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Cardio for Bodybuilders

cardio for bodybuilders

Cardio for Bodybuilders

Bodybuilders should do cardio. Cardio improves heart health and fitness and makes weight loss easier. In addition, cardio helps improve your work tolerance so you can increase your weight training volume without flagging out.

In this article, we will discuss the benefits of cardio for bodybuilders, how to implement cardio and some other practical tips.

Benefits of Cardio for Bodybuilders

This list includes some of the benefits of cardio for bodybuilders.

  • Fat Loss
  • Better Recovery
  • Improve Heart Health
  • Circulatory Health
  • Better Mood
  • Increase Endurance
  • Better Stamina
  • Improve Work Tolerance
  • Improve Sleep
  • Better Muscle Gains
  • Improve Body Composition
  • Improve Nutrient Partitioning
  • Spare Glycogen
  • Increase Fat Burning

Do bodybuilders do any cardio?

Most bodybuilders do cardio. Even in the offseason, most serious bodybuilders do a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio a few times per week.
During contest preparations, most bodybuilders do up to one hour of cardio per day to burn calories and get lean enough for competition.

What cardio is best for bodybuilding?

Bodybuilders should do low impact, low intensity or moderate intensity cardio. This type of cardio does not impair recovery or interfere with heavy weight training workouts.

In fact, this type of cardio can improve recovery from weight training workouts. Low intensity cardio can also improve your stamina in your weight training workouts.

Bodybuilders should try one or more of these types of cardio.

  • Walking
  • Swimming
  • Cycling
  • Elliptical
  • Incline Walking

How to do Cardio

If you train like a bodybuilder, you should do cardio after your weight training workouts. Alternatively, you could train cardio separately from your weight training workouts.

Ideally, your cardio workouts should be easy enough that you can talk. Try to work at a low to moderate intensity. Try to keep your heart rate between 110 and 140 beats per minute.

In the offseason, you should aim for around three, thirty minute walks or cardio sessions per week. This amount of cardio will keep your heart healthy without impairing your weight training.

For instance, add 30 minutes of walking on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

In season, you can aim for cardio daily from 30-60 minutes at a time. For instance, you could take a brisk 30 minute walk every day.

During your competitive preparation period, try to add the least amount of cardio necessary for fat loss.

To preserve as much muscle as possible, you should not fast before your cardio sessions. Instead, try to eat a light snack before performing your cardio.

Why do bodybuilders walk for cardio?

Bodybuilders walk for cardio because walking builds fitness and burns calories without straining the muscles. Walking does not put a lot of impact on the joints either.

Walking does not require a high initial fitness level, but it can build fitness.

You can walk for 30 or 40 minutes per day without affecting your weight training workouts at all. However, if you tried to run or do HIIT cardio, your weight training would suffer.

Should you do cardio when building muscle?

You should still do cardio when building muscle. Cardio builds a strong, healthy and efficient heart.

You can try about two hours of cardio per week when trying to gain muscle. Three to four 30 to 40 minute walks can help you keep your fitness up while building muscle.

Just make sure to eat enough to build muscle and monitor your recovery.

Final Thoughts

As a bodybuilder, cardio can help you improve your fitness, health and even your muscle building. Make sure to incorporate cardio into your year round fitness routine for best results.

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online coaching success story

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