Muscle Gain Cardio Recommendations

[zmirvin]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but what are you recommendations for "cardio" or GPP while trying to gain muscle? Let's assume the person is an intermediate and lifts 4x/week with a full body, RTS style template. Bodyfat is roughly 12-15%.

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

High intensity interval training with a 1:5-1:8 work to rest ratio. 10-25 seconds on the "work" interval. My modality preferences from "best" to "least best" are as follows:

1) Wingate
2) Prowler/Sled
3) Rower or airdyne
4) Car pushes/pulls
5) elliptical
6) sprinting
7) CrossFit

[David Clark]

If I can piggyback on this question, I am 59 and lifting with two to three days rest in between. If I wanted add HIIT, what would be the best day to do it and not compromise my strength gains. I have seen recommendation of doing it on the same day but that is not a practical solution because of work.

[zmirvin]

Awesome! Thanks, Jordan.

Do you have a starting frequency (x/wk) and interval you prescribe?

Also, what guidelines do you use to adjust this up or down?

[Tiburon]

High intensity interval training with a 1:5-1:8 work to rest ratio. 10-25 seconds on the "work" interval. My modality preferences from "best" to "least best" are as follows:

1) Wingate

Sorry if this has been answered before, but are these things really like $4K? Are there alternatives for my garage gym, or should I just stick with the C2?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Sorry if this has been answered before, but are these things really like $4K? Are there alternatives for my garage gym, or should I just stick with the C2?

A nice Watt bike or similar would work, but yea they are pricey. I have a C2 and really like it FWIW

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

If I can piggyback on this question, I am 59 and lifting with two to three days rest in between. If I wanted add HIIT, what would be the best day to do it and not compromise my strength gains. I have seen recommendation of doing it on the same day but that is not a practical solution because of work.

Either the 1st rest day or the day of the 2nd training session. You'd get used to any day you put it on though.

[jusmoren]

High intensity interval training with a 1:5-1:8 work to rest ratio. 10-25 seconds on the "work" interval. My modality preferences from "best" to "least best" are as follows:

1) Wingate
2) Prowler/Sled
3) Rower or airdyne
4) Car pushes/pulls
5) elliptical
6) sprinting
7) CrossFit

Where would going balls out on a road bike be? With the weight, balance, and speed I could see it being pretty good especially if you have some hills. But then you can't adjust the resistance so maybe comparable to sprinting?

[IlioTiberius]

Sprinting is low on your list. I recall reading that eccentric loading is one disadvantage of sprinting. Would stairs rank higher, because of (I assume) less eccentric loading than sprinting on flat ground? FWIW, I've been been sprinting stairs hard at 8 rounds of 20s:100s work:rest. I'd rather have a prowler, but stairs be free.

[Poco journo]

Hello Jordan the Wingate/Watt bike as far as I can tell is a cycle. Is it the specific nature of the cycling motion that makes it your best choice or is it more to do with the precise control you get over resistance etc? I'm asking because I cycle to work, and there are hills that I could sprint. My current strategy is treadmill intervals and hills sprints, which are way down your list.