able to push myself hard..

But I think I'm going to have to ease off a bit anyways.. Tonight my knee has really started to ache.. No worries, I worked like a dog last year to burn off a pot belly, and I'm just petrified at the though of having to do it again.. Everyone tells me I'm tripping - I think the majority rules and I should ease back... doh!

 

[smtimelevi]

1st why did you stop doing cardio for a finger injury?

2nd The more you train the more you need to eat. I dont know what the tipping point is, that for your body to tell you.
If your eating enough carbs an calories to fuel your workouts and your body can handle it u can workout all day. some of the mma guys train 2 or three times a day for 2+ hours at a time. all that probably isnt nessesary. the only way your gona loose weight is to burn more than you eat. doesnt mean train like a tri-athelete.

 

[downunder hunter]

1st why did you stop doing cardio for a finger injury?

2nd The more you train the more you need to eat. I dont know what the tipping point is, that for your body to tell you.
If your eating enough carbs an calories to fuel your workouts and your body can handle it u can workout all day. some of the mma guys train 2 or three times a day for 2+ hours at a time. all that probably isnt nessesary. the only way your gona loose weight is to burn more than you eat. doesnt mean train like a tri-athelete.

he is training for mega 24 hour marathons bro hahaha I cant imagine how much you would have to eat to gain or even maintain any muscle mass in that routine. im not saying that this level of fitness isnt achievable, i havent met anyone who can train like this that would ask such a basic question like this guy did, and i think anyone who runs marathons is a moron, just my opinion guys. Its just pointless too me