3 Cardio Mistakes

A bodybuilder has in their possession a variety of tools and strategies which they can utilize to sculpt their version of a perfect physique. Of those tools, one of the most commonly misused strategies when trying to achieve a certain look, is the approach many take with their cardiovascular work endeavours. Cardio is deemed by many to be a necessary evil and something that no one really wants to do but does so in knowing that it can be a determining factor within the outcome of their efforts. However, in many instances, their approach is misguided and sometimes even detrimental to the overall success of the plan. When the application of cardio training is appropriately designated to specific times of the day and or plan, it can be very advantageous. When incorporated in the wrong ways, unknowingly or based on misinformation, it can create a series of events leading you to wonder where you went wrong. To address the errors commonly seen with cardio training, let’s first highlight what those errors are and then offer advice to the contrary with the hope that it will improve your return on effort in the very near future.

Mistake #1: Doing Too Much Too Soon

There have been many times during the course of my coaching career where I have had to have conversations with clients that led with a simple sentence: “You’re wanting to do too much too soon”. I understand that this ideology goes against the grain in the bodybuilding world typically because bodybuilders are seemingly willing to do anything to get huge and ripped, but baby steps are the way to go when starting out no matter what level you’re at. When someone wants to attain a certain level of body fat, say sub ten percent, the first thing I have noticed in their mindset is the willingness to hammer out as many hours as they need to on the step mill right away so they can see results as quickly as possible. That’s when I have to tell them to pump the brakes, there will come a time when potentially hours of cardio will be necessary, but why start doing that now? All that will lead to is an acclimation to the cardio stimulus for that length of time and then what? Instead of doing an hour a day, now you have to do an hour and a half to two hours a day to elicit the same response? That’s nonsense. Instead, set a reasonable amount of time for cardio to begin, say thirty minutes, let the diet and training do their jobs and be patient with that. In time, output will have to significantly outweigh input, and that’s when you increase cardio to offset the diet for continued gains.

Mistake #2: Order of Operations

This one has always boggled my mind and I think I’ve figured out why this occurs. Error number two has me observing hard working individuals who simply have gotten it wrong and in a more matter of fact way of saying it, backwards. There have been so many instances where I have given programs to people with a prescribed weight training program, coupled with cardio instructions and dietary guidelines only to assume they knew the order of operations here. Perhaps in my naivety, I just assumed that if you were a bodybuilder then you understood the importance of training the muscles first, when energy levels are high and intensity levels can be maximized because you want to build the most muscle possible. Then once you were done with that, you hit the cardio to add to your output for the day without relegating any stored glycogen that should be used for your weight training, to fuelling your cardio. Well, I was wrong. After finding out some of my clients had been doing cardio first and then weight training (keep in mind these are individuals who didn’t have time to split the two and had to do everything in one session at the gym) because they thought this was the quickest way to a leaner physique, I quickly made the change for them which in turn, had them reporting back with greater results and a better overall understanding of the process.

Mistake #3: Thinking Cardio is the Safety Net

Finally, I’m sure you have all heard this saying at one point or another, but you cannot out-train a poor diet no matter how intense or how much you do. It doesn’t work like that and it’s the synergy between all of your efforts that actually gets you to your end goals. That means, training, dieting, cardio, the utilization of supplements such as F-10 to help you achieve a leaner physique, all have to work together optimally to ensure success. When one of those facets is lacking in your approach, then things won’t go the way you want them to go. In many instances, when someone falters with their diet, the first thought is, oh well, I guess I’ll just do more cardio tomorrow to make up for the shortfall. Sorry to say, but it doesn’t work like that especially if this sort of thing is habitual to you. You’ll never really be able to make up for the loss of synergy if you continue this pattern. Cardio is not a safety net that exists when you mess up your diet. Sure it can help, but that’s not how you want to go about things. Cardio is simply one of the tools I’ve mentioned earlier that exists on your weight training belt to help you get to your goals; it’s not the most important way.

When applied in the appropriate manner, cardio training will yield phenomenal results for you and have you well on your way to achieving your desired physique. When misused, it can cause you to waste time and energy, effort and a whole lot of mind space when trying to figure out where you went wrong. If you adhere to advice above with respect to how and when to use cardio and for what purposes you are doing so, then you will be much happier in the end not only with the final product, but also with the process. Cardio can and will be your friend and it doesn’t have to be looked upon as a necessary evil. Not to mention, the overall health benefits of performing regular cardiovascular training in conjunction with what it can do for you performance and conditioning wise, it truly is an invaluable part of our sport. So, don’t neglect it, use it for it’s intended purposes and reap the rewards from all of your hard earned efforts.

Author: Dana Bushell

Dana Bushell, a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University (BAHK, B.Ed) is an Educator, Writer, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Nutrition Advisor, Contest Prep/Lifestyle Coach and former competitive bodybuilder, who has been involved in the Fitness Industry for over 25 years. He has worked and written for major fitness publications and many popular bodybuilding sites, is a Gym Star Team member and works hard at teaching and promoting a fitness-based lifestyle in his career as a Physical Education Specialist.