As I have posted before, I start work at 4am everyday so cardio before work is out !
The only time I can manage to get to the gym is about 4pm .
here's my problem....
I have been told not to do cardio within about 8 hrs of weight training.
So what it all boils down to is that each day its EITHER cardio or weights.
I have been doing:
Monday, Weights ( Back & Biceps)
Tuesday, Weights (Chest & Triceps)
Wednesday, Cardio (45-50mins @ 60% to 70% MHR)
Thursday, Weights ( Shoulders, Traps & Forearms)
Friday, Weights (Legs & Calves)
Saturday, OFF
Sunday, Cardio. ( 45-50mins @ 60% to 70% MHR)

OK...............
Would this be a better plan for cutting ?????

Monday, Weights (Back, Biceps & Shoulders)
Tuesday, Cardio (45-50mins @ 60% to 70% MHR)
Wednesday, Weights (Chest, Triceps & Traps)
Thursday, Cardio (45-50mins @ 60% to 70% MHR)
Friday, Weights (Legs, Calves & Forearms)
Saturday, OFF
Sunday, Cardio (45-50mins @ 60% to 70% MHR)

Doing it this way would increase the amount of Cardio I was doing each week.
But would that effect my Weights progress in anyway ?
Any help would be appreciated here guys.
Thanks
:)

Do you have facilities and surrounding environment at your work that you could go for a run on your lunch at all mate? If not, I have read a number of people on these forums who do a cardio session after lifting and have seen results. You could also go for a run as soon as you get in from work, then go to the gym in the evening before bed. I don't know your schedule, but those are the simplest suggestions I can offer.
Personally, I have upped my cardio to every day purely to speed up my loss and break a small plateau, but I know that I was still losing fat when I was alternating the gym and cardio.

Sadly, I cant fit any extras in at all.
I am a taxi driver, so runnin during the day is out, and the hours really suck.
So it's 4pm or 5pm to head down the gym with no possible alterations :(
Thanks for the suggestion though.

Sadly, I cant fit any extras in at all.
I am a taxi driver, so runnin during the day is out, and the hours really suck.
So it's 4pm or 5pm to head down the gym with no possible alterations :(
Thanks for the suggestion though.

Maybe you should pull a rickshaw and get your cardio during work ;)

I think separating cardio and training by 8 hrs is a best-practice, and can be ignored if you have no other choice.

I think the second scedule you presented is great..with the added cardio...you should see great results with this...have a separate day for your cardio is optimal if you cannot spread it apart from your workouts on training days.

Yes a lot of people do cardio after weight training but I would definitely not reccomend this...you will be burning muscle by the time you reach your cardio session and that is not what you want! :p

Try this and see how it goes :tu:

I liked the "rickshaw" quote ! Good one !
I think I will the 2nd programme a wee go from this coming Monday for a few weeks, I will post how it is going.
(Unless I get any more replys here to suggest otherwise )
Thanks for all your help with this guys :)

I liked the "rickshaw" quote ! Good one !
I think I will the 2nd programme a wee go from this coming Monday for a few weeks, I will post how it is going.
(Unless I get any more replys here to suggest otherwise )
Thanks for all your help with this guys :)

No problem...love to be of help!

Doing weights & cardio together is far superior to skipping one, simply because you want to split them by 8 hours!

Yes a lot of people do cardio after weight training but I would definitely not reccomend this...you will be burning muscle by the time you reach your cardio session and that is not what you want! :p
What are you talking about? Do you have any evidence for this statement?

Wait, are you talking about cardio immediately after weights, or weights then cardio within that 8 hours rule I hear so much about?

Hi,
Maybe you could do some light cardio the days you are lifting. Perhaps 15 or 20 mins instead of 45. Thats the way i´am doing it. All day cardio (no day off) but the days I lift i do less cardio. I also cant do cardio on mornings because of work so i do it more or less one after the other, with 1 hour maximum between weights and cardio.
You could also do some cardio on saturday!!! Its only 45mins of a verrrrry long day!!!

What are you talking about? Do you have any evidence for this statement?

Wait, are you talking about cardio immediately after weights, or weights then cardio within that 8 hours rule I hear so much about?

I think the 8 hour rule is a partly a myth.

Cardio and weight-training both heighten your metabolism; by seperating them you get a two boosts, each at a different time of the day, helping to elevate your metabolism throughout the day.

Doing cardio and weight-training consecutively, if the total time is long enough and depending on your nutrition, will cause you to deplete your glycogen stores and, in the worst case, start breaking down muscle for energy. (If this is correct then could someone explain what I'm trying to say a bit better?)

Cardio and weight-training consecutively will not inhibit the growth you prepared for in the gym (you don't grow in the gym, you only cause microtears to your muscles that will later be repaired, resulting in increased muscle mass and strength: hypertrophy), but may cause you to use the muscle you've already built.

I think the body first looks for energy in your bloodstream, then in your fat, and finally in your muscle. If you want to use post-workout cardio for fat loss benefits and not solely aerobic benefits, then you need to cause your body to work in the "bloodstream zone" throughout your weight-training, and then work in the "fat zone" throughout your cardio. I think you can achieve this with well timed and proper nutrition. This is all probably harder done than said, hence the 8 hour rule.

If you can't tell, nutrition and fat loss aren't really my cup of tea, so take my words with a grain of salt.

I think the 8 hour rule is a partly a myth.

Cardio and weight-training both heighten your metabolism; by seperating them you get a two boosts, each at a different time of the day, helping to elevate your metabolism throughout the day.

Doing cardio and weight-training consecutively, if the total time is long enough and depending on your nutrition, will cause you to deplete your glycogen stores and, in the worst case, start breaking down muscle for energy. (If this is correct then could someone explain what I'm trying to say a bit better?)

Cardio and weight-training consecutively will not inhibit the growth you prepared for in the gym (you don't grow in the gym, you only cause microtears to your muscles that will later be repaired, resulting in increased muscle mass and strength: hypertrophy), but may cause you to use the muscle you've already built.

I think the body first looks for energy in your bloodstream, then in your fat, and finally in your muscle. If you want to use post-workout cardio for fat loss benefits and not solely aerobic benefits, then you need to cause your body to work in the "bloodstream zone" throughout your weight-training, and then work in the "fat zone" throughout your cardio. I think you can achieve this with well timed and proper nutrition. This is all probably harder done than said, hence the 8 hour rule.

If you can't tell, nutrition and fat loss aren't really my cup of tea, so take my words with a grain of salt.

It depends on if you see progress at the moment or not. In general I dont think it´s good to do cardio directly after weight-training. But if you´r progress is starting to get very slow it could still be a better choice. I mean you should look at your results and try to do something that works for you if you need to. If you need to do more cardio you must find a way to do it that is possible for you. That can be a part of your life including work and everything you need and want to do. Most people cant do it the best possible way. Because there are other things in life that are important. But there are other ways to do things that are slightly slower but still good. And most of us will have to find a slightly slower way that we can live with. Most people are not pros that can let training and diet determin and rule everything in life. :gl:

Regards!